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Juicy, tender grilled chicken, bursting with vibrant flavor. These Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers are a delicious fusion of South American and Asian cuisines!
Are you ready for an international culinary adventure? We're headed to Peru today, where the cuisine is an interesting fusion of Latin American, European and Asian - little bits and pieces of each, all thrown in a big pot and swirled around to produce some incredibly delicious eats. These Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers are the perfect example!
A delicious and unique combination of flavors!
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are marinated in (what might seem to be a crazy combination) herbs, spices and a few other wonderful ingredients: garlic, cumin, chili powder, crushed red pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, fresh ginger and olive oil. Half of the mixture is used for the marinade and the other half as a basting sauce while the chicken is grilling.
I like to cut up the thighs and thread the meat on skewers, but if you're in a hurry, you could leave them whole and grill them without the skewers.
I usually serve these Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers with this Peruvian Green Sauce, although they're perfectly delicious 0n their own too!
Expect rave reviews!
The first time I served these Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers, our son, Nick made a comment that explains how delicious they are; he said, "Wow mom, this is one of the best things you've ever made!". But being a very considerate (smart and diplomatic too!) son, he added, "... and you make a lot of really good things!". I had to laugh - but also had to agree that these Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers are wonderful.
Want something special this weekend for dinner? Got friends coming for a picnic or party sometime soon? Tired of the same-old-same-old? Pick up some chicken thighs at the market next time you shop. Check the list of marinade and Peruvian Green Sauce (optional, buy SO good!) ingredients - you probably have most of them in the pantry or fridge, but jot down anything you're missing. You're in for a fabulous treat!
Someone might even say these Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers are, "The best thing you've ever made"!
Café Tips for making these Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers
- I really recommend using skinless, boneless chicken thighs for this recipe, as they don't dry out as easily as chicken breasts do. If however, you're a die-hard chicken breast lover, go ahead and use them for this recipe. Don't leave the breast skewers on the grill as long and get them nice and chilled before you start grilling in order to give the exterior a chance to brown a little before the inside gets done.
- This recipe calls for smoked paprika. Just like regular paprika, smoked paprika is made from pimiento peppers, but instead of just drying the peppers, they are also smoked over an oak fire before being ground into a fine powder. It's delicious and worth keeping in your spice cabinet. Smoked paprika can be found in the regular spice section of most larger groceries. I often pick it up at Trader Joe's. It can also be purchased online and be at your front door in two days.
- Smoked Paprika comes in two varieties, sweet and hot. If it's not labeled, it's usually the sweet variety. I prefer sweet paprika as the hot variety doesn't work in all recipes. You can always add a little heat with cayenne, chili powder or crushed red pepper.
- I love metal skewers vs. wood or bamboo skewers. It seems no matter how long you soak the wood/bamboo ones, they always tend to burn on the grill, especially if you're going for a nice char on the meat. These metal skewers are some of my favorites. They're not too long and have a nice flat surface, making it easy to thread the meat and turn the skewers. They're also the perfect size for serving a dinner plate.
P.S. Craving these flavor but don't have a grill? No worries! We also have a fabulous Peruvian Chicken recipe that can be made right on the stovetop!
Thought for the day:
May the God of HOPE
fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in Him,
so that you may be filled with HOPE
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
What we're listening to for inspiration:
- 3 medium cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
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Trim chicken of excess fat and cut into approximately 1-inch wide pieces. Set aside.
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Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium-size bowl and stir to mix. Add chicken to a large zip lock bag along with half of the marinade/sauce. Reserve the remaining marinade and set it aside.
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Massage the bag with the chicken to evenly coat the chicken with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
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Heat a gas grill to medium-high or start a medium-hot charcoal grill. Thread chicken onto skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes, so they don't catch on fire.)
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Clean grill surface and oil with spray or brush with a tongs and an oil-dipped paper towel. Place skewers on grill and cook, turning one-quarter turn every 3-4 minutes until golden, about 10-12 minutes. Brush with the remaining sauce, turning frequently until chicken is charred in spots. The exact timing will vary, depending on the temperature of your grill. Remove the chicken skewers from the grill, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips
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Lauren says
This was absolutely delicious! I grilled the chicken thighs whole instead of cutting them for a skewer and still enjoyed them. Very flavorful! We had them with grilled veggies that we used to mop up every drop of the sauce. I used 1 jalapeno for the sauce because I can't handle much heat and that was the perfect amount for me. Thank you for sharing!
Nancy says
Have you put them under the broiler with the same tasty results?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Nancy, I haven't tried the broiler but I think they would be delicious!
Penny Currie says
OMG.....🤪 this chicken is amazing! I actually did it as whole chicken breasts. But I will def be making these again and I will also be trying the skewers next time also!! Got to have the "green sauce" to go with it also!! Delish!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Penny. I'm so happy you enjoyed this chicken, we love it too!
Margaret says
I love your recipes. Please change your black header, uses too much ink when printing. Thank you
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Margaret! I'm so happy you've enjoyed some of our recipes!
Regarding printing, if you click on the little "print" button, right under the title for each recipe, you will be directed to a copy of the recipe without any formatting. It does not include the black header. Hope that helps!
Sue S says
These were absolutely delicious! I’ve mentioned before that two of our children have been trained/worked as professional chefs. Our chef son-in-law stated, “This is one of the best meals you’ve made (and they are usually very happy with what I make) and I’d eat this 52 weeks a year”. Our daughter just kept going, “mmmm, mmmm”.
I served it, as suggested, with the cilantro rice, skewered grilled veggies and the Peruvian Green Sauce which went delightfully over everything. Very compatible flavor profiles. Prosecco seemed to go along with the meal quite nicely. The only thing I’d say is that it took a lot longer to grill the chicken than stated. Maybe I had put the chicken pieces on the skewers too tightly, but they probably took a good 30+ minutes to grill to 165 degrees F for the marinated chicken thighs. Thanks for a really wonderful recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
I love that your "chefs" enjoyed these chicken skewers, Sue! That's the ultimate compliment! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a fun and detailed review!
Suze Skinner-Caron says
Chris, this was amazing! I live near a Latino market and had no trouble getting the ingredients. The sauce is the perfect finishing touch and I am already thinking of other ways to use it. We loved it!
Chris Scheuer says
How wonderful to live near a Latino market, I'm jealous. But I'm also so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Suze! We love that sauce too, and yes there are so many ways to use it!
Mary says
Chris, these Peruvian Chicken Skewers are amazingly delicious! I made them for the first time last evening, and my husband and I loved them! So moist, spicy and yummy! The Peruvian green sauce was outstanding as well. Can't wait to make this next time for friends! Thank you for the great recipes. I am enjoying your blog!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Mary! I'm so happy you enjoyed them. We love that sauce, so fresh and delicious!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
These look simply mouthwatering Chris! So perfect for summer grilling season. Can't wait to try!
Tricia | Saving Room for Dessert says
This is my kind of recipe Chris! Peruvian flavors have been on my radar lately so this is a must try for me. That sauce looks incredible too - pinning!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Tricia! Peruvian is such an interesting fusion of flavors!
2pots2cook says
Both my son and I love Peruvian food and this skewers are our weekend lunch plan ; we even have a Peruvian board so this one directed there 🙂 Thank you Chris !
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Oh, yum! These look terrific. And just loaded with flavor, I'll bet. Thanks!
Sharl says
This will be interesting to try...my husband is Peruvian and he is so critical of Peruvian recipes. (though he hasn't lived there in almost 30 years so I think his memory is a tad rusty. lol) In any case, the recipe looks yummy so I am going to give it a try this weekend.
Chris Scheuer says
Let us know how he likes it, Sharl. I did have an email from a woman from Peru who loved this chicken.
Paula says
This looks wonderful Chris and so easy! Can’t wait to try it.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Paula! I think you'll love it!
Liz says
There's always chicken in our freezer and this combination of ingredients sounds just our style! Perfect for summer grilling.
Myrna says
Hi Chris, Haven’t made this yet but it sounds great! I have a question for you: the recipe says to add 1 tsp.chili powder plus the red pepper flakes. Would this be mexican chili powder, cayenne, ancho? We like some heat but too much can spoil a dish. Please clarify and thank you for your enthusiasm and great recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Myrna, I've used Mexican chili powder and Ancho chili powder for this recipe and neither one add a ton of heat. We like a little heat but not super hot and both of these chili powders have worked well.
Greg Snell says
Pork works great ... I used boneless chops and sliced about 1/4" thin. Eat as fingerfood like a Satay or chop use as a Taco filling .... makes a nice rif on Tacos el Carbon with grilled pineapple and onion.
Chris Scheuer says
That sounds wonderful, Greg! Thanks for sharing!
Shirley says
Has anyone used this marinade with a different type of meat? I'm wondering if would taste good with pork?
Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
I haven't tried it with pork but that is a wonderful idea. I think it would be delicious!
Sheila says
Hi Chris. I am planning a dinnEr party at the cabin this summer and I thought the Peruvian skewers looked great. Just wondering what else I would pair these with. Any suggestions?
Sheila from Winnipeg
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sheila, hope you're doing well! These skewers are wonderful, I think you'll really enjoy them. One idea to pair with them is this Cilantro Rice. It's actually a Mexican recipe but it goes well with just about everything and is really pretty too! I'd probably just grill a bunch of veggies to go with it.
Bronwyn Fitzgerald says
This is honestly one of the best chicken marinades out there! My husband and I don’t eat sugar so we use honey instead and it is still delicious! And because I’m the biggest fan of garlic, I normally use more than 3 cloves 😁
And we’ve made the green sauce too on many occasions - so delicious!
We are South Africans living in London and we are looking forward to trying this recipe out on a ‘braai’ back home next week!
Thank you Chris for sharing this and we can’t wait to try more recipes on your blog!
Chris Scheuer says
So nice to meet you Brownwyn! We love London! Our daughter lived there for 7 years and we would visit twice a year so it became a "second home" to us. Thanks for sharing your results for this marinade. We love it too! Have a great trip!
Linda says
Hey Chris!😍 Tom & I agree.... WE LOVE THIS PERUVIAN CHICKEN MARINADE!...I’ve made it several times~Easy & delicious!! Hope you & Scott are enjoying your “summer home “... made it through almost all the seasons now?😅 ...still miss seeing you bike around here!!😘💕
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Linda! Miss you too, it was fun running into each other!
Laura Coblentz says
This dish, all together, was a fantastic blend of flavors -- the sauce was terrific -- we all loved it. This is a fantastic chicken dish recipe. Just found your blog and I can't wait to try more of your recipes!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Laura! I appreciate you taking the time to share your results! Hope you enjoy more of our recipes!
Maggie says
We live in Sonoma, CA, with lots of Hispanic markets. I went out to find Aji Amarillo paste but I was told at one of them that our Hipanic markets don't usually carry Aji, they carry Achiote. Aji is South American, the owner insisted. He told me to look in Whole Foods : ) I found some Aji powder at a spice shop next to our Whole Foods so will make a paste with some vinegar and water and hope for the best. Will order Aji from Amazon as some of your readers recommend.
I just came across your website this morning while looking for a recipe for using leftover half and half from a meeting at my home yesterday. Another blogger mentioned your hot fudge sauce recipe as one of her best recommendations.
I am so glad to have found your blog. You and Scott embrace a variety of foods and don't seem to be afraid to try new things, which is our way of approaching food. We are trying your Asian Salmon salad tonight and your Peruvian chicken tomorrow night. My fishmonger, who knows I make exotic dishes, wanted to know what I was making. When I told him, he asked for the website because he loves to prepare the meals and his wife loves to bake. So I am spreading the word!
I can't wait to try some of your desserts! Will rate recipes on Sunday.
Thanks!
"Chris Scheuer says
So nice to "meet" you, Maggie! Thanks for leaving such a delightful and detailed comment. Welcome to The Café!
Anna-Marie says
I made these last night with the green sauce and they were fantastic! I found the Peruvian paste on amazon....
Easy and delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
That's great, Anna-Marie! We love them too!
Patricia Ann Holden says
We made these kabobs and the green sauce yesterday. They were delicious!! This will be our new standby for the grill this summer. I skewered red onion chunks on another skewer and grilled Roma tomato halves on a grill pan. Delicious. I love this website and everything I've made from it. Thank you!!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed this chicken, Patricia!
Linda says
Made these tonight and my family Loved them. Marinated the chicken in the morning and grilled them right before dinner. So easy and delicious! Served the with skillet corn bread and grilled asparagus. Will be making this frequently...a winner! Thank you!!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed this recipe! Sounds like a wonderful dinner!
Sassi says
So glad I came across this site, everything looks absolutely delicious, going to try making this with the mexican salad, there are so many lovely recipes to choose from.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Sassi, enjoy!