Grilled Italian Chicken Skewers

5 from 3 votes

Tender, juicy chicken skewers marinated in a flavorful tomato-herb marinade, grilled to perfection and basted with a bright lemon garlic rosemary sauce. These Italian Chicken Skewers are easy enough for weeknight dinners and special enough for entertaining.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Marinating time1

Total Time1 35

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian, Italian-Inspired

Keyword: BBQ Chicken Skewers, Easy Grilling Recipes, Entertaining Recipes, Italian Chicken Skewers, Lemon Garlic Chicken, Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers, Rosemary Chicken

Servings:

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Chris Scheuer

Ingredients

For the basting sauce

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter I use salted butter
Zest of 1 medium lemon
2 large cloves garlic finely minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

For the marinade

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 medium cloves garlic finely minced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

For the chicken

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the basting sauce

Combine the olive oil, butter, lemon zest and garlic in a small microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave on high power for 1 minute.
Remove from the microwave and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate until 30-45 minutes before grilling.
Just before grilling, stir in the rosemary and set aside.

For the marinade and chicken

Combine the olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Stir well to combine.
Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Check to see which way the grain is running, then slice each breast into ¼- to ⅓-inch strips, perpendicular to the grain. Place the chicken strips in a gallon-size zip-top bag.
Add the marinade and massage the bag with your hands to distribute the marinade evenly over the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water while the chicken marinates.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and thread the strips accordion-style onto skewers, leaving enough room at the ends to handle them easily.
Preheat the grill to 400°F and oil the grates well.
Grill the skewers for 4-5 minutes on the first side, or until they release easily from the grates. Turn and brush generously with the basting sauce.
Continue cooking, turning and basting every 2-4 minutes until the chicken is golden brown with grill marks and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 155-160°F.
Remove from the grill and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
Serve warm with pasta, Parmesan polenta, salads or warm focaccia.

Notes

Note: The nutritional information is calculated using the full amount of marinade. Since some of the marinade is discarded before grilling, the actual calories, fat, sodium and other nutritional values will be lower than listed.

Slicing the chicken against the grain is one of the secrets to keeping these skewers tender and juicy. Don't skip this step!
Stainless steel skewers are my favorite because they don't require soaking and can be reused for years.
The chicken can be marinated for as little as 1 hour, but longer marinating times (up to 12 hours) will yield even more flavor.
I recommend using Morton kosher salt for this recipe. If using Diamond Crystal kosher salt, increase the amount slightly.
The basting sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated until needed.
Don't overcook the chicken. Using an instant thermometer and removing it from the grill at 155-160°F and allowing it to rest will result in much juicier chicken than cooking it all the way to 165°F on the grill.
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for the chicken breasts.

Storage

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezer Instructions

The chicken and marinade can be frozen together in a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before threading onto skewers and grilling.

Nutrition