Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers

These spicy garlic parmesan chicken skewers are a must make on the grill! Packed with flavor, you have everything you could ever want from juicy chicken with crispy edges, roasted garlic, cheesy parmesan and a little heat.

These are easy to make and well balanced. Serve them over rice or with your favorite sides and you have dinner in no time!

What kind of chicken to use for skewers?

For this recipe I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Not only are they cheaper than chicken breast but a lot more flavorful and juicy.

Dark meat always wins in my book. You can cook them to a higher temperature and the extra fat in the meat will keep the chicken moist and delicious.

To make the butter, simply add softened butter to a bowl and stir in the rest of the ingredients including chopped parsley, grated parmesan cheese, roasted garlic paste, salt, black pepper and buffalo sauce. If you want to make your own roasted garlic at home check out my recipe!

Save the butter for later as you will brush them onto the chicken skewers while they cook on the grill and reserve a little just before serving.

Be sure to check out this cowboy butter recipe as well. It would go great on these!
I’m grilling on a charcoal grill but gas or pellet would be fine! Whatever you are comfortable with. I think the charcoal does add extra flavor so keep that in mind if you want to go all out.

I heat my grill to medium high and place the skewers directly over the charcoal. Every few minutes rotate the skewers and continue cooking them. You want that nice golden brown color on the chicken with some crispy edges. That’s where the good stuff is.

I also like to throw a bit of mesquite wood towards the back of the grill to add a little smoke flavor but that’s optional.

Ingredients

2 ½ lbs chicken breasts, cubed
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons black pepper
¾ cup butter
7-9 cloves garlic, minced
⅔ cup parmesan
1 ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning

Preparation

If using wooden skewers, fill a large dish with water and soak them as you prepared chicken.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.

Place cubed chicken in a large bow and toss in olive oil. Season with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

In a small bowl, melt butter then mix in minced garlic, parmesan, red pepper, and Italian seasoning. Transfer a few spoonfuls of this mixture to a small bowl for serving and set aside.

Skewer chicken, packing the cubes together tightly, and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Brush the butter mixture on all sides of the skewers.

Bake skewers for 13-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, then broil for 1-2 minutes or until outsides are crisp and golden.

Brush on remaining sauce before serving.

What’s the best type of chicken to use?

I like chicken thighs because they are juicier and have more flavor, but feel free to use chicken breast as well.

Can I make this in my oven or air fryer?

Absolutely! For either of those options, I recommend setting the temperature to 350°F. Just remove the chicken a time or two to brush on the butter and place back into the oven or air fryer to continue cooking.