Sesame Chicken Kabobs
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Oh-so-sweet, savory, sticky chicken kabobs with the most flavorful marinade. Can be prepped ahead of time. SO SO EASY!
Time to fire up that grill for this summery goodness – sweet, savory, sticky chicken kabobs grilled to absolute perfection.
The marinade can be prepped the night before, which means less work when ready to serve. And if you’re using wood skewers, be sure to soak them for at least 30 minutes in water (overnight is best) as they can burn easily over a hot grill.
I am always partial to chicken thighs as they will yield the most tender kabobs, but chicken breasts can be substituted if needed.
This is best served over a bowl of rice and marinated cucumbers or they can be munched alone as finger food (also equally amazing) with a cold, cold beer.
CAN I USE CHICKEN BREASTS?
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful kabobs when thrown on the grill.
WHAT CAN I USE IF I DON’T HAVE METAL SKEWERS?
Metal skewers are sturdy and reusable but please note that they will retain heat so please be careful when serving. Wooden skewers can also be used but can burn over a hot grill. I recommend soaking them overnight in water (or at least 30 minutes) prior to using.
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A GRILL?
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter month when it’s too cold to grill out!

Sesame Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, ketchup, honey, sesame oil, Dijon, vinegar, ginger and garlic. Reserve 1/3 cup and set aside.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine soy sauce mixture and chicken; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, up to 8 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
- Thread chicken onto skewers. Brush with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Add skewers to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Brush skewers with reserved soy sauce mixture, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
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Sounds great! Can’t wait to try
LOOKS GREAT …. LIKE ALL YOUR OFFERINGS !
MY QUESTION IS: 1″ SEEMS QUITE SMALL FOR THE CHUNKS OF CHICKEN.
CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA OF HOW LONG THE ACTUAL ROW OF CHICKEN CHUNKS ON A SKEWER IS ? MY HUSBAND IS LAUGHING AS I COMPARE YOUR SKEWER CAPACITY TO THE DRINKING GLASS OPENING & THE CUC SLICES IN THE PHOTO !!! SORRY TO BE SO WEIRD.
ANOTHER QUERY ……………. RECIPE SAYS 6 SERVINGS. THE PHOTO SHOWS 3 SKEWERS PER PLATE. WILL THIS RECIPE MAKE 18 SKEWERS OR JUST 6 ……. AND ACTUALLY THE PHOTO IS JUST BEING GENEROUS & PHOTOGENIC.
WHEN I WORK THE CHICKEN WEIGHT DOWN TO 1/4 POUND A SKEWER …. I ONLY GET 8 SKEWERS. JUST WANT TO GET ENOUGH FOR MY GUESTS.
THANKS
Hello!
Can I cook the chicken in the oven? What would be a good temperature? Thank you for helping me!
I absolutely love every recipe of yours that I have tried and you are my go-to so that is quite a few. We made this the other day complete w/ rice and an Asian cucumber salad. I didnt thaw enough chicken so threw some shrimp on their own skewer! Amazing and sooo easy. Great summer/Grill dinner. I barely got seconds between my daughter and hubby. I will make this again and again!
This was a perfect weekday night meal! I marinated the chicken in morning and grilled the kebabs when I got home. So delicious and easy. I love your recipes❤️
The pickles look amazing as well! Can I get that recipe???
Love all your recipes:)
Can you share the recipe for the marinated cucumber?
Do you have a recipe for the marinated cucumbers?
Looks great! What did you marinate the cucumbers in?