There’s something about cooking food on skewers that can make even a regular weeknight dinner feel like a festive summer cookout. Start with the barbecue sauce, which has a kick of spice and a vinegary tang. In a small saucepan, sauté garlic and onion for a few minutes until translucent. Stir in the barbecue sauce, honey, mustard, soy sauce, and ground black pepper and ginger and simmer until the flavors meld together.

These chicken skewers are my go-to grill recipe because not only are they delish, they don’t require any marinating, simply coating them with a little olive oil, then spices. Once grilled (or broiled) for 8-10 minutes, the tender spiced morsels are brushed with barbecue sauce so the barbecue sauce caramelizes and becomes even more delicious. To jazz up the presentation, drizzle white sesame seeds on top of the chicken skewers, and add some sliced green onions.

Instructions;

Marinade;

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled minced
  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp honey

Skewers:

  • 2 chicken breasts chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped into large chunks
  • 1 onion peeled and sliced into squares
  • 1 heaped tbsp sesame seeds
  • Small bunch of coriander/cilantro roughly torn

Instructions;

  1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
  2. Place the chicken in a plastic sandwich bag or a bowl and pour on three-quarters of the marinade.
  3. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour
  4. Soak your skewers if they’re wooden ones (to prevent them from burning) or use metal skewers.
  5. When you’re ready to cook, heat your BBQ or griddle until it’s very hot.
  6. Thread a piece of chicken onto a skewer, followed by a chunk of red pepper, then a piece of chicken and a slice of onion.
  7. Repeat until you use up all the skewers and chicken. Discard any of the marinade left in the bag/bowl.
  8. Place the skewers on the BBQ or griddle, and cook for 8-10 minutes until cooked through.
  9. Turn 3-4 times during cooking, and brush with the reserved marinade halfway through cooking.
  10. To check the chicken is cooked, slice opens the largest piece and make sure it’s no pink in the middle.
  11. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and coriander, then serve with salad and rice or potatoes.