Spicy Chicken Skewers
Chicken skewers or chicken kebabs have been one of our go-to meals lately. They are super fast to prep and to cook, there’s very little cleanup, and you can mix up the flavors really easily so you don’t get bored. This spicy chicken rub has Indian inspirations with cinnamon, turmeric and cumin and I think you’ll dig it.
Serve these with a simple salad and some of this marvelous Creamy Hatch chile sauce or some store-bought mango chutney.
You might also like spicy pineapple lamb skewers – lamb kebabs marinated in pineapple and habanero peppers!
Spicy Chicken Skewers Video – scroll down for recipe card
Chicken Skewers Recipe
PrintSpicy Chicken Skewers
Chicken skewers for the grill – you will need 8 12-inch metal skewers (or use bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water 30 minutes before skewering)
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- Spice rub:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 12 large button mushrooms
- 1 red bell peppers, cut into eighths
- 1 onion cut into eighths
- 2 jalapeños, optional
Instructions
- Combine spice rub in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces, you should get about 36 cubes. Coat cubes with 3/4 of the spice mix. Allow to sit and marinate while you prep the vegetables.
- Wipe clean the mushrooms and spray with a little oil. Sprinkle with some of the remaining spice mix. Cut pepper and onion into 8 pieces each; cut each jalapeño into 4 thick circles.
- Thread skewers in this order, being careful not to pack them too tightly or the chicken won’t cook evenly: mushroom, red bell pepper, 2 chicken cubes, jalapeño slice, 2 chicken cubes, onion. You should get 8 skewers.
- Grill skewers over a hot grill (450-500ºF) for 6 minutes, closed. Then turn and grill another 3-4 minutes, closed, until chicken is cooked through.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition info based on using chicken breast
Nutrition
- Calories: 175
- Fat: 3.7
- Protein: 15
15 Comments
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Looks good Hilah! The Latin Jazz music to grill by was a kick also!
i thought that the cinnamon was interesting. I am into all things chicken, and this is a great way to prepare and serve it. you’re wonderful hilah!
This recipe looks awesome! And guess what, I have chicken breasts, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and zucchini sitting in my fridge right now that I was going to use for something else this week! I have another marinade recipe that I usually use for those three veggies that is really good but I think I will try this for something different this week. We don’t have a grill but I have always done them under my broiler with great success. When I do kebabs like this, I usually serve them with some saffron rice — steep a pinch of crushed saffron in about 1/4 cup hot water, then add that to an additional 1 1/4 cup of water (or chicken or vegetable stock) and 1 cup rinsed jasmine rice and about a tablespoon of coconut oil and cook in a rice cooker or on the stove per usual. Makes a fantastic easy meal.
Perfecto! Thanks for the tip about broiling the skewers, Jen. And for the saffron rice recipe. Sounds good and super simple.
Made the skewers on a traeger grill. Thanks for the saffron rice recipe, it was lovely!
That sounds like a delicious combination!
Gahh, the whole cumin and turmeric?!? This teachuh in South Korea is super jelly! Hoping to grab some of these ingredients when I visit Stateside soon. You look fab lady. Super cute baby bump, and your upper lady lumps look hella fab. Sorry if that was inappropriate! Congrats on the new pad, and the baking bebe! You are awesome, and know that you have a big, longtime fan here in the ROK! Hearts and smiley faces …
Thank you, Linds! Man, I’m super jelly, too. I’ve always wanted to visit Korea.
I couldn’t follow the recipe all the way because I was missing ingredients, but I still felt the need to comment. I wouldn’t have made this if I hadn’t come across your recipe in the first place. So thank you!
My tongue is still burning. Not your fault of course. I have a tendency to overload on spices…especially with chicken (and I might have used chili powder instead of paprika). Nose was running, and of course I continued to eat the chicken. Couldn’t stop!
I didn’t have mushrooms or bell peppers. But I always have the spices you mentioned in my home…wouldn’t be an Indian household without them! I also added clove powder to the spice rub and I sprinkled lemon juice on the chicken.
Thanks again! I’ll be making it again tomorrow.
Hi Amy!
Your addition of clove and lemon juice sounds really great. I think there isn’t a vegetable that this spice mix wouldn’t complement, so use whatever you have on hand is my advice!
Hey, I don’t have a grill how else can I cook these awesome recipe?
Hey Lashanda!
You could just use the spice mix and cook the chicken in a hot skillet, like a stir fry.
Saw you on Kelly and Ryan with this recipe, today. Couldn’t find it on their website. I’m going to try it but under the broiler.
Enjoy, Patricia! I think it will be on their site eventually
My husband and I think this recipe is awesome! He is not fond of eating vegetables. But, in this recipe he loved every bite. He said we need to do this more often. We both just loved the seasoning on the chicken and veggies. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.