Garlic. Parmesan. Chicken. Sounds like the best dinner ever, right? And this garlic Parmesan chicken skewers recipe lives up to the name. My steak and bacon skewers have been a huge hit with friends every time I make them, so I decided to try the recipe with one of the most popular proteins out there. And I’m glad I did, because it is so freakin’ delicious!
I got the inspiration for this unique technique from Salvador Mazzocchi, who makes some epic skewer recipes over live fire. Layering bacon into our pounded boneless skinless chicken thighs creates a tender, juicy bite that will definitely leave you wanting more.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers Ingredients
- Freeze for Ease
- How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
- What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
- Leftovers and Reheating
- For More Skewers
- FAQs
- Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers Recipe
Why You’ll Love Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
I’ve made quite a few skewers recipes over open fire, and I just keep coming back to chicken and bacon flavors (like in this BBQ chicken and bacon ranch skewers recipe). The layering technique is a really fun way to cook this combination, since the bacon fat renders beautifully on the grill.
Plus, we’re basting the garlic Parmesan chicken skewers with a garlic butter that is off the charts. Not only does it have the zip from the garlic, but we’ve got umami from grated Parmesan and extra kick from red chili flakes and my FYR RED Hot Sauce. Everything in the Parmesan sauce pulls out the flavors of the Cowboy Butter Seasoning — rich butter, garlic, herbs, mustard, smoked paprika, vinegar and just a hint of cayenne — really nicely.
If you want more chicken skewers in your life, check out my recipes for Hawaiian Chicken Skewers, Chicken Wing Skewers and Cherry Coke Chicken Skewers. I’ve also got a whole roundup of The Best Skewers Recipes.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers Ingredients
- Skewers: We’ll use boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced bacon and Cowboy Butter Seasoning for our meats.
- Garlic Parmesan Butter: So much epic flavor here. We’ve got unsalted butter, minced garlic, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, red chili flakes and FYR RED Hot Sauce in the mix.
Freeze for Ease
You’ll see in the recipe instructions to freeze the chicken and bacon layers in the freezer for at least an hour (ideally four hours). Don’t skip this step! The freezing makes it easier to slice the meat, and it stays together better on the grill. Otherwise, your chicken skewers will be flopping all over the place and will fall apart on the grill! Nothing sadder than watching a juicy chunk of chicken fall through the grates…
On the flip side, don’t forget about your chicken and leave it in there too long! If you do, it’s going to be a pain (literally) to try to get the skewer through the frozen meat.
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How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Out of the gate with this recipe, you can get out any anger you might have! First, set down a base layer of chicken about 2.5 feet long and 1 foot wide. Then, we’ll pound the chicken thighs until they’re about 1/8 inch thick. Next, season the layer of thinned chicken.
When you’ve done that, add a layer of bacon over the chicken, then place more chicken over the top. Use the parchment paper and mallet to flatten that layer of chicken and season again. Then, wrap everything in foil and place on a tray into the freezer for at least 1 hour but ideally 4 hours.
Once the chicken is ready to come out of the freezer, preheat your fire to medium heat (about 325 degrees Fahrenheit). Pull out your meat, slice into 2×2” cubes, and skewer onto small skewers. Season the outside more of my Cowboy Butter Seasoning as needed.
Also, let’s make that garlic Parmesan butter. Combine 1.5 cups unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1.5 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon red chili flakes, the juice from half a lemon and 1 tablespoon FYR RED Hot Sauce in a mason jar. Set aside until you’re ready to cook.
Add the skewers to the grill grates and cook slowly to render the fat from the bacon. Baste with the butter sauce throughout.
Cook for about 15-20 minutes total, or until the meat’s internal temperature reaches 165F internal. When the chicken has hit temp, pull the skewers off the grill and let them rest. Serve with the butter on the side and fries. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
The fries are so freakin’ delicious with this recipe. I’ve also used ruffled chips with chicken bacon ranch skewers, so feel free to try those too!
If you’re looking for other ideas, you can riff on the classic Italian flavors in the garlic Parmesan butter sauce. You can’t go wrong with sides like grilled zucchini or asparagus, a Caesar salad and crusty bread. All the better for dipping in that butter sauce!
Leftovers and Reheating
If you’ve got leftover garlic Parmesan chicken, store the pieces in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Then, when the garlic Parmesan butter sauce craving hits again, simply reheat using a preheated grill or a skillet with just a little bit of olive oil. Heat for about 3-4 minutes, which is just enough to warm up the chicken pieces and crisp the bacon without drying anything out.
For More Skewers
FAQs
Definitely! Chicken breasts might not be as juicy, since the chicken thighs have more fat on them. I’ve also used chicken drumsticks in my chicken skewers recipes, like for Mojo Chicken Drumstick Skewers Recipe, Cherry Coke Chicken Skewers and Spicy Mezcal Drumstick Skewers. I’ve even used chicken wings! Still, using the boneless chicken breasts for the garlic chicken Parmesan skewers definitely works.
If you’ve got time, freshly grated Parmesan cheese is much better. Pre-shredded Parmesan cheese typically has an anti-caking agent, so it might not melt as well and stick to the chicken the way we want. Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly, has a superior texture and keeps its intense, nutty flavor throughout the cooking process. We’re not using a ton of cheese in this recipe, so it shouldn’t take too long to grate.
I’m definitely in the metal skewers camp. First off, you can reuse them. Also, having a flat surface makes the food more stable so it doesn’t rotate or slide while you’re grilling. But some cooks say the metal heats up faster than a wooden skewer and cooks the inside of the meat too quickly. I haven’t found this! However, if you want to go with wooden skewers or bamboo skewers, make sure you get products with a smooth finish so they’re less likely to splinter. Soaking them in water helps with splintering and charring issues too.
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Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
Skewers:
- 4 lbs Chicken Thighs skinless & boneless
- 1 lbs Bacon sliced
- 1 cup Cowboy Butter Rub
Garlic Parmesan Butter:
- 1.5 cup Unsalted Butter melted
- 2 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 tbsp Grated Parmesan
- 1.5 tbsp Chopped Parsley
- 1 tbsp Red Chili Flakes
- 1 tbsp FYR RED Hot Sauce
Instructions
- Pound the chicken thighs until about ⅛” thick.
- Add a base layer of chicken about 2.5 feet long and 1 foot wide. Then add a layer of bacon over the chicken with more chicken over the top. Wrap in foil and place on a tray into the freezer for at least 1 hour but ideally 4 hours.
- Preheat your fire to medium heat (about 325F).
- Pull out your meat and slice into 2×2” cubes and skewer onto small skewers. Season the outside with my Cowboy Butter Rub.
- To make the Parmesan garlic butter, combine your melted butter, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, red chili flakes and FYR RED Hot Sauce in a mason jar. Set aside until you’re ready to cook.
- Add the skewers to the grill grates to cook slowly to render the fat and cook the bacon. Cook for about 15-20 minutes total or until 165F internal and baste with the butter sauce throughout. Then once done, pull off and let rest.
