These teriyaki chicken skewers are my next frontier in skewer deliciousness. I’ve used this method — inspired by Turkish dishes and Salvador Mazzocchi — with steak and bacon, garlic Parmesan chicken, pizza steak and French onion steak; so I knew these teriyaki chicken kabobs were going to be a freakin’ delicious winner. The layering approach, paired with a sweet and spicy teriyaki marinade and bacon, packs a serious flavor punch!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Teriyaki Chicken Skewers Ingredients
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
- TROPICAL HEAT MEETS BBQ SWEET
- How to Make Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- What to Serve with Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Leftovers and Reheating
- For More Teriyaki
- FAQs
- Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire
- Teriyaki Chicken Skewers Recipe
Why You’ll Love Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
We all know that teriyaki chicken is a great go-to easy meal. You’re starting with juicy chicken, a crowd pleaser for even the pickiest eaters. Add in all the salty, sweet and spicy flavors from the teriyaki sauce? No question you’re going to have everyone at the table raising their hands for these chicken teriyaki skewers.
Topping it off with a bacon layer creates an umami flavor bomb that is just unbelievable. I’m betting these grilled chicken skewers will be on regular rotation for an easy weeknight dinner at your house.
Don’t Forget to Freeze!
The key to success with these grilled chicken skewers is freezing the meat before you slice it. Don’t skip this step! The time in the freezer makes it easier to slice the meat, plus it stays together better on the grill. Otherwise, everything will be flopping around and will fall apart — not much fun and a skewer recipe’s worst nightmare! The chicken spends at least four hours in the marinade and another hour (at least, ideally you want four hours) in the freezer. So, while it’s an easy recipe, you do need to plan ahead. The grilling portion goes really fast!
Looking for more of my favorite chicken recipes? Check out The Best Chicken Leg Recipes, Best Chicken Lollipop Recipes, and Best Chicken Wing Recipes
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers Ingredients
- Skewers: We’re using boneless skinless chicken thighs, which are the perfect cut for these easy teriyaki chicken skewers. You’ll also want slices of bacon, Spiceology’s Salt Pepper Garlic Seasoning, sesame seeds and scallions.
- Marinade: For our teriyaki marinade, grab some soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic and sesame oil.
- Teriyaki Sauce: We’ll top off this delicious recipe with a homemade teriyaki sauce. Soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, minced garlic, red chili flakes, grated ginger, cornstarch and kosher salt are what you need here.
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
I know Hawaiian macaroni salad might not immediately come to mind when you think of chicken skewers, but hear me out! This salad pairs perfectly with the delicious teriyaki flavor from the chicken skewers. You’ll need 1 pound elbow macaroni, 2 cups mayonnaise, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 cup finely diced celery, 1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion and 2 large carrots, finely grated.
Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, then drain and toss with the apple cider vinegar. In a large bowl, mix together your mayo, sugar, salt and spices. Then, toss in the pasta, along with your vegetables. Mix well, season to taste with salt and black pepper, then refrigerate for at least two hours.
Enjoy with your favorite Hawaiian or Asian barbecue meals! I bet this macaroni salad would be freakin’ delicious with my Hawaiian chicken skewers, Huli-Huli ribs or any recipe that calls for Tiki Tiki Sauce.
Get stoked for life
TROPICAL HEAT MEETS BBQ SWEET
- SWEET HEAT
- PINEAPPLE & GINGER
- SMALL BATCH
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Making the Teriyaki Sauce
First up, let’s make the teriyaki sauce. Add all the ingredients – water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, minced garlic, red chili flakes, grated ginger, cornstarch slurry (¼ cup water + 3 teaspoons corn starch mixed) and kosher salt to taste – to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let it simmer for about 3-4 minutes. When the mixture has thickened, pull off and let cool.
Prepping the Chicken
Next is our marinade. Mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic cloves and sesame oil in a bowl. Add boneless skinless chicken thighs to a food safe bowl or bag, then top with the marinade. Place in the fridge to marinade for 4-12 hours.
When the chicken has had enough time to marinate, remove from the marinade and discard the excess. Then, pound the chicken thighs until about ⅛” thick.
Create a base layer of chicken pieces about 2.5 feet long and 1 foot wide. Then, add a layer of bacon slices — you’ll need about a pound total — 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.
Grilling the Chicken Skewers
Now it’s time to cook! Preheat your fire to medium heat (about 325 degrees Fahrenheit). Remove the meat from the freezer and slice into 2×2 inch cubes and skewer onto small skewers. Season the outside with the salt, pepper, garlic seasoning.
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 they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Be sure to baste with the teriyaki sauce throughout!
When they’ve reached temp, remove from heat and let rest. Serve with remaining teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds and scallions and enjoy!
What to Serve with Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
If you’re looking for other sides besides the Hawaiian macaroni salad, a pot of white rice and grilled veggies (like green pepper, zucchini, fresh pineapple chunks, red onion or corn) would be great options. You could also serve with a simple green salad, roasted broccoli or lo mein noodles.
Leftovers and Reheating
Wrap and store any leftover teriyaki chicken in an airtight container for 3-5 days. When you want to reheat, wrap the skewers in aluminum foil and place them back on the grill for a few minutes, or heat them in a large skillet. You can add a little liquid to the aluminum foil boat to keep the meat tender.
For More Teriyaki
FAQs
Definitely! They won’t have as much fat as the chicken thighs, but the bacon should help make up for that. Just keep an eye on the cooking time so it doesn’t dry out.
Metal skewers for me! Here’s why: you can reuse them, and having a flat surface makes the food more stable so it doesn’t rotate or slide while you’re grilling.
If you do use wooden skewers or bamboo skewers, make sure they have a smooth finish so they’re less likely to splinter. Soaking them in water helps with splintering and charring too.
If you’re in a pinch, sure! The delicious homemade teriyaki sauce comes together quickly, though, and gets rave reviews at my house. You can always pull it together when the chicken is marinating or in the freezer. There’s plenty of time to prep during those windows.
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Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
Skewers:
- 4 lbs Chicken Thighs skinless & boneless
- 1 lbs Bacon Slices
- 1 cup Salt, Pepper, Garlic Seasoning (SPG) from Spiceology
- Sesame Seeds garnish
- Scallions garnish
Marinade:
- 3 cups Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 2 Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
Teriyaki Sauce:
- 1.25 cup Water
- 1 cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- 1 tsp Grated Ginger
- ¼ cup Cornstarch Slurry ¼ cup water + 3 tsp Cornstarch mixed
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Marinade:
- In a bowl, mix together the ingredients for the marinade.
- Add the chicken to a food safe bowl or bag and top with the marinade. Place in the fridge to marinade for 4-12 hours.
Teriyaki Sauce:
- Add all the ingredients to a pot over medium heat, bring to a boil and let simmer for about 3-4 minutes.
- Once thickened, pull off and let cool
Chicken:
- Pull the chicken out and discard excess marinade.
- 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. Cover 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 SPG.
- Add the skewers to the grill grates to cook slowly, we want to render the fat and cook the bacon. Cook for about 15-20 minutes total or until 165F internal and baste with the Teriyaki Sauce throughout. Then once done, pull off and let rest.
- Serve with rice, veggies, teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds and scallions. Enjoy!
