Grilled Asian Chicken Skewers (Print View)

Marinated chicken skewers grilled and finished with a honey garlic glaze, garnished with sesame and green onions.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari if needed)
03 - 2 tablespoons sesame oil
04 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
05 - 1 tablespoon honey
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Honey Garlic Sauce

09 - ¼ cup honey
10 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
11 - 2 tablespoons water
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
14 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

→ Garnishes

15 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
16 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
17 - Lime wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor.
03 - Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
04 - Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Thread the chicken pieces evenly onto the skewers, leaving a small gap between pieces for even cooking.
05 - Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and lightly charred with an internal temperature of 165°F.
06 - While the skewers grill, combine the honey, soy sauce, water, minced garlic, and chili flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
07 - Stir in the cornstarch slurry and whisk continuously until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
08 - Arrange the grilled chicken skewers on a serving platter. Drizzle generously with the honey garlic sauce and garnish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and lime wedges.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The honey garlic sauce doubles as a marinade and a dipping sauce, so every bite packs layers of sweet and savory depth without extra work.
  • These skewers come together fast enough for a Tuesday night but look impressive enough that guests will think you spent all day cooking.
02 -
  • Do not skip the marinating step because the chicken needs that time to absorb the soy sauce and ginger, and anything under thirty minutes will taste flat.
  • The cornstarch slurry must be cold water mixed with cornstarch right before adding it, because if it sits too long it clumps and you end up with lumps in your sauce.
  • If using wooden skewers and you forget to soak them, wrap the exposed ends in foil so they do not burn to ash on the grill.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel before adding them to the marinade so the soy sauce and oil can actually penetrate instead of sliding off surface moisture.
  • Let the sauce rest for two minutes off the heat before serving because it continues to thicken and reaches the perfect consistency on its own.

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