This easy Chicken Spiedini recipe features skewered chicken cubes that have marinated in wine, lemon juice and olive oil before getting coated with Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. Grilled until crispy on the outside, the chicken remains juicy and tender on the inside. Finished with a succulent lemon-butter sauce, these chicken skewers will delight adults and children alike!
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time35 minutesmins
Servings: 5to 6
Ingredients
For the chicken
2poundsboneless,skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2garlic cloves,minced
2tablespoonslemon juice
1/4cupdry white wine,optional (see notes)
1teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1teaspoon ground black pepper
6-8skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak in water for 20 minutes)
For the breadcrumbs
1cupfinedry bread crumbs
1/3cupgrated parmesan cheese
1teaspoongarlic powder
1tablespoon Italian seasoning
For the lemon-butter sauce
4tablespoons unsalted butter
2garlic cloves,minced
pinch of salt
1teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes,optional
3-4tablespoons lemon juice
2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the cubed chicken, olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, white wine, salt and pepper. Mix until the chicken is well coated. Cover and marinate for 20-30 minutes, or up to 12 hours.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and make sure the grates are very clean. Don't oil the grates until ready to cook the skewers.
In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Toss to mix well.
Add about 5 (soaked) pieces of chicken to the seasoned breadcrumbs, rolling each around so they are coated on all sides. Thread the coated chicken pieces onto wooden skewers (I fit about 5 or 6 on each skewer). Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Depending on what size skewers you use, you should have 7 to 8.
Very generously oil the grates or griddle. Add the skewers and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes on the first side. Using tongs, flip the skewers and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes each on the 3 remaining sides. Remove from heat when spiedini are nice and golden brown and/or internal temperature reads 165ºF. Note that the cooking time will depend on how hot your grill runs so adjust accordingly.
Over medium heat, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the minced garlic, pinch of salt, ad pepper flakes (if using). Cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and chopped parsley.
Place the chicken on a serving platter and drizzle generously with the lemon-butter sauce. Pass any leftover sauce around the table for extra drizzling. Serve with lemon wedges on the side, if desired.
Notes
If omitting white wine: Add a tablespoon more of lemon juice.
Don't over-marinate the chicken. For best results, the chicken should marinate for at least 30 minutes but 1 to 2 hours is best. However, do not marinate for longer than 12 hours or the texture of the meat will be affected.
Soak wooden skewers. If you use wooden skewers to grill the chicken spiedini, make sure you soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. Otherwise they could catch fire on the hot grill.
Let the chicken get a nice sear on the grill. Restraint is key to getting a nice golden and crispy exterior on the chicken spiedini. Place the skewers on the grates and don't move them or flip them for at least 4-5 minutes.
Don’t overcook the chicken. Chicken breast will cook pretty quickly on the grill so make sure not overcook it. I like to cut the chicken breast into 2-inch cubes to allow enough time for the exterior to get nice and golden without the interior overcooking. If possible, test for doneness with a digital thermometer. The chicken is cooked when it reaches 165° Fahrenheit.
Clean and oil the grates. The only tricky part about this recipe is grilling the breaded chicken which is pretty dry and tends to stick to the grates. To ensure the chicken doesn’t stick to the grates, make sure they are clean and brushed generously with oil right before grilling the chicken.
Wait until ready to serve to make the lemon-butter sauce. The lemon-butter sauce is made with melted butter. If you melt the butter too soon, it will harden. Since it only takes a minute or two to make, I recommend making it once you have pulled the chicken off the grill.
To store: Place leftover spiedini in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To reheat: Place spiedini on a small sheet pan and reheat in a 350ºF preheated oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, heat them in a skillet with a smidge of oil over medium heat until heated through.