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Are you ready for a flavor packed recipe? Look no further than these delicious Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers! Tender chunks of chicken marinated in a zesty blend of lemon pepper and cajun seasonings, cooked until golden brown, and coated in a delicious garlic butter sauce!
Can’t get enough of this chicken recipe, try my bang bang chicken skewers and garlic butter wings next!
In the summertime, I love juicy chicken kebabs! They’re easy to make, are great for quick weeknight dinners but are also perfect for cookouts and get togethers! These garlic parmesan chicken skewers are a treat for your taste buds. The chicken is seasoned to perfection, coated in a parmesan butter sauce that is out of this world, and then basted with leftover sauce for a meal that
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Great appetizer and main course! I love a dish that’s versatile. This chicken skewers recipe can be a great finger food at parties but also an easy dinner with a side salad and sourdough garlic bread!
- Flavor PACKED! Every bite of these garlic parm chicken skewers has zesty, buttery, garlic flavor in every single bite!
- Recipe is great for the grill, oven, or air fryer! I use my oven to make this recipe, but I provide instructions on how to adapt it to cooking on the air fryer, and grill as well!
Ingredient Highlights
(full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card)
- Chicken Tenderloins – you can truly use whatever kind of chicken you’d like, however, I like to use chicken tenderloins, especially for skewers, because they’re the perfect size and have a higher fat content than chicken breasts – which makes them more tender and juicy. If you can find chicken tenderloins, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Garlic Cloves – and this recipe calls for a lot of it! Use fresh garlic and dice the garlic as small as you can to release all of the flavor!
- Fresh Parsley – avoid using dried parsley, the flavor is a bit bitter. Fresh parsley provides all of that delicious herby flavor that pairs with the parmesan and garlic SO well.
- Mayo – skip the extra-virgin olive oil and use mayo. When cooking food in the oven at a high temperature, the seasonings can burn and cause for the flavor of the food to taste a little bland. The fats in mayo prevent that from happening and actually insulate the seasonings while cooking – allowing the flavors to SHINE!
- Quality Parmesan Cheese – it’s tempting to use the pre-grated cheese, but I implore you to buy a quality parmigiano reggiano cheese and grate it yourself using a microplane or cheese grater at home. The flavor is a world better and it has less additives that way too!
- Seasonings – cajun seasoning and lemon pepper seasoning are
- Lemon Juice – to add brightness to the garlic butter sauce but to also cut all of the rich flavors.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Make it spicy by adding some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes!
- If you don’t have any cajun seasoning, you can make your own with ingredients already in your pantry! Try this homemade creole seasoning recipe and save any leftovers for when you make this recipe again. 🙂
- Air Fryer Method: cook in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Then coat in the garlic parmesan sauce and continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes, until cooked throughout. Coat in the remaining sauce and enjoy.
- Grill Method: heat your grill to medium high, then place the skewers on the grate and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, flipping every 3-4 minutes to ensure even cooking. Baste with the sauce.
How to make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning in the oven.
Cut chicken into 2-3 inch pieces. Combine chicken tenderloins, mayo, cajun seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and kosher salt and black pepper (as desired) in a large bowl or ziploc bag. Mix everything together, ensuring all of the chicken is coated in the mayo and seasonings.
Thread the chicken cubes onto the soaked skewers, leaving about 1 inch on each end. Place skewers onto a wire rack on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 15-18 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and golden brown. (The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees F)
While the chicken is cooking, combine all of the ingredients to make the garlic parmesan sauce in a bowl – diced garlic, hot sauce, fresh parsley, melted butter, lemon juice, and grated parmesan cheese. Mix together.
- Once the chicken is cooked, set the oven to broil. Brush the chicken with about 1/4 cup of the butter mixture. Broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Baste skewers with remaining sauce and use any leftovers as a dip.
Expert Tips
- If you have time, marinate the chicken in the mayo and seasonings for about 30 minutes to let all of that flavor get into the meat.
- Once the chicken is finished, let it sit for about 5-10 minutes prior to eating. This will allow all of the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken making each bite tender and juicy!
- Even Spacing: Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, leaving a little space between each piece to allow for even cooking.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
How to Serve
My favorite sides to serve with chicken kabobs are a light greek cucumber salad with a refreshing peach iced tea. For a heartier meal, enjoy with some cheesy mashed potatoes or smoked mac and cheese, and don’t forget the brioche dinner rolls on the side!
I always say that best way to eat food is however you enjoy it most, so feel free to get creative and have fun with your sides!
Storing Leftovers
Store your leftover chicken skewers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, simply microwave for about 1-2 minutes or place in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 6-8 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
To cut chicken for kabobs, slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs into uniform 2-3 inch cubes. This ensures even cooking and makes it easier to skewer the pieces securely. Trim off any excess fat or connective tissue for a cleaner bite.
Skewers are done when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), which you can check with a meat thermometer. Additionally, the chicken should be opaque throughout and have clear juices running from it.
Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before using them. This helps prevent them from burning in the oven or catching fire on the grill.
Wooden skewers are convenient and disposable, making cleanup easy, but they need to be soaked before use to prevent burning. Metal skewers are reusable, conduct heat more effectively for even cooking, and don’t require soaking. The choice depends on your preference for convenience versus durability and cooking performance.
More Chicken Recipes
Main Course
Stuffed Chicken Wrapped in Prosciutto
Main Course
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Main Course
Maple Dijon Chicken
Main Course
Mississippi Chicken Recipe
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Equipment
- 6 Skewers
- Wire Rack with Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Chicken Tenderloins, (cut into 3 inch chunks)
- 2 tbsp Mayo
- 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1 1/2 tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- Salt, (to taste)
Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter, (melted)
- 8 cloves Garlic, (diced)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, (diced)
- 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt, (more or less as desired)
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, (freshly grated)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Soak skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning in the oven.
- Combine chicken tenderloins, mayo, cajun seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix everything together, ensuring all of the chicken is coated in mayo and seasonings.
- Thread the chicken onto the soaked skewers, leaving about 1 inch on each end.
- Roast in the oven for 15-18 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and browned.
- While the chicken is cooking, combine all of the ingredients for the garlic parmesan sauce in a bowl. Mix together.
- Once the chicken is cooked, set the oven to broil. Brush the chicken with about 1/4 cup of the sauce. Broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Baste skewers with remaining sauce.
Notes
- If you have time, marinate the chicken in the mayo and seasonings for about 30 minutes to let all of that flavor get into the meat.
- Once the chicken is finished, let it sit for about 5-10 minutes prior to eating. This will allow all of the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken making each bite tender and juicy!
- Even Spacing: Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, leaving a little space between each piece to allow for even cooking.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Your fav to serve these with?
I like to serve these with a side salad or mashed potatoes or rice. For something a little heartier, I like to serve with mac and cheese and dinner rolls. All of these recipes can be found on my blog 🙂