Description
A quick and festive 5pm dinner hack featuring juicy grilled chicken skewers marinated in a smoky BBQ blend, served with a fresh, no-cook sweet corn salsa. Perfect for summer evenings and easy cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 medium yellow onion, divided (half for marinade, half for salsa)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, divided (half for marinade, half for brushing)
- 2 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off cob (approx. 2 cups)
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 small jalapeño, finely minced, seeds removed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Water for soaking skewers
- Oil for grilling grates
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl.
- Make the marinade: Whisk together soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, smoked paprika, and half of the BBQ sauce.
- Marinate: Pour marinade over chicken, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours).
- Make the salsa: While chicken marinates, combine corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, minced jalapeño, and cilantro in a bowl.
- Season salsa: Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to the salsa. Toss gently and set aside.
- Prep skewers: Soak wooden bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400°F / 200°C).
- Assemble skewers: Thread chicken cubes onto skewers, leaving space between pieces. Optionally add onion chunks.
- Grill: Oil grill grates. Place skewers on grill and cook for 5 minutes without touching to char.
- Flip and sauce: Flip skewers and brush generously with remaining BBQ sauce.
- Finish cooking: Cook for another 5-7 minutes, flipping once more, until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature and is caramelized.
- Rest and serve: Remove skewers from grill and let rest for 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately with sweet corn salsa on the side.
Notes
[‘Soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.’, ‘Cut chicken into uniform 1-inch cubes for even cooking.’, ‘Use fresh corn for best texture; if using frozen, thaw and drain thoroughly.’, ‘Marinate in half the BBQ sauce and brush with the rest at the end to prevent burning.’, ‘Salsa can be made up to 4 hours ahead of time.’]
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 skewers + 1/4 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 14
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
Keywords: Labor Day, grilled chicken, BBQ skewers, sweet corn salsa, summer dinner, quick weeknight meals, outdoor cooking, family friendly