Garlic Butter Chicken Skewers (in a pan)

This garlic butter chicken skewer recipe is a real winner! You can grill them on a BBQ or even bake them in the oven, and I’ll show you how to get them perfect in the oven. Personally, I make them in a pan, as I love how easy and quick it is.

I’m all about keeping things simple, my kitchen is stocked with only the basics, and I really prefer not to complicate things. I use just a handful of spices that I always have on hand, for all my recipes (literally the most basic stuff: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika). All my recipes follow this simple approach; full of flavor, easy, and stress-free!

Ingredients to make garlic butter chicken skewers:

• Chicken: I use chicken breasts, you can also use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer darker meat with more flavor.
• Yogurt: The yogurt tenderizes the chicken and adds creaminess. I use Greek yogurt because it’s thicker, but plain regular yogurt also works. Make sure you go with an unflavoured and unsweetened yogurt. If you’re out of options, buttermilk will do the job as well.
• Minced Garlic: Fresh garlic always better in this recipe, but garlic powder can be used if that’s all you have.
• Butter: Unsalted butter lets you control the seasoning, but salted butter works too. I used unsalted.
• Paprika powder: Paprika gives mild smokiness, you can swap it for something with more heat if you prefer.
• Onion Powder: adds sweet, savory flavor without the texture of fresh onions. You can use finely grated fresh onion if you like.
• Salt & pepper.
• Fresh Parsley: I like to use freshly chopped parsley, you can use dry if that’s all you have, but I highly recommend using fresh.

Measurements are posted in the recipe card below the instructions.

1. Start by cutting the chicken breasts into even bite-sized cubes to ensure they cook evenly.

2. Place the chicken cubes in a bowl, then add yogurt, salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon of grated garlic, onion powder, and paprika, mixing everything together until well combined. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes, for best flavor opt for 2 hours to 24 hours (overnight is best).

3. Thread the marinated chicken onto the skewers and grill them on a preheated non-stick pan, on medium heat, for about 6 minutes on each side (total of 12 minutes), or until fully cooked through.

You can also grill the skewers on a BBQ, just be sure to soak the wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes before threading the chicken. For oven-baked skewers, follow the same soaking rule for wooden skewers, and to achieve that grilled effect, bake them on an oven-safe baking rack; this will give you the same result as on a BBQ (otherwise the chicken will stay soaked in the juices and will not get that crispy outside).

4. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1/4 cup butter for about 30 seconds, then add 1 teaspoon of grated fresh garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper, and about 1 tablespoon of minced fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon of dried parsley). Mix everything together.

💡Did you know? You can make butter at home using 1 simple ingredient: whipped cream!

5. The easiest way to coat the skewers is to brush them with the butter-garlic mixture, but if, like me, you don’t have a brush, simply use a spoon to spoon the mixture over the skewers, then return them to the pan for about a minute on each side to soak in the flavors.

If you have a brush, you can definitely brush them while they are still on the pan (or BBQ).