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These BBQ chicken kebabs are covered in bacon paste which gives them a smoky flavor but leaves the chicken tender and juicy.
Summer is just around the corner, which means lots of hot weather, thunderstorms and grilling. If you haven't dusted off the grill yet, now is the time to do it with the only BBQ chicken kebab recipe you should ever make.
The secret here is in the bacon paste. Yes you read that right - bacon paste! By putting the bacon in the food processor, you form this amazing paste of goodness that you rub throughout the chicken.
The bacon doesn't actually add much of a bacon flavor, but just a smoky flavor that is enhanced by the spices and whatever BBQ sauce you use.
And maybe the best part of this, is you don't have to wait 2+ hours for a marinade to give the chicken flavor. It's ready to go as soon as you are, and has way more flavor than a chicken marinade anyway.
So before grilling season is over, I suggest you give these BBQ kebabs a try. As I said, once you try these BBQ chicken kebabs, you won't be going back to another recipe.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - chicken thighs work too.
- Kosher salt, paprika, chili powder, smoked paprika - where some of the flavor comes from.
- Granulated sugar - adds a slight sweetness.
- Bacon - gives a smoky flavor and extra fat.
- Red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion - complements the kebabs.
- BBQ sauce - use your favorite sauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Soak bamboo sticks in water for at least 10 minutes so they don't catch on fire. While soaking the bamboo sticks, chop up the vegetables in 1 inch slices
- Place the bacon in a food process and pulse until a smooth paste forms, about 30 seconds.
- In a large bowl, toss chicken with salt, paprika, chili powder, sugar, smoked paprika and bacon paste. You have to get messy and use your hands here to make sure bacon paste coats the chicken.
- Skewer chicken, peppers and onion until all of the chicken has been used. You can be random with how you skewer everything.
- Preheat grill to 400°F. Grill skewers for 5 minutes, brushing the BBQ sauce on it. Rotate chicken skewers to opposite side and grill for another 4-5 minutes, brushing more BBQ sauce on it. At this point, the chicken should be done but check to see if it has reached 165°F with a thermometer.
What If I Don't Have a Grill?
Not a problem. You can use your broiler. Just heat broiler to high and line a baking sheet with foil. Line up the kebabs and broil for 10-15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Base with the BBQ sauce and the broil for 1-2 minutes per side to caramelize. You can also use a stove-top grill pan, but it can get smoky.
I Don't Like Peppers and Onions
If it's certain peppers and onions you don't like then just switch them out. For example, if you prefer sweet onions to red onions, that's no problem. And if you're just not a fan of vegetables, the kebabs can be entirely chicken.
Why No Chicken Kebab Marinade?
By using bacon you add more fat to the chicken but you also get an inherent smoky flavor that goes great for BBQ chicken. Best thing is you don't have to let it marinate at all. Trust me, when I say you'll never try another chicken kebab marinade again.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Cut the chicken and vegetables all the same size – 1 inch chunks. You want it to cook evenly.
- If using wooden skewers, make sure you soak the skewers in the water for at least 10 minutes so they don’t burn when on the grill.
- Use your hands to coat the chicken in the bacon paste to make sure it is coated throughout.
- Brush the chicken kebabs with the barbecue sauce when grilling. Make sure you rotate the skewers every 5 minutes or so. You want to get a char but not completely burn everything.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
- Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
Other Grill Recipes
- Grilled BBQ Chicken
- Bison Bacon Jam Burger
- Grilled Chicken Tacos
- Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs
- Lemon Herb Chicken
If you’ve tried these BBQ chicken kebabs or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
BBQ Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 4 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 5 slices bacon, cut into ½" slices
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" slices
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1" slices
- 1 red onion, cut into 1" slices
- 1 cup favorite BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
Instructions
- Soak 8 bamboo sticks in water for 10 minutes. (This prevents then from catching on fire) Preheat grill to 400°F. Brush grill grates with olive oil so skewers won't stick.
- In food processor, pulse bacon for about 30 seconds or until a smooth paste forms. In mixing bowl, toss cut chicken breasts with salt, paprika, chili powder, smoked paprika, sugar and bacon paste. Mix until well combined and bacon is coated throughout chicken.
- Skewer chicken, peppers and onion onto skewers until all chicken has been used. (You can be pretty random with how you put everything together)
- Grill skewers for 5 minutes, brushing each with some of the barbecue sauce. Rotate to the opposite side and brush barbecue sauce, while cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes. At this point the chicken should be done, with you also getting a char on the peppers and onions. (If you are concerned about doneness, put instant read thermometer into chicken. It should read 165°F) Remove from the grill and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cut the chicken and vegetables all the same size – 1 inch chunks. You want it to cook evenly.
- If using wooden skewers, make sure you soak the skewers in the water for at least 10 minutes so they don’t burn when on the grill.
- Use your hands to coat the chicken in the bacon paste to make sure it is coated throughout.
- Brush the BBQ chicken kebabs with the barbecue sauce when grilling. Make sure you rotate the skewers every 5 minutes or so. You want to get a char but not completely burn everything.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
- Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
Chris says
Bacon paste huh?