Garlic Lime Chicken Skewers
These garlic lime grilled chicken skewers are the weeknight dinner I come back to all summer. Juicy chicken thighs get a quick greek yogurt marinade. The yogurt tenderizes the meat and gives the lime, garlic, dijon, and paprika something to cling to, then hit the grill and cook fast. The finishing move is a garlic-lime butter spooned over while they're still hot. Twenty minutes of marinating, a few minutes per side, and dinner's done. Gluten-free, high-protein, and just as happy in a cast iron skillet as on the grill.
My kind of summer dinner
I'm a firm believer that dinner is better when it's on a stick. Skewers mean no babysitting a pan and no flipping fifteen separate pieces of chicken — you thread, you grill, and you eat with your hands if the mood strikes. These land somewhere between a lazy weeknight and an actual cookout, which is exactly where I like to live all summer.
My husband was a big fan, and I served them with a watermelon feta salad and a grilled corn salad for the full backyard-dinner effect. Fair warning: that garlic-lime butter may ruin you for plain grilled chicken forever. 😉.
How to Make Garlic Lime Chicken Skewers
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions for this recipe are in the recipe card below.
No grill? No problem
A grill gives you the best char, but these don't need one. A cast iron skillet on the stove gets you almost the same sear and that's how I make them when it's too hot to stand outside.
A few things I've learned
- Use thighs, not breast. Thighs stay juicy on the grill and forgive you if you walk away for a second. Chicken breast, however, over high heat can dry out fast.
- The Greek yogurt marinade melts right into the meat as the skewers cook. You don't taste yogurt, you taste tender, well-seasoned chicken.
- The butter can firm back up if it sits. If yours sets before you've brushed it on, microwave it for 10 seconds to loosen it. Once it's on the hot skewers it won't go gummy, it just melts in.
- Don't rush the rest of dinner, they cook faster than you think. Get your sides going first!
What to serve with garlic lime chicken skewers
I ate these with a watermelon feta salad and a grilled corn salad, and that combo is hard to beat in summer, bright, cold, and a little salty against the warm garlicky chicken. A scoop of creamy greek yogurt potato salad rounds it into a full cookout plate.
If you're working through grilling season, these are the bright, citrusy cousin to my BBQ chicken kabobs. And for an easy gluten-free burger night, my juicy ground chicken burgers, with feta folded right into the patties, are another off-the-grill win.
Check out these recipes for more summer musts
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Recipe
Garlic-Lime Grilled Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ½ lb chicken thighs - cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lime - juiced
- 2 tablespoon greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 - 6 grill-safe skewers
For the garlic lime sauce
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 lime - juiced
- 3 tablespoon parsley - finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon butter - melted
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a large bowl with the olive oil, lime juice, greek yogurt, dijon mustard, onion powder, paprika, and sea salt. Toss well to coat. Let the chicken marinate while you heat the grill to medium-high heat, about 20 minutes (or up to 12 hours in the fridge to prep ahead).1 ½ lb chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 lime, 2 tablespoon greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Thread the chicken pieces through the sharp end of the skewers until each one is filled.4 - 6 grill-safe skewers
- Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 5 - 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Move the skewers to a separate plate and set aside.
- While the chicken cooks, make the garlic-lime butter. Pile the minced garlic in a bowl and pour the hot melted butter over it to take the raw edge off, then stir in the lime juice, parsley, and sea salt until well combined.6 cloves garlic, 1 lime, 3 tablespoon parsley, 2 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- While the skewers are still warm, brush the garlic butter over the chicken, it'll melt in almost instantly. Serve warm and enjoy!
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