Grilled Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers: Your Go-To Recipe for Spicy, Smoky Perfection

Grilled Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers are a symphony of savory, spicy, and smoky flavors, destined to become your favorite summer grilling recipe! Succulent chicken pieces are expertly threaded onto skewers alongside vibrant vegetables and crispy bacon, then basted with an incredible, easy-to-make chipotle BBQ sauce until cooked to flavorful perfection. Get ready to elevate your grilling game with these mouthwatering chicken kabobs.

Ah, summer! It’s the season of sunshine, outdoor gatherings, and, of course, grilling. And what’s grilling without some fantastic kabobs on the grates? There’s something inherently satisfying about taking an assortment of delicious ingredients, threading them onto a stick, and transforming them over an open flame. It’s an art form, a culinary adventure, and with this recipe, it’s also incredibly simple.

This recipe for grilled chipotle BBQ chicken skewers is designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort. Don’t let the simplicity fool you – these kabobs are packed with an irresistible smoky spice that permeates every bite. And when you hit that perfect combination of juicy chicken, tender veggies, and crispy bacon, prepare for a taste sensation that will have you reaching for another skewer. The sweet and savory interplay is simply divine.

You’ll be amazed at how quickly these chicken kabobs come together. They’re ideal for those balmy summer evenings when you want a delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen, or when you’re entertaining guests and want to serve something impressive yet easy. They’re perfect for backyard barbecues, weeknight dinners, or even a picnic in the park. No need to break a sweat (unless it’s from standing near that hot grill!).

The true star of this dish is our secret weapon: a super simple, yet incredibly potent, 3-ingredient chipotle BBQ sauce. It delivers just the right amount of smoky heat, enough to excite your taste buds without overwhelming those who prefer a milder spice level. As it cooks on the grill, this magical sauce caramelizes beautifully, forming a sticky, sweet, and slightly charred glaze that adheres perfectly to the chicken and vegetables. It’s the kind of glaze that makes you want to lick your fingers clean.

These juicy, tender, and perfectly charred grilled barbecue chicken kabobs are poised to become a staple in your summer recipe rotation. From casual family dinners to lively block parties, they’re a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Once you experience the depth of flavor and ease of preparation, you’ll likely find yourself saying goodbye to plain grilled chicken forever. Embrace the spice, savor the smoke, and enjoy the sizzle!

For a complete summer feast, consider pairing these vibrant skewers with a refreshing mojito pitcher recipe – perfect for serving a crowd!

Note: This article has been updated from its original posting on July 4, 2019, to include fresh tips, enhanced instructions, and more comprehensive information to help you achieve grilling perfection.

Essential Ingredients for Your Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers

Crafting these delectable grilled chicken kabobs requires just a few key ingredients, each playing a crucial role in building the robust flavor profile. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need:

BBQ Sauce: The foundation of our amazing flavor! You can absolutely choose your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce brand for convenience. However, if you have a cherished homemade recipe, this is the perfect opportunity to use it. A good quality BBQ sauce will provide the sweet and tangy base that perfectly complements the smoky chipotle.

Chipotle Peppers: These are the magic behind the smoky, spicy kick. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are readily available in most grocery stores and bring a complex heat that dried chipotle powder simply can’t replicate. You’ll need both the actual peppers, which add texture and intense flavor, and the rich, tangy adobo sauce they are packed in. This combination is key to our signature chipotle BBQ sauce.

Chicken: For these savory skewers, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are an excellent choice due to their lean profile and ability to absorb flavors. Cut them into uniform ¾ to 1-inch pieces to ensure even cooking. If you prefer, boneless, skinless chicken thighs can also be used; they tend to stay a bit juicier due to their higher fat content, offering a slightly different but equally delicious texture.

Bacon: This is where the extra layer of savory indulgence comes in! We highly recommend using thick-cut bacon for this recipe. Thinner bacon strips tend to crisp up and burn on the grill too quickly before the chicken and vegetables have a chance to cook through. Thick-cut bacon, when threaded correctly, will cook to a delightful crisp-tender texture, adding a fantastic salty, smoky crunch to every bite.

Bell Peppers: To add a pop of color and a sweet, fresh crunch, bell peppers are essential. While we often opt for green bell peppers for their slightly more robust flavor, feel free to use a mix of yellow, orange, or red bell peppers. Each color offers a subtle difference in sweetness and visually brightens your kabobs.

Red Onion: Red onion is ideal for grilling on skewers as it holds its shape well and develops a wonderful sweetness and char. The sharp, peppery notes of raw red onion mellow beautifully when grilled, adding a fantastic aromatic element. Any type of onion you enjoy, such as yellow or white, can be substituted if red isn’t available, but red onion offers the best flavor and color contrast.

Essential Tools for Perfect Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers

Having the right tools can make all the difference in ensuring your grilled chipotle BBQ chicken kabobs turn out perfectly. Here are a few must-haves to prepare for your grilling session:

First and foremost, a sharp chef’s knife and a sturdy cutting board are indispensable. You’ll be cutting chicken, bacon, and vegetables into uniform pieces, and precise cuts are key for even cooking. Consistency in size means everything cooks at the same rate, preventing some ingredients from being overcooked while others are still raw.

Next, you’ll need a grill. While I personally adore my wood pellet grill, like a Traeger grill, any type of grill will work beautifully for these kabobs. Whether you have a charcoal grill, gas grill, or even a portable tabletop grill, the principles remain the same. Just ensure it’s clean and ready to heat up!

Don’t forget a reliable pair of grill tongs and a basting brush. Tongs are essential for safely turning the skewers on the hot grill, ensuring all sides cook evenly. The basting brush will be your best friend for applying layers of that incredible chipotle BBQ sauce, building up that irresistible caramelized glaze. A high-quality meat thermometer is also highly recommended for checking the internal temperature of the chicken, guaranteeing it’s perfectly cooked and safe to eat.

Looking for more grilled chicken inspiration? Explore these delicious recipes: Grilled Avocado Caprese Chicken / Charred Cilantro Lime Corn Chicken Tacos / Beer Brined Beer Can Chicken / Grilled Beer Marinated Chicken Wings

How to Make Grilled Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making these flavorful skewers is a straightforward process that yields incredibly delicious results. Follow these simple steps for grilling perfection:

Prepare Your Skewers

This initial step is crucial if you’re using wooden or bamboo skewers. Place them in a shallow pan and submerge them completely in water for at least 30 minutes, or ideally, up to an hour. Soaking prevents the skewers from charring and burning excessively on the hot grill, which can make them difficult to handle and potentially impart an off-flavor to your food. If you’re using sturdy metal skewers, you can happily skip this step!

Assemble Your BBQ Chicken Skewers

Now comes the fun part: building your kabobs! Begin by preparing all your ingredients. Ensure your chicken, bell peppers, onion, and bacon are cut into roughly ¾ to 1-inch pieces for even cooking. Start threading your ingredients onto the soaked wooden or metal skewers, alternating between chicken, peppers, onion, and bacon. For the bacon, try threading it in a “C” shape or folding it and piercing both ends to help it stay secure and cook evenly without dangling. Repeat this pattern until you’ve used up all your ingredients, making sure not to overcrowd the skewers. Leave a little space between pieces to allow heat to circulate. Finally, season all sides of the assembled skewers generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. This simple seasoning enhances all the natural flavors.

Whip Up the Chipotle BBQ Sauce

This is arguably the easiest, yet most impactful, part of the entire recipe! Simply combine all the ingredients for the chipotle BBQ sauce – your favorite BBQ sauce, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce – in a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined. The result will be a vibrant, smoky, and spicy sauce that will cling beautifully to your skewers and caramelize on the grill, creating that irresistible glaze. Set aside a portion for basting during grilling and a separate portion for serving.

Grill and Baste to Perfection

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 375-400°F). Once it’s nice and hot, lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Carefully place the assembled skewers on the hot grill. Initially, you’ll want to cook them for about 10 minutes total, turning them every few minutes to ensure even cooking and to develop a nice char on all sides. After this initial cooking phase, start basting! Using your brush, generously apply the chipotle BBQ sauce to all sides of the skewers. Continue to brush on more sauce and turn the skewers every minute or so. This frequent basting and turning allows the sauce to caramelize and create that beautiful sticky glaze, infusing deep flavor into every piece. The skewers are done when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) when tested with a meat thermometer, and the bacon is nicely crispy. The vegetables should be tender-crisp with appealing char marks. Remove from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. A final sprinkle of fresh parsley or cilantro adds a touch of freshness and color.

Expert Tips for Skewer Success

Achieving perfectly grilled chipotle BBQ chicken skewers is simple with a few insider tips:

Marinate the Chicken for Maximum Flavor: While the BBQ sauce provides incredible flavor, you can take these skewers to the next level by marinating the chicken ahead of time. Marinating not only infuses the chicken with deeper flavors but also helps tenderize it, resulting in incredibly juicy bites. A Mexican chicken marinade would be a fantastic complement to the chipotle flavors in this recipe, adding layers of zesty, herbaceous notes. For a different twist, you could also try out a honey soy marinade, which would add a sweet and umami depth that pairs beautifully with the smoky elements.

Experiment with BBQ Sauce Flavors: Don’t be afraid to customize! While the chipotle BBQ sauce is a star, feel free to play around with different BBQ sauce flavors. A spicy BBQ sauce will amp up the heat even further, while a honey BBQ sauce can add extra sweetness that caramelizes wonderfully. You could also try a tangy Carolina-style sauce or a rich, molasses-based Kansas City style. The key is finding a flavor profile that you love and that will stand up to the grilling process.

Uniformity is Key: When cutting your chicken, bacon, and vegetables, strive for uniform sizes (approximately ¾ to 1 inch cubes). This ensures that all components cook evenly, preventing some pieces from drying out while others are still undercooked. Consistent sizing also makes for a more visually appealing skewer!

Don’t Overcrowd the Grill: Resist the urge to pack too many skewers onto your grill grates. Leaving enough space between each skewer allows for proper air circulation and ensures that the heat can reach all sides of the food, promoting even cooking and beautiful charring. Overcrowding can lead to steaming, rather than grilling, and will prevent that desirable caramelized crust from forming.

The Power of a Meat Thermometer: For perfectly cooked and safe chicken, a reliable meat thermometer is your best friend. Insert it into the thickest part of the chicken (avoiding bone or bacon) to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This eliminates guesswork and guarantees juicy, safe-to-eat chicken every time.

Rest Your Chicken: Once the skewers are off the grill, let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices within the chicken to redistribute, resulting in more tender and flavorful meat. You can tent them loosely with foil to keep them warm during this resting period.

How to Grill Chicken Kabobs in the Oven (No Grill? No Problem!)

No outdoor grill? No worries at all! You can still enjoy these fantastic chipotle BBQ chicken kabobs by cooking them right in your oven. It’s a simple process that yields deliciously tender and flavorful results:

First, preheat your oven to a high temperature, around 450°F (232°C). While the oven is heating, prepare your skewers by threading the chicken, bacon, and vegetables as described in the main instructions. Don’t forget to prepare your incredible chipotle BBQ sauce as well.

Next, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. This makes for super easy cleanup! Arrange the assembled skewers in a single, even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Ensure there’s a little space between each skewer for optimal cooking. Generously brush all sides of the skewers with your homemade chipotle BBQ sauce.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), and the bacon is nicely crisped. You can flip the skewers halfway through baking to ensure even cooking and browning. For an extra touch of char and caramelization, especially if your bacon isn’t quite crispy, you can switch the oven to broiler mode for the last 2-3 minutes. Keep a very close eye on them under the broiler as things can burn quickly!

Alternatively, if you have a grill pan, you can also cook these kabobs on your stovetop. Heat the grill pan over medium-high heat, oil it lightly, and cook the skewers, turning frequently and basting with sauce, until cooked through and nicely charred.

How Long to Grill the Best Chicken Skewers: Timing is Everything

The total cook time for these grilled chipotle BBQ chicken skewers can vary slightly, but generally, you’re looking at about 15 minutes over medium-high heat on the grill. This duration allows the chicken to cook through, the vegetables to tenderize with a slight char, and the bacon to crisp up beautifully.

However, several factors can influence the exact cooking time:

• Thickness of Ingredients: If your chicken and bacon pieces are cut thicker than the recommended ¾ to 1 inch, they will naturally require a few more minutes to cook completely. Conversely, thinner pieces will cook faster.
• Grill Temperature: While “medium-high heat” is a good guideline, every grill is different. The actual temperature of your grill grates, and how evenly it distributes heat, can affect cooking time.
• Grill Type: Gas grills tend to heat more consistently than charcoal grills, which can have hot spots. A wood pellet grill might infuse more smoke but could have a slightly different heat profile.
• Desired Doneness: Some prefer their bacon very crispy, which might necessitate slightly longer cooking or more direct heat on the bacon pieces.

My absolute best advice for ensuring perfectly cooked chicken skewers every single time is to use a reliable meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of a chicken piece (avoiding bacon or bone) to confirm it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, you can carefully cut into one of the larger chicken cubes to ensure there is no pink visible in the center. The bacon should be nicely rendered and crispy, and the vegetables tender-crisp with appealing char marks.

What to Serve with Grilled BBQ Chicken Kabobs: Complete Your Meal

These versatile chipotle BBQ chicken skewers pair wonderfully with a wide array of side dishes, making them perfect for any summer meal or gathering. Here are some fantastic serving suggestions to complete your delicious feast:

My personal favorite pairing for these flavorful kabobs is a vibrant and zesty bacon cilantro lime grilled corn salad. The freshness of the corn, combined with the smoky bacon, bright cilantro, and tangy lime, creates a symphony of flavors that perfectly complements the spicy chicken.

For some delicious vegetable sides, consider serving up some spicy-sweet roasted broccolini, which offers a delightful crunch and a hint of heat. Or, if you want to keep the grilling theme going, grilled pineapple is an incredibly easy and naturally sweet side to throw on the grill alongside your skewers. The caramelized pineapple adds a tropical sweetness that is surprisingly good with the chipotle BBQ flavor.

If you’re looking for heartier starch options, you can’t go wrong with classic potato salad or a refreshing summer pasta salad. For something a bit more adventurous, try spicy garlic cilantro fries, which offer a flavorful kick, or rich and creamy smashed potatoes with fresh herbs and blue cheese. The richness of the potatoes and cheese provides a lovely contrast to the spicy chicken.

Other excellent choices include fluffy white rice, quinoa salad, a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette, or even grilled asparagus. Don’t forget some fresh lime wedges for an extra burst of acidity and brightness right before serving.

How to Store and Repurpose Leftover Grilled Chicken Skewers

Having leftovers of these delicious chipotle BBQ chicken skewers is a blessing! They make for fantastic meals the next day, and storing them properly ensures they remain fresh and tasty.

Once your skewers have cooled completely to room temperature (this is important to prevent condensation and bacterial growth), you can store them. I usually recommend removing all the cooked chicken, bacon, and vegetables from the skewers for easier storage and future use. Place the contents in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. This keeps the ingredients moist and prevents them from drying out.

When it comes to repurposing leftovers, the possibilities are endless! Here are a few creative ideas:

• BBQ Chicken Bowls: Slice the leftover chicken and veggies and serve them over a bed of rice or quinoa with a drizzle of extra chipotle BBQ sauce, some black beans, and a dollop of sour cream or avocado.
• Chicken Wraps or Tacos: Shred or chop the chicken and use it as a filling for wraps, tortillas, or pita bread, adding fresh lettuce, tomato, cheese, and a creamy dressing.
• Loaded Salads: Add the chopped chicken and vegetables to a crisp green salad for a quick and satisfying lunch.
• Quesadillas: Mix the chopped chicken with some cheese and grill it in a tortilla for a smoky, spicy quesadilla.
• Stir-fries: Quickly toss the chicken and veggies into a light stir-fry with some noodles or rice.

To reheat, you can gently warm the chicken and veggies in a microwave, on the stovetop in a skillet, or briefly in the oven until heated through. Be careful not to overcook them, as this can dry out the chicken.

Finally, if you make this grilled chipotle BBQ chicken kabobs recipe, please be sure to give this recipe a star rating on the recipe card and/or leave a comment below! Your feedback is invaluable, and I genuinely love to hear when you all make my recipes. I take the time to respond to every single comment, so don’t hesitate to share your thoughts or ask any questions you might have.

Oh, and be sure to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you whip up this delicious recipe! Seeing these recipes come to life in your homes is truly my favorite thing, and I love looking through all your wonderful photos. It honestly means the world to me!

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