Description
These aren’t your average backyard chicken skewers. We’re talking tender chunks of chicken that have been love-bombed with a honey chipotle marinade that’s equal parts sweet, smoky, and “holy crap, what IS that flavor?” The chipotle peppers bring this deep, smoky heat that doesn’t just burn your tongue — it adds actual complexity. Meanwhile, the honey creates this gorgeous caramelized glaze that makes every bite sticky, saucy perfection. And the best part? They look fancy enough for company but are stupid easy to make. Your basic burger-and-hot-dog crew is about to get seriously schooled.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Wooden skewers, soaked for 30 minutes
For the Honey Chipotle Marinade:
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3–4 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced (plus 2 tbsp of the sauce)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Extra Sauce (Trust Me):
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Pinch of salt
For Serving:
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lime wedges
- Your favorite sides (rice, grilled veggies, whatever)
Instructions
Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until it looks like liquid gold with little red flecks.
Toss chicken chunks in the marinade until every piece is coated.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is where the magic happens.
Thread marinated chicken onto soaked skewers, leaving small gaps between pieces.
Don’t pack them too tight — they need room to cook evenly.
Reserve any leftover marinade for basting (but don’t use what touched raw chicken).
While grill heats up, whisk together all sauce ingredients.
This is for drizzling and dipping — it’s basically liquid crack.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat and oil those grates.
Grill skewers 12-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes.
Baste with fresh marinade or sauce in the last few minutes for extra glaze.
Look for that beautiful caramelization and internal temp of 165°F.
Let skewers rest for 2-3 minutes (if you can wait that long).
Drizzle with extra sauce, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.
Watch people’s faces when they take that first bite.
Notes
Perfect over coconut rice to balance the heat.
Throw some pineapple chunks on the grill for a tropical vibe.
Serve with Mexican street corn and cold beer for the full experience.
Great in tortillas with avocado and pickled red onions for killer tacos.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~280 kcal per serving
- Protein: ~25g