These Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs are a super easy summertime dinner idea perfect for serving as an appetizer or main course. Each piece of tender, juicy marinated chicken is covered in our homemade teriyaki glaze and grilled to perfection.
There are loads of other ingredients to add to your teriyaki chicken skewers. I recommend cutting all of the ingredients to a uniform size. Otherwise, there aren’t a lot of rules. A few of my favorites include bell peppers, pineapple, red onions, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs
These grilled teriyaki chicken skewers are a great make-ahead meal option that is fun to make and super easy to prepare. Our homemade teriyaki chicken marinade uses just a few simple ingredients to add loads of flavor and make the most tender, juicy chicken bites.
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You can serve these chicken teriyaki kabobs as an appetizer or a main dish. Feel free to add other ingredients to each skewer such as red onions, pineapple chunks, or bell peppers. There are so many different options, so go ahead and get creative. And if you are on the search for grilled kabob recipes, you may also like these Vegetable kabobs, Chicken Bacon Pineapple Kabobs or these Asian Beef Kabobs.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken – this recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” pieces. You could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Either way you should plan on about 5-6 ounces of meat per person.
- Soy Sauce – either soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce work great.
- Brown Sugar – I prefer to use light brown sugar for the marinade. It gives it that sweet and salty flavor that teriyaki sauce is known for.
- Oil – avocado oil is great, or you could use any type of vegetable oil. If you want to use sesame oil, I recommend only substituting about 1-2 teaspoons as it has a very strong flavor.
- Green Onions – thinly sliced green onions add great mild onion flavor to the marinade.
- Ginger Powder – you can use ginger powder, or about 2” of fresh ginger that has been peeled and sliced.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic has the best flavor, although you could use the jarred minced garlic in a pinch.
- Sesame Seeds – this is an optional garnish. Any type of sesame seeds would work.
- Wooden Skewers – you can use any size of wooden skewers that you want. Just be sure that you keep the skewers soaking for at least 1 hour before adding any ingredients and cooking. This helps prevent them from catching on fire.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Make the teriyaki marinade recipe. In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, green onions, ginger, and minced garlic. Whisk until combined. Remove about 1/4 cup of marinade and store in a separate container to brush onto the chicken as it cooks.
- Marinate the chicken. In a gallon freezer bag, add the teriyaki marinade and cut chicken. Seal, shake, and place in the fridge to marinate for 2-24 hours.
- Soak the wooden skewers. Place the wooden skewers in a shallow baking dish and cover with water. Soak for at least 1 hour so the sticks don’t burn while the chicken cooks.
- Grill the chicken teriyaki kabobs. Preheat the grill to about 335 degrees. Remove the chicken from the marinade, then thread onto the kabob sticks being careful to evenly space the chicken so they cook evenly. Place the chicken kabobs on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown. Turn the chicken over, brush with teriyaki sauce, and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Serve. Remove the kabobs from the grill and let them rest on a platter for about 5 minutes. Serve warm, sprinkled with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
The time it takes for your chicken kabobs to grill depends on a few factors, including how hot your grill is, how large the pieces of chicken are, and how close to the flame they are. In general, if your grill is heated to around 325 degrees F. and your kabobs have 1” bite sized pieces of chicken, the kabobs will take roughly 15-20 minutes to cook. They are finished once the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
I recommend cooking your chicken kabobs at around 325-375 degrees F. It’s best to cook them a little slower than normal so that the sugars in the marinade do not burn.
Yes! Make sure to soak your wooden skewers for at least 1 hour before adding your marinated chicken. This will prevent them from catching fire on the grill.
Yes! I you would rather cook your chicken skewers in the oven you can. I suggest preheating your oven to 375 degrees. From there, how long it takes to cook chicken skewers in the oven depends on how large your pieces of chicken are and how many you are cooking at a time. In general, it should take around 30-35 minutes. Always check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it has reached 165 degrees F.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: remove all chicken from the wooden skewers and store in the airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: you can microwave leftovers, or reheat in a skillet over the stovetop slowly with a little water or avocado oil. They taste great served over rice!
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 2 teaspoons ginger powder, (or 2" fresh ginger, sliced)
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2½ pounds chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, garnish
Equipment
- 12 Wooden Skewers soaked in water for 1 hour
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, green onions, ginger, and minced garlic. Whisk until combined, then remove about 1/4 cup of marinade and store in a separate container to brush onto the chicken as it cooks.
- Transfer the rest of the teriyaki marinade to a large freezer bag and add the diced chicken. Seal, shake, and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
Grilling the Kabobs
- Place the wooden skewers in a shallow baking dish and cover with water. Soak for at least 1 hour so the sticks don't burn while the chicken cooks.
- Preheat the grill to about 335 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, then thread onto the soaked kabob sticks, being careful to evenly space the chicken so they cook evenly.
- Place the chicken kabobs on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown. Turn the chicken over, brush with the reserved teriyaki sauce, and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Remove the kabobs from the grill and let them rest on a platter for about 5 minutes. Serve warm, sprinkled with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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This Grilled Teriyaki Chicken recipe uses a simple marinade to make the most juicy, tender chicken. Serve as appetizers or a full meal with all of your favorite summer BBQ recipes.
Categories:
30-Minute Meals, 4th of July, Appetizers, Chicken, Dairy-Free, Easy Weeknight Meals, Healthy, Main Dish, Nut-Free, Summer Recipes,
Great recipe, made these so easy and fantastic flavor, big hit with everyone.