This Sticky Chicken on a stick is a finger licking good chicken kabob that will be the hit of the barbecue. You will be king or queen of the grill due to it’s tangy Asian flavors and succulent chicken.
This marinade will really change your boring chicken routine. Truly, grilling really brings out the flavor in chicken, but this marinade really takes it over the top.
In fact, Kabob actually means fried meat but the origins of our favorite grilled meat comes from Turkey, find out here.
Why Sticky Chicken on a Stick Works
These easy sticky chicken on a stick will have easily become a family favorite! This sauce has sweet, Asian-inspired flavors and when you grill it, the chicken gets all sticky and caramelized.
Indeed, when you grill this chicken, the aromas will blow you away! Again, you can smell every ounce of flavor that is coating the chicken. It makes you instantly become hungry.
How to Make Grilled Chicken Kabobs – Step by Step
- Make Marinade: Sauté diced onions, next, grate fresh ginger and add it to the onions, then, add minced garlic.
- Continue with Marinade: Second add ketchup and brown sugar, soy sauce and apple cider vinegar.
- Season: Next, add sesame oil and crushed red pepper then add the mixture to the sautéed onions, garlic and ginger.
- Prepare Chicken: Cut grilled chicken into chunks and skewer them.
- Flavor: Reserve some grilled chicken marinade to baste as well as for dipping and pour the over chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours.
- Grill: Finally, cook chicken on grill until cooked through.
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How Long to Grill Chicken Kabobs
Below are a few handy tips to follow when you make these Kabobs. For Example:
- Keep the chicken cubes uniform, they will allow even cooking.
- Be sure that all the sides of every kabob touch the grill to ensure that you get all sides cooked through and it will give you that perfect exterior
- Get you grill to a temperature of 375 degrees. Use a thermometer to get a reliable read.
- Also chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165. Meat thermometers are great to test the doneness.
- Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Can You Make This Grilled Chicken Kabob Marinade Ahead of Time
Some times, I make the grilled chicken kabob marinade days in advance and store most of it in a zip top bag. Keep the rest in these containers. Certainly, it keeps keeps very well in the fridge.
Put the grilled chicken kabobs in the fridge until ready to cook.
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Expert Tips for Making the Best Chinese Chicken on a Stick
- Can be Doubled: This is a great recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately. After all, we all love barbeque.
- Wrap in Foil: To keep your grill from getting completely sticky. wrap the kabobs in foil
- Bake: No Grill, No Problem. You can bake these Kabobs in the oven.
- Skewers: Furthermore, it is really important to soak the wooden skewers for about a half an hour before using to prevent them burning.
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Sticky Chicken on a Stick
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup onion minced
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Bamboo or metal skewers
Instructions
- If using bamboo skewers, soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes. This will prevent the skewers from burning on the grill.
- Heat vegetable oil in medium saucepan. Add onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes; Remove from heat and cool sauce completely. (This step can be completed 1-2 days ahead of time.)
- Place chicken in a resealable bag and pour half of the sauce over chicken; reserve remaining sauce for basting.
- Close bag and knead to ensure all chicken is coated in sauce. Refrigerate for 6 hours to overnight.
- Remove chicken from marinade and throw marinade away.
- Thread chicken onto the skewers.
- Spray grill lightly with cooking spray and preheat grill on medium high.
- Place chicken on grill and grill until well browned on one side, about 5 – 7 minutes.
- Turn chicken and baste with sauce.
- Grill another 5 to 7 minutes. Turn and baste again.
- Continue grilling until well caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Remove chicken and serve with reserved sauce.
Expert Tips
- Can be Doubled: This is a great recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately. After all, we all love barbeque.
- Wrap in Foil: To keep your grill from getting completely sticky. wrap the kabobs in foil
- Bake: No Grill, No Problem. You can bake these Kabobs in the oven.
- Skewers: Furthermore, it is really important to soak the wooden skewers for about a half an hour before using to prevent them burning.
Estimated Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
Do you use breasts or thighs in this recipe?
You can use either. Use boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast. They are both great.
Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing and super easy to make recipe! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
That spicy sauce was amazing. I will be making these chicken skewers again!
A lot of work for bbq sauce.
Hi Thank you for this yummy recipe, I was wondering how long this sauce will keep in the fridge?
In an airtight container it will last about a week. You could freeze it too.
I used this as a stir-fry sauce on chicken and shrimp. It works just as well this way as it did on the skewers.
Would it be good if i added barbecue sauce to it? If so how much barbecue sauce?
I have never made it with barbeque sauce as the ingredients that are being use mimic a barbeque sauce, however, if you would like to try adding some feel free. Maybe replace the 1/2 cup of ketchup to start. Good luck.
One more comment. Try cutting the chicken in thin long strips rather than chunks, then scrunch it as you skewer it — it will hold more sauce, ending up more uniformly caramelized and it will have more crusty surface and less soft white chicken (my kids are not huge fans of the soft inside of the chicken breast). It’s also easier to cook through without burning the outside…
Delicious base for a number of ideas. Can be taken to the spicy realm or the tropical one (sweet and tangy). Made it tonight with chicken and it was delicious. Planning to try it on pork ribs — it should be delicious. I was looking for ideas to make chicken skewers like those found at county fairs (yeah, ours have the Asian twist 🙂 ) since our anual May1st one will not be happening this year for the second year in a row. We do what we have to do…