Chicken on a Stick is my go-to dinner when I want something sweet, sticky, and guaranteed to disappear at any cookout. A homemade ketchup-soy marinade caramelizes right on the grill, giving every skewer that glossy, finger-licking coating bottled sauce can’t match.
If you love to grill like I do, than you have to try my Grilled Salmon Salad and my Grilled Shrimp Skewers.
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Why this Grilled Chicken on a Stick Recipe is a Keeper
This chicken skewer recipe works because the marinade does all the heavy lifting.
ONLY USE 2-4 OF THE MOST APPLICABLE FEATURES.
- 30-Minute Cook: Once marinated, these skewers grill up in about 30 minutes.
- Easy Ingredients for Teriyaki Chicken: The homemade sauce uses pantry staples you likely already have.
- Family Friendly: Kids love eating dinner off a stick, and the sweet-savory flavor is a guaranteed hit.
- Adaptable: Swap chicken thighs for breasts, or double the sauce for extra dipping.
- What to Serve with the Chicken: Grilled Asian Corn and my Easy Macaroni Salad.
How Do I Know When My Chicken Skewers Are Done?
The best way to check is with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest piece of chicken. It should read 165 degrees F when the chicken is fully cooked. Grilling until the sauce is well caramelized usually lines up with that temperature, but the thermometer is the only sure way to know. Skip the guesswork and you’ll avoid dry, overcooked chicken.
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“Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing and super easy to make recipe! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!”
~ Allyssa
Ingredient Notes for Chinese Chicken on a Stick
A few ingredients build the sticky, savory flavor in this marinade.
This is an overview of key ingredients. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Fresh Ginger: Grated fresh ginger gives the sauce a brighter, sharper flavor than the dried version.
- Sesame Oil: Just a tablespoon adds a nutty depth that rounds out the sweetness from the ketchup and brown sugar.
- Red Pepper Flakes: A quarter teaspoon adds background warmth without making the sauce spicy.
- Chicken Breast: For the chicken pieces, I use boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders.
Variations and Substitutions for Teriyaki Marinade
This marinade is easy to make your own. You can use it for the chicken sticks or for other proteins.
➡️ Swap the Protein: Use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts for extra flavor and
tenderness.
➡️ Add Heat: Double the red pepper flakes or add a splash of sriracha for a spicier glaze.
➡️ Try Different Vinegar: Swap the apple cider vinegar for rice wine vinegar for a milder tang.
➡️ Bake Instead: Skip the grill and bake the skewers at 450 degrees F for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Kitchen Tools To Make Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick Easier
A few tools make this recipe easier from start to finish.
- Skewers: Bamboo or metal skewers both work, just soak wooden ones first. Shop skewers.
- Meat Thermometer: The most reliable way to confirm your chicken hits 165 degrees F.
- Grill: Any grill works here, gas, charcoal, or a stovetop grill pan.
How to Make the Sticky Chicken Recipe
These are just highlights. Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Prep the Chicken: Cut the chicken cubes into even bite sized pieces.
- Sauce: Simmer the sauce ingredients together until thickened, then cool completely.
- Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken in half the sauce for at least 6 hours in a resealable food storage bag.
- Thread the Chicken: Place chicken on the stick.
- Grill: Preheat the grill and place the skewers on the grill, basting with the reserved sauce as they cook.
- Check: Use a meat thermometer to check doneness before serving.
Prep Ahead and Short Cut Tips for Chicken Skewers Recipe
A little planning makes grill night easier. Have the flavorful chicken ready to go even sooner.
➡️ Make the Sauce Ahead: The sauce keeps in the fridge for up to a week, so make a batch early in the week.
➡️ Marinate Overnight: Letting the chicken sit in the marinade overnight deepens the flavor even more.
➡️ Prep the Wooden Skewers Early: Soak wood skewers the night before so they’re ready to go.
Can I Bake Chicken on a Stick Instead of Grilling it?
Yes, you can bake these skewers if you don’t have a grill available. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees F for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through and basting with the reserved sauce. The chicken should still reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F before serving. You won’t get quite the same char, but the flavor holds up beautifully.
Store, Reheat, and Use Leftover Chicken Teriyaki Skewers
- Storing: Keep leftover skewers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Reheating: Warm the chicken in a skillet over medium heat, in the microwave, or in the air fryer until heated through.
- Using Leftovers: Slide the chicken off the skewers and toss it into a stir fry, use for sandwiches or top a salad.
Expert Tips to Make Chicken on a Stick
Here are a few of my favorite tips for making these teriyaki chicken skewers. This easy recipe is just as good as your local chinese buffet.
➡️Don’t Skip the Thermometer: Pull the chicken at exactly 165 degrees F for juicy, never dry results.
➡️ Baste in Layers: Basting twice during grilling builds a thicker, glossier coating.
➡️ Double the Sauce: Make extra of the teriyaki and soy sauce baste marinade for serving on the side, since everyone wants more to dip.
➡️ Cut Even Pieces: Uniform chicken chunks cook at the same rate, so nothing dries out before the rest is done.
➡️ Soak Your Skewers: Twenty minutes in water keeps bamboo skewers from burning on the grill.
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Chinese Sticky Chicken on a Stick
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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 Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning on the grill (skip if using metal skewers).
- Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and cool completely.
- Place the chicken in a resealable bag and pour half of the sauce over it, reserving the remaining sauce for basting.
- Seal the bag and knead until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Refrigerate for 6 hours to overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
- Thread the chicken onto the skewers.
- Lightly spray the grill with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high.
- Place the skewers on the grill and cook until well browned on one side, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Turn the skewers and baste with the reserved sauce.
- Grill another 5 to 7 minutes, then turn and baste again.
- Continue grilling until well caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Christina’s Notes
- Marinate Long Enough: Give the chicken at least 6 hours in the marinade so the flavor really soaks in.
- Discard Used Marinade: Never reuse the marinade that raw chicken sat in; baste only with the reserved sauce.
- Watch the Sugar: The brown sugar in the sauce can burn quickly on high heat, so keep the grill at medium-high, not higher.
- Storage Tip: Store cooked skewers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. It is recommended that you verify this information with your own trusted resource.
We love honest feedback, but to keep reviews helpful for everyone, we reserve the right to remove star ratings if it is clear the recipe has not been made, if the comment does not provide meaningful input, or if significant substitutions or alterations were made. Please note that ratings should reflect the original recipe as written to avoid confusing other readers.
This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.
I absolutely love this recipe. My daughter works for a chicken company and brings me lots of chicken once a month, and so I am always looking for great chicken recipes to try.
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s part of my regular go-tos.
Made this for dinner tonight. It’s definitely a keeper! Served with a side of veggie kebobs and rice. Delish!
That sounds like a perfect meal to me! Thanks for the side suggestions!
Oh my flipping lord this is so unbelievably tasty! I used chicken thighs and marinated for about 5 hours before grilling. They were so tender and tasty. I served with Asian garlic noodles. I will 100% be making these again!
Good Recipe
Thanks
Made it tonight, cut back on the ketchup and sugar, everyone loved the chicken, it is a keeper!
I want to bake my skewers in the oven.
What temperature and time do you recommend? Should the skewers be covered or uncovered?
Thanks
Yes you can cook this recipe in the oven. If you are using wooden skewers, make sure you soak then first. Then cook at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken and cook for another 10. Use a meat thermometer and make sure the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Thanks, this is what i would like to know too. Will try this recipe, thanks again.
5🌟🌟⭐️🌟 ⭐️a
Realized that I did not have soy sauce so I substituted teriyaki sauce and this was tender and delicious. Will definitely make this again and often 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
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…