Buffalo Chicken Skewers

In theory, barbecued chicken skewers or kabobs sound pretty great: the char-streaked chunks of juicy meat dripping with a succulent sauce. The idea of chicken kabobs promise a juicy bird without sacrificing the time and energy it takes to cook a whole chicken. You are supposed to be able to cut up the meat, slap it on a skewer and grill away! Ahh, if only it was that easy. Too many times I have messed up my chicken or steak kabobs by making one simple mistake- not enough time marinating and too much time on the grill. Chicken Kabobs can be a delicate dish. They require special care due to the fact that the chicken doesn’t have that extra layer of skin (protection) from the high heat. Therefore, leaving you in a bit of a quandry as to how high to cook and how long.

No one likes a dried piece of chicken. Most people think slapping the chicken with layers of sauce will do the trick but herein lies one of the problems. Sauce applied to early or too late will just leave you with dried chicken and a hint of what used to be the sauce. If the sauce is put too early it will just drip off the meat and too late it will just simply coat the meat and not really sink into it- which is what really creates the juicy, flavorful result you are hoping for.

So all of this leaves me to my Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Skewers. I promise my method is a no fail way to make sure your chicken is perfectly moist and juicy, seasoned and cooked to perfection! With this recipe I wanted something I could do really quick. A marinade I could make in 20 minutes or less and a method that wouldn’t have me watching the clock every minute making sure all is well with the kabobs. So while I made the simply amazing out of this world sauce (just wait til you hear about it) I decided to let my chicken (already cut into strips) soak in a bath of salty water for 30 minutes and then into a marinade until it was time to cook. Soaking meat in salt water (yep, you guessed it just salt and water) helps pull the liquid into the meat, plumping up the chicken and getting it ready to be marinated and seasoned.

I never do buffalo flavored things so I thought this would be a nice detour from the usual flavors I work with. For the buffalo sauce I combined some of my favorite flavors, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, mustard, vinegar and brown sugar along with spices such as cayenne, paprika and chili powder. The end result was amazing! Wow, it was unbelievably good. Every time I make a dish like this I only wish you all were here to try it with me because there are no words to express how much I know you would love this!

Side Note: Do you say Kabob or Kebab? Just wondering because my friend Maris over at In Good Taste asked that question on twitter a while back and my answer was kabob but wanted to see what ya’ll thought.

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Easy Buffalo Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. of chicken tenders

1 stick of butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

5 TBSP tomato paste

5 TBSP brown sugar

1 TBSP worchestire sauce

2 TBSP apple cider vingear

1 TBSP spicy brown mustard

dash of hot sauce

2 TBSP of beer

1 TBSP of lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Place the chicken in a sea salt bath for 30 minutes or more. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Skewer the chicken and set aside. Melt the butter and sugar over medium heat in a saucepan. Once the sugar has dissolved add in the remaining ingredients (beer last). Place the tenders in the a shallow pan or ziploc bag and pour 1/4 cup of the sauce over the chicken. Marinate for at least 2 hours.

Grill on an outdoor or indoor grill  over high heat for approximately 4 minutes on each side. In the last 2-3 minutes baste the chicken again and then serve warm as an appetizer or main dish.

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56 comments

  1. Erica

    Definitely a delicate cooking process!!! I’ve made a few too many pieces of dried chicken myself. These look perfect!

  2. Cooking Creation

    I can’t wait to give your buffalo sauce a try! These look so good!

  3. Bonnie

    I’ve been brining chicken for years but not chicken strips. Great idea. They looks deliciously juicy. I say kebabs but recognize what it means either way.

    Best,
    Bonnie

  4. kitchen flavours

    Looks so delicious! I can tell that everyone will love this! And in Malaysia, we call it kebabs, I always thought that kabobs sounds cute! 🙂

  5. Kelli

    I love this I can do so many things with this. Love how versatile it is..Salad, Appetizer, Main Dish, Good after school snack.. I just love this recipe. It looks yummy I wish I could taste it now. It is kinda like a tease, haha. Thanks for sharing sweet beautiful Jessica!!!

  6. Valerie

    Drooling on a serious level!! Yowza girl.

  7. Candace

    I never thought about brining my chicken before cooking it. duh! I am so doing that next time. Your sauce looks delicious. I could eat a whole plate of those kabobs right now. 🙂

  8. Three-Cookies

    I have heard about butter being used in marinated but never tried it myself. Only 2 TBSP of beer. Where did the rest go – the chef drank it?

  9. daphne

    I would not have thought of soaking chicken in salt water first! Ah, learning something new each day. I say it as kebab..

  10. erica

    What a neat idea. I am definitely going to need to try this out!

    xo

  11. Amelia

    Looks extremely good. yummy

  12. Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking

    These look great and our son could probably eat these in one setting!! He really likes Buffalo wings but doesn’t care for all of the bones. So I will definitely have to make these for him!!

  13. Nicole-Lyn

    Yum! These seem so easy to make and delicious too! Thanks girlie!

    How are you? Hope all is well!

  14. The Slow Roasted Italian

    I say kabob, and this looks amazing. I do have major hits and missed with chicken. This seems to be an easier method with a plum and juicy end result! YUM!

  15. Joanne

    My parents have massacred chicken kebabs more times than I can count. But with buffalo sauce…anything would taste good.

  16. Karen Xavier

    These look great, wish I could grab one.

  17. Brittany

    I have a recipe similar to these although your sound much healthier! I would love to have one of those for lunch right about now haha!

  18. Greg

    Kabob. I enjoyed this a lot. It’s those simple things that get you. We “blacken” grilled chicken way too often because we get busy doing other things. Your tips are great. Now, if I can just remember to follow them!

  19. Jessica

    Love this! My husband wants to do boneless wings so I may have to use this recipe. It looks so delicious!

    1. Kitchen Belleicious

      This in place of boneless wings would be great! I do something similar myself when hubs wants wings but i don’t feel like frying!

  20. yummychunklet

    These look so tasty on the salad, but I could just munch on skewer after skewer by themselves!

    1. yummychunklet

      By the way, I’ve tagged to you play the “Seven Link Challenge” over on my blog! I hope you can join in!

  21. Nazneen

    Kebabs came to India via Turkey where the Mughals perfected them. In the Middle East and India/Pakistan they are known as kebabs. Now, buffalo kebabs, that’s a new one!

    1. Kitchen Belleicious

      This is why I love ya! Love hearing more about the ins and outs of food and this is one thing I didn’t know! Thanks girl!

  22. kankana

    you have used the perfect technique for the chicken. dry chicken taste so horrible .. we end up throwing! This is looking nice and juicy

  23. Reem

    Oh My God, this looks so delicious. I feel like eating them right from the pics. I’m buffalo flavor lover so this works even better. I must say this is fantastic idea. Thanks dear.

  24. Maris (In Good Taste)

    These look so perfect and look so stunning on that fresh and lovely salad!

  25. Shea

    Chicken is something I make again and again for dinner, and I’m always looking for a way to give it a new spin. These chicken skewers look amazing! And I’m always down for a healthier version of anything “buffalo” style! (Not that I don’t enjoy some wings from time to time!)

  26. Barefeet In The Kitchen

    I say Kabob and yours sound delicious!

  27. Alli

    I have never brined a kabob!

  28. chef_d

    Kabobs or Kebabs? I call them Satay (LOL) because I make them with peanut sauce/marinade. I will definitely try your recipe, it looks delicious!

  29. nancy at good food matters

    Brining makes all the difference in cooking up juicy chicken—great looking kebabs (that’s how I spell it—but I’ve seen it both ways, equally!)
    I like all the elements of your marinade–the lemon and beer are helpful additions.

  30. Linda

    Oh, yes, I do wish I was in your kitchen to try these out! Great detailed post and I so agree with the soaking in salt water. I believe that makes the chicken tender and a very important step! I say Kabob!!

    1. Kitchen Belleicious

      Yeah! Someone else says Kabob like me!

  31. Rachel @ The Avid Appetite

    I really love buffalo anything. I am going to try these on my Foreman grill since we do not have an outdoor one. I’m sure it will work perfectly!

  32. wizzythestick

    I agree chicken needs a little more love on the grill to keep ’em moist. Fantastic job

  33. Mary

    A fantastic sauce – will use this again and again – thanks!
    Mary

  34. Tiff @ Love, Sweat, and Beers

    Sounds good! Dare I even say, better than Texas Pete! 😉

  35. Mary Kathryn

    I have never brined my skewers before ( I say kabob) but with your tips now I will have to try it

  36. Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray

    Wow, these look awesome! Can’t wait to try brining my chicken!

  37. Kristy

    We say “kabob.” These look delicious. I’ve never cooked with a buffalo sauce, but it sure sounds like a ton of ingredients that would make me smile. I love the salt water soak idea too – simple yet genius!

  38. Nami | Just One Cookbook

    I am always curious about the same thing too, but I often spells it kebab. I just Googled it and I had a great read about kebab. LOL. Your buffalo chicken skewers look YUM! I love buffalo sauce! I always do… I should eat with salad like you, not rice, for healthier meal… hehee.

  39. Veronica's Kitchen

    Interesting cooking ideas, salt bath, beer and chunky chicken pieces! Sure this will bring you a crowd of guests!

  40. Mandy - The Complete Cook Book

    Oh what a wonderful recipe! We say kebab but think both are right.
    Have a happy weekend.
    🙂 Mandy

  41. Mary Kathryn

    Fantastic! Perfect for my man to slap on the grill. We love simple yet delicious dishes like this

  42. To the Kitchen

    I say kabob girl so you keep on doing that! Loving the sauce! Can’t wait for some LSU games so we can get started on all this great food

  43. Tamara

    Love me some buffalo wings so I know this sauce is for me! Love the presentation

  44. Green cookin

    I must try this recipe. I love chicken but it gets boring like you said. Nothing boring about this dish:)

  45. Sarah

    I say skewers because I never know whether it is kebab or kabOb! Lol! Love this recipe and method

  46. Katherine

    Love Love Love! My kids are going to heart this dish- especially the buffalo sauce

  47. Sawsan@chef in disguise

    Oh I love this! the flavors in it are phenominal..
    thank you for the tips on keeping chicken moist

  48. Roz

    Jessica, I thawed out some really hefty chicken drumsticks last night to prepare today. I’m wondering if your buffalo recipe will work with these and then place them on the grill without a stick. I think it will work, and will let you know! Thanks for helping me use my brain more with cooking creativity!

  49. Roz

    We prepared your marinade today and heated it up a bit for more ‘hot’ spiciness and Jessica, it was superb! I hope you approve and will stop by to check the post out that I just put on my blog. I also gave you credit and linked back to your original post. I hope this is OK. xoxo Roz

  50. Grilled "Belleicious" Buffalo Chicken is Truly Delicious!

    […] “Very, very good!” were the first words that my husband used after tasting the chicken drumsticks that I prepared tonight using a marinade recipe from Jessica of Kitchen Belleicious for Buffalo Chicken Skewers. […]

  51. lol aegis of the legion stack

    lol aegis of the legion stack

    Buffalo Chicken Skewers

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