Chicken Skewers with Korean BBQ (Printable)

Marinated chicken skewers brushed with a sweet-spicy Korean BBQ glaze, grilled with peppers and onions to juicy char.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Chicken Skewers

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 8 wooden or metal skewers
03 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks
05 - 1 small red onion, cut into chunks
06 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

→ For the Korean BBQ Sauce

07 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
09 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
13 - 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)
14 - 1 tablespoon honey
15 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
16 - 1 green onion, finely sliced

# How To Make:

01 - If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning on the grill.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, gochujang, and honey until well combined. Set aside 1/4 cup of the sauce for basting later.
03 - Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the remaining sauce over them. Toss to coat evenly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
04 - Thread the marinated chicken, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and red onion alternately onto the skewers. Brush the assembled skewers lightly with vegetable oil.
05 - Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F.
06 - Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally. During the last few minutes of cooking, brush generously with the reserved BBQ sauce. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and develops a lightly charred exterior.
07 - Transfer the grilled skewers to a serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and finely sliced green onion. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The gochujang in the marinade gives you this deep, complex heat that regular BBQ sauce never quite reaches.
  • Everything cooks on one grill, which means almost zero cleanup and more time with your guests.
  • Chicken thighs stay incredibly juicy even if you accidentally leave them on a minute too long.
02 -
  • If you skip soaking wooden skewers, they will ignite and you will be waving a torch around your backyard instead of calmly grilling dinner.
  • Reserving part of the sauce before it touches raw chicken is nonnegotiable unless you enjoy brushing contaminated marinade onto finished food.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel before adding them to the marinade so the sauce clings instead of sliding off wet surfaces.
  • Press the skewers gently onto the grill grates when you first lay them down and do not move them for at least three minutes so those beautiful grill marks actually form.

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