That Spicy Chick

Spicy Grilled Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers

These Spicy Grilled Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers are great party appetizers and easy to cook on a stovetop griddle, outdoor grill, or in the oven. Chicken pieces are first marinated in a delicious Asian-Cajun marinade, and then grilled with a rainbow of bell peppers and onion until perfectly charred on the outside and juicy on the inside!

Ok guys, we need to talk.

It’s freezing out here in Hong Kong this winter and I honestly feel like my toes are going to snap off everytime I leave the apartment or enter my kitchen to cook without a jacket!

The situation is REAL my friends, and I actually am throwing on two, three, and occasionally FOUR layers when it drops below 12°C.

Obviously, summer is hands down my favorite season. Winter, well we don’t get along so much! 🥶

Front view of perfectly grilled Spicy Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers on top of a black stone plate background. Garnished with chopped spring onion greens.

It’s safe to say that if a recipe is easy and quick to make this time of the year and doesn’t take a lot of effort, I am totally all in – so I can get back to warming myself in front of my bedroom heater!

And enter these quick & easy and brilliantly flavorful Spicy Grilled Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers!

Ok, yes it does involve the grill, or in my case, my beautiful Lodge cast iron griddle – which does need to be scrubbed down properly after using. (By the way, you can totally use your oven or an outdoor grill if you prefer.)

But it is winter after all – who can say no to a grilled meat fiesta or barbecue this time of the year to remind you of warm sunny days?! (Any other folks just waiting for summer to arrive already?! 🙋‍♀️)

Marinated chicken pieces, diced bell pepper, and diced onion threaded on metal skewers grilling on top of Lodge's cast iron griddle on the stovetop.

Actually, I love BBQs anytime of the year to be honest. But since I live in an apartment in a tall skyscraper, weeknight BBQs in my backyard aren’t exactly possible.

So my griddle always comes to my rescue when I’m in need of some grilled-food-lovin’! 🙌

If you’re in the mood for some yummy fusion-ish grilled chicken skewers my friends, then this recipe is totally for you.

Super close up shot of Spicy Grilled Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers diagonally placed on top of a black stone plate background. Garnished with chopped spring onion greens.

Reasons why I’m in love with these gorgeous Spicy Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers:

  • Easy: They’re quick and easy to make and involve just three steps: marinate chicken pieces, thread chicken pieces along with your favorite combination of diced bell pepper (I used red, green, and yellow here) and onion, then grill on a stovetop griddle/grill pan (or outdoor grill or in the oven) until everything is nice and charred on the outside and the chicken is juicy and tender on the inside. 😍
  • Everyday Ingredients: The ingredients list might seem lengthy, but it all comes together super quickly. You probably have most of the ingredients at home already.
  • TASTY times a million!: That marinade is one powerful and fragrant blend and is comprised of the best Asian sauces, aromatics, spices, and seasonings. Hit it all with a bit of Cajun seasoning and you’ve got yourself an Asian-Cajun chicken fiesta in the making! 💃
  • BE-A-UTIFUL!: Simply put, it’s a party for your eyes and your mouth.
  • Versatile: They taste great as appetizers when you have company coming over – Game Day recipe winner alert! 🙌 But they’re also fantastic over some steamed white rice and paired with a side salad if you want to make a full meal out of it! You can also take the grilled chicken and veggies off the skewers after cooking and serve them in a wrap, over a salad, in a kebab, burrito, on top of a homemade pizza, etc. The world is your oyster here! 👌
  • Bonus: Just look at all the pretty colors! 😍
Spicy Grilled Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers diagonally placed on top of a black stone plate background. Garnished with chopped spring onion greens.

Pro-Cook Tips:

  • Marinate longer: The longer you marinate the chicken, the better and tastier it’ll be. I usually leave them to marinate overnight in the fridge, then thread the skewers the next day before grilling them. But when an impromptu plan forms and I’m short on time, I only marinate the chicken for an hour or so before threading and cooking it. These chicken skewers get rave reviews from friends and family either way, so don’t worry if time is not your friend on any given day and you can’t go the full monty with the overnight marinating route. 😉
  • Add some green flavor: Sprinkle them with some chopped spring onion just before serving, and maybe some coriander leaves too. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you for that extra bit of green freshness!
  • Use tongs: You need them for turning the skewers on the griddle, grill, or oven. This may sound like an obvious thing, but just want to put it out there because you might get too excited (like me 🙄) with the aromas coming off your grill and you might forget your common sense (like I did) and try to use your hands to turn them (it burns, so DON’T do it!! 😖).

Just be safe guys and use some good ol’ metal tongs and you and your fingers will be very happy while you’re enjoying these tasty chicken skewers later. 😀

Perfectly grilled marinated chicken pieces, diced bell pepper, and diced onion threaded on metal skewers on top of a black stone plate background. Garnished with chopped spring onion greens.
  • I recommend making a little extra marinade in a separate small bowl without the chicken. You can pan fry it in some olive oil with some chopped spring onion and serve it alongside these skewers as a garlicky Asian dip if you like. 👌

Right then, go grab all the ingredients you need for these skewers and have yourself a little grilled chicken party tonight!

Happy winter grilling friends! 🤗

Perfectly grilled Spicy Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers diagonally placed on top of a black stone plate background. Garnished with chopped spring onion greens.
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Spicy Grilled Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers

Super close up shot of Spicy Grilled Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers diagonally placed on top of a black stone plate background. Garnished with chopped spring onion greens.

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These Spicy Grilled Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers are great party appetizers and easy to cook on a stovetop griddle, outdoor grill, or in the oven. Chicken pieces are first marinated in a delicious Asian-Cajun marinade, and then grilled with a rainbow of bell peppers and onion until perfectly charred on the outside and juicy on the inside!

  • Author: Lavina
  • Prep Time: 60
  • Cook Time: 22
  • Total Time: 1 hour 22 minutes
  • Yield: 1416 chicken skewers 1x
  • Category: Chicken
  • Method: Grilled
  • Cuisine: Asian-inspired

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken Marinade:

  • 2 Chicken Breasts (about 400g), boneless, skinless – cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 7 Garlic cloves – finely minced
  • 1.5 TBLS Ginger (about 1″ chunk) – finely minced
  • 58 Red Chilies (preferably Thai/Bird’s Eye Chilies), to taste – finely minced
  • 12 Green Chilies (preferably Thai/Bird’s Eye Chilies), to taste – finely minced
  • 1.5 TBLS Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
  • 1 TBLS Taiwanese Thick Soy Sauce (see notes)*
  • 1 TBLS Spicy Vinegar (or regular white vinegar – I use Amoy’s Spicy Vinegar)
  • ¾ TSP ground Cayenne, more or less to taste
  • ¾ TSP Cajun Seasoning powder
  • ¼ TSP Kosher Salt
  • ½ TBLS Sesame Oil
  • ½ TBLS Chili Oil (optional)

For threading the Spicy Grilled Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers:

  • ½ Yellow/White Onion – diced
  • ½ Green Bell Pepper/Capsicum – diced
  • ½ Red Bell Pepper – diced
  • ½ Yellow Bell Pepper – diced

For Grilling:

  • 2 TBLS Olive Oil (if using the outdoor grill, use an oil with a high burning point such as canola or peanut oil)

To Garnish/Serve:

  • 1 Spring Onion (Scallion) – chopped small
  • Pan-fried marinade with spring onion for dipping
  • Steamed white rice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Chicken Marinade: Combine all the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon to ensure that the chicken pieces are coated well in the sauces, seasonings, and chopped garlic, ginger, and chilies. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and set aside for 45-60 minutes or overnight in the fridge for best results.
  2. Thread the skewers: Dice the onion and bell peppers. Thread them along with the marinated chicken pieces on metal or wooden skewers. (Note: Make sure to soak the wooden skewers in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill pan/griddle.) Discard any remaining marinade liquid in the bowl.
  3. For the Stovetop Griddle/Grill Pan: Heat olive oil on a stovetop griddle/grill pan over medium-high heat. Line up the chicken skewers on the griddle/grill pan once the oil is hot and cook for 10-12 minutes, turning once or twice, until fully cooked through. (Note: you may need to do this in batches in order to not overcrowd the griddle/grill pan.) Once fully cooked, transfer the skewers to a serving plate and set aside.
  4. For the Outdoor Grill: Oil your grill grates with canola or peanut oil (or any other oil with a high burning point) and then set to medium-high heat. Once hot, place the skewers on the grill and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, turning once, until the chicken is fully cooked through and no longer pink on the inside. Once fully cooked, transfer the skewers to a serving plate and set aside.
  5. For the Oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large baking tray with aluminum foil and brush lightly with olive oil. Place the skewers on the foil and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, turning once, until the chicken is fully cooked through and no longer pink on the inside. Once fully cooked, transfer the skewers to a serving plate and set aside.
  6. To Garnish/Serve: Garnish with freshly chopped spring onion and serve as an appetizer or with steamed white rice and a side salad as a main dish.

Notes

  1. Other methods to cook the chicken:
    • Pan-fry: You can also pan-fry the chicken skewers until they are cooked through. If you’re making these for dinner and are in a hurry, skip threading the skewers (step 2) and just pan fry the marinated chicken cubes along with some diced bell peppers and onion until the chicken is fully cooked through.
    • Toothpick Bites: If you like, you can use toothpicks to make small toothpick chicken bites if you are going the pan-fry route. These work great as finger food and for sharing.👌
  2. Dipping sauce ideas: I usually like to serve these chicken skewers alongside with a dip and make a little extra marinade in a separate bowl, then pan fry it in olive oil with some chopped spring onion. You can also just serve it with your favorite chili garlic Asian sauce or other favorite condiment.
  3. Taiwan thick soy sauce/paste: Taiwan thick soy sauces are different than other types of soy sauce. The one I used is commonly known as Kimlan Soy Paste in the US, and it’s made from a wheat and soybean combination (as opposed to black beans like in other thick soy sauces from Taiwan). The thickness comes from both rice and starch, and the sweetener and sugar in it is what gives the chicken skewers its nice reddish-brown glaze. Chances are that this type of soy sauce will be available in your go-to supermarket, but if that fails, you will definitely be able to grab a bottle in your local Asian store.
  4. Time included for the recipe does not account for the time if you are marinating the chicken overnight.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 Chicken Skewers
  • Calories: 359
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Sodium: 519.1mg
  • Fat: 20.5g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.1g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 15.5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 19.3g
  • Fiber: 3.7g
  • Protein: 26.7g
  • Cholesterol: 73mg
Long Pin. Top Photo: Front view of perfectly grilled Spicy Asian-Cajun Chicken Skewers on top of a black stone plate background. Garnished with chopped spring onion greens. Bottom Photo: Perfectly grilled marinated chicken pieces, diced bell pepper, and diced onion threaded on metal skewers on top of a black stone plate background. Garnished with spring onion greens.

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