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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!

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
  • 5–8 Red Chilies (preferably Thai/Bird’s Eye Chilies), to taste – finely minced
  • 1–2 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

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/spicy-grilled-asian-cajun-chicken-skewers/