Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken Skewers
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These chicken skewers marinated in honey, lime juice and Sriracha taste every bit as good as they look.
These chicken skewers marinated in honey, lime juice, and Sriracha are every bit as good as they look — and if you haven’t tried Sriracha, the Asian hot sauce named after the coastal city of Si Racha in Thailand, this is the perfect recipe to taste just how delicious it is. Made from sun-ripened chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt, Sriracha is used in soups, sauces, noodle dishes, omelets, burgers or anything else to add a delicious spicy taste. It has become so popular in the States that you can find it in the international section of most supermarkets.
What You’ll Need To Make Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the marinade. In a blender, combine the zest of a lime, fresh lime juice, honey, soy sauce, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, and Sriracha. (Even though you’re puréeing the marinade, it’s a good idea to roughly chop the garlic and ginger so they get incorporated — some blenders can’t handle large chunks.)
Purée until completely smooth, then set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade to use as a drizzling sauce.
Next, prepare the chicken. I’ve specified boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because they’re more flavorful than chicken breasts and easier to cook without drying out. I know many people prefer white meat but I’ve tried both in this recipe and, trust me, it’s much better made with dark meat.
The only drawback to using chicken thighs is that they need to be trimmed before you cook them. I think it’s easiest to use kitchen shears as opposed to a knife. So, using scissors, simply cut off any gristle and large chunks of fat (don’t fret over every little bit as it mostly melts away on the grill) and then cut the meat into 2-inch pieces.
Place the chicken in a Ziplock bag with the remaining marinade and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
After the chicken has marinated, thread the pieces onto skewers.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Scrape the grates clean to prevent the chicken from sticking, then dip a wad of paper towels in oil and rub the grates until smooth and shiny.
Grill the chicken, turning occasionally to promote even browning, for 10-15 minutes.
Keep an eye on it — the honey in the marinade causes the chicken to caramelize on the grill and turn a beautiful, rich brown color; however, the chicken can burn if the grill is too hot. Lower the heat if the chicken is browning too fast.
Transfer the skewers to a platter and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over top and serve. Enjoy!
It was a mouth-watering photo from a blog called Kitchen Meets Girl that caught my eye on Pinterest and inspired this recipe.
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Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken Skewers
These chicken skewers marinated in honey, lime juice and Sriracha taste every bit as good as they look.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon lime zest, from one lime
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 2 limes
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1½ square inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (see note)
- 1½ tablespoons Sriracha sauce
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- 2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (between 8-10), trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus a few whole sprigs for garnish
- Limes, sliced into wedges, for garnishing platter (optional)
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the soy sauce, honey, oil, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, ginger, Sriracha and salt. Blend until completely smooth. Pour ½ cup of the marinade into a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (this will be your drizzling sauce).
- Combine the chicken and remaining marinade in a large Ziplock bag and seal tightly. Place in a bowl (in case of leakage) and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread onto skewers, folding the pieces in half if they are long and thin.
- Be sure the grill is clean, then preheat to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kebabs, covered, until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it -- if they are browning too quickly, turn the heat down.) Transfer the skewers to a platter. Warm up the reserved marinade in the microwave and either drizzle it over top or pass it alongside. Scatter the chopped cilantro over top and garnish the platter with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs, if desired.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 321
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Sugar: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 37g
- Sodium: 1147mg
- Cholesterol: 180mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I’ve made these many times and they always turn out delicious! I’m having a 4th of July BBQ and I was wondering if I could cook them a couple of hours ahead of time and then keep them warm in a chaffing dish? Or will this dry them out? Thank you in advance.
I think you could get away with it Vikki. (Because they’re thighs, they won’t dry out as easily.) Enjoy!
A question regarding citrus juice in a marinade for chicken: I remember reading in a previous post that you didn’t recommend using citrus juice, just the zest, because it “cooks” the exterior. Wonderful blog!
Hi Becky, Great question. It’s only a concern when using boneless skinless chicken breasts. This recipe calls for chicken thighs; dark meat can handle an acidic marinade. Hope that clarifies!
Thanks, Jenn. Makes sense.
I am using chicken breasts for this recipe….how do I adjust for the citrus juice?
Hi Susan, I definitely get concerned that the breasts will get too tough if marinated in citrus. If you’re going to use breasts, I’d stick to the recipe but suggest a shorter marinating period. Hope you enjoy!
Can you use the marinade on vegetables, like zucchini? I’m preparing this for a load of carnivores, but I’m a vegetarian. I want to try the sauce too!
Sure, Jane – I think it’d be delicious.
Yet another awesome recipe.
With only two for dinner tonight, I cut all proportions in half. Marinated 3.5 hours, skewered, and grilled on medium heat natural gas grill heat with the lid closed. Reserved marinade portion for grilling was the perfect amount. A super efficient recipe with enough meat left over for tomorrow’s lunches with salad. Paired this recipe with this site’s best ever cornbread muffins (!!! make them as written !!!) and a big fresh salad.
Awesome way to end a quiet long weekend. Jenn, thank you for your fabulous work. You make us all chefs in our humble kitchens.
Just made this yesterday. Only change I made was instead of using skewers, just cut the chicken thighs in half and grilled directly on the gas grill. I marinated for 8 hours. Delicious and easy. I will definitely make this again!
I’ve tried this recipe many times, it is simply good! My kids love it.
Wow! Yum! This chicken marinade recipe is delicious I wouldn’t think of tweaking it! Very easy to prepare and cook. Can’t wait to try other chicken recipes from Jenn.
This recipe is a home run! I have made it a few times and always have good results. My only problem is what to serve with it? One can always add a salad. I have made cauliflower rice as well. What else would go with this yummy dish?
So glad you like this, Donna! While this is another salad, this Thai Crunch Salad pairs nicely with the chicken. This simple jasmine rice would also be nice. Also, I have a feature on the website– for all main dishes, I suggest one or two sides that I think would pair nicely with them. To see what I’ve suggested, scroll down to the bottom of the recipe. Immediately under the recipe, you’ll see said dishes that I’ve suggested. Hope that helps!
Oh. My. Gosh. My family absolutely raved about this recipe. The marinade/dipping sauce was to die for! The only change I made was that I didn’t bother to skewer the kabobs, I simply left them as chicken thighs and grilled them. Still turned out great, and like I said, the family couldn’t stop talking about how good the sauce is. This recipe is an easy home run!
Although I rarely leave a review, this recipe is so well loved I had to leave a comment. Have been making this for a few years and am always asked for the recipe. I don’t always make skewers, most times I just use boneless thighs cut in half. Works well broiled in the oven if the weather is not good for grilling. Thanks so much.