This Grilled Chicken Kebabs Recipe Is Crazy & Genius At the Same Time (30 Minutes) by Donna John

It's time to get the grill out and cook outside! Juicy as all get out and packed with intense flavors, this easy chicken kebabs recipe with a bacon rub needs to be in your dinner recipe rotation. The bacon "paste" imparts not only flavor, but almost makes the kebabs incredibly moist. The homemade barbecue sauce is just a bonus in this easy grilled chicken recipe – and you get to put bacon in a blender!

This chicken kebabs recipe has a few steps but is quick and easy to prep and cook. Here is what you need from your fridge and pantry for this high-protein recipe: boneless/skinless chicken thighs, bacon, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, granulated sugar, ketchup, molasses, onion, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, vinegar and brown sugar. For a gluten-free dinner, make sure your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free. Check the label.

Photo credit: under license from Bigstock

These flavorful high-protein chicken thigh kebabs are delicious for dinner with your favorite side dishes. This is a great meal-prep recipe, too. Blending bacon may sound crazy for this recipe, but it's so delicious it is kind of genius. 

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients 

• 2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs, cut into large cubes

Bacon Rub

• 2 slices bacon, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar

Sauce

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

Here's how to make it:

1. Put all the sauce ingredients into a saucepot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until it reduces and is thick, about 5 to 6 minutes. Puree using an immersion blender. Remove a 1/2 cup to another bowl and set aside for serving. The remaining sauce will be used to baste the kebabs.
2. For the bacon rub, put all the ingredients into a blender. Blend until a paste forms.
   
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the bacon rub and toss until all the chicken is coated. Thread onto metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes. (You could use boneless chicken breast, but thighs are so much more juicer and forgiving if you overcook.)
4. Cook the kebabs on a hot grill, flipping often, until cooked through and slightly charred, about 8 minutes. (Chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F internal temperature on a food thermometer.) Brush the barbecue sauce on during the last few minutes of cooking, continuing to flip the kebabs. Serve with the reserved barbecue sauce. Store any leftover kebabs in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat as desired. 

Photo credit: Donna John

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