These spicy chicken skewers are going to rock your world. Best part is that you can make everything ahead of time. This morning, dinner was all prepped and in the fridge by 10:30am! Kitchen was clean and I was able to rest and pull out my craft supplies. Such an amazing way to start the day.
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Making dinner ahead of time is my weeknight time-saver
Making dinner the night before or in the morning is my absolute favorite. There is such a feeling of accomplishment and being prepared for the day. And it takes out any stress about what I’m feeding my family later.
A good chicken marinade is one of the easiest ways to prep dinner. Marinading chicken gives it SO much more flavor. Since chicken is a bit bland to start with, I’m always experimenting with packing as much flavor as possible into a simple marinade. This spicy chicken recipe definitely accomplishes that.
grilling up spicy chicken skewers
Whenever you’re grilling smaller pieces of chicken, using a skewer really helps make it simple. I prefer metal skewers, like these, so I can use them over and over. It makes them easier to handle and flip. I also cook these spicy chicken skewers on a little bit lower heat.
Heat up your grill to about 350° and try to keep it there while the chicken cooks. Also make sure to give your grill a good clean and oil it down really well before using it. I use this PAM high heat spray for my grill. It’s awesome! And keeps my food from sticking.
Cool Soba Noodles are the Asian side dish you’ve been looking for
I use this Cool Soba Noodle recipe to go along with all my favorite Asian recipes. It makes the perfect side dish when you’re wanting more than just plain rice. You could also try this marinade on steak or pork chops and it would be amazing! Any excuse to fire up the grill, right?
Loving these spicy chicken skewers? Try these other delicious make ahead recipes!
If you decide to give this recipe a try, be sure to snap a photo to share, tagging @theovenlight and #theovenlight on Instagram or Facebook!
Spicy Sesame Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger*
- 1 small sweet onion quartered
- 1/2 C soy sauce**
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 C sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 Tbsp gochu jang or chili paste
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- salt & pepper to taste
- 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Cool Soba Noodles
- 12-16 oz stir fry noodles***
- 1/4 C sesame oil
- 1/4 C granulated sugar
- 1/4 C rice vinegar
- 1/4 C vegetable oil
- 1/2 C soy sauce
- 1 bunch scallions thinly sliced
- 4 medium carrots grated
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
For the marinade
- In a blender or food processor, combine ginger, onion, garlic, soy sauce, Gochu jang, lemon juice, sugar, cumin and sesame oil. Process or blend until mostly smooth.
- Place chicken into baking dish, sprinkle salt over chicken, and pour marinade over top. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of marinade. Cover and chill for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
- Remove chicken strips from marinade and thread onto skewers. Place on a preheated grill over high heat. Grill for 3 minutes on each side. Serve over Cool Soba Noodles, recipe below.
Cool Soba Noodles
- Cook noodles to package instructions.
- In a small saucepan bring soy sauce and sugar to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes, until syrupy. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk in vinegar, sesame oil and vegetable oil.
- Pour half of the dressing over noodles and toss, adding dressing as needed. Add scallions, carrots and sesame seeds and toss again.
- Chill until ready to serve (making up to one day in advance).
Notes
This chicken is delicious and even though the ingredient list seems long, it all goes together quickly. Worth the effort.
This was very easy and turned out great. I used thighs, and the marinade seemed to tenderize the meat as well. A big hit with my picky family.
So glad you liked it!