Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers Recipe
Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers Recipe – A smoky 5-Ingredient recipe that is so easy you’ll serve them all grilling season. You can even make them in the oven!
Grilled Chicken Skewers
For the last few weeks, we’ve been brushing the snow off the grill in order to usher in the beginning of spring.
By spring, I mean grill season. And now that the weather is warming and grilling is enjoyable again, we’ve been grilling a 5-Ingredient wonder we call Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers.
This is a dish we make, that takes no time at all, and offers a serious flavor-smack with only a handful of ingredients. It truly is amazing!
If you don’t have a grill or prefer not to fire it up, you can still make these! Follow along for tips on how to cook kabobs in the oven instead!
Chicken Skewers Recipe Ingredients
These zingy juicy BBQ Skewers are made with just 5 simple ingredients, one in particular, that makes all the difference! Ingredients include:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (or chicken thighs)
- Thick Cut Bacon Strips
- Sweet BBQ Sauce
- Chipotle Peppers – canned in adobo sauce
- Musselman’s Apple Butter
The skewers are laced with pieces of thick-cut bacon to keep the chicken juicy and flavorful on the grill. Then we bumped BBQ sauce to another level, by pureeing it with sweet Musselman’s Apple Butter and chipotle peppers.
The apple butter provides depth and richness to the BBQ sauce, while the chipotle peppers offer smoky heat.
How to Make This Chipotle BBQ Chicken Kebab Recipe
(For the full recipe with measurements and times, see the recipe card below)
- Soak eight wooden skewers in water. Preheat the grill to medium or medium-low heat. Cut the chicken breasts into 3/4 inch bite-sized pieces. Then cut the bacon into 3/4 inch strips. Alternate threading the chicken and bacon onto eight skewers, leaving a bare handle on one end of each skewer. Sprinkle the chicken skewers with salt and black pepper.
- Place the BBQ sauce, Musselman’s Apple Butter, and chipotle peppers in the blender. Puree until smooth.
- Grill the chicken skewers across the grill grate. Then brush the skewers with the chipotle apple BBQ sauce and grill again, until the edges of the bacon are crisp, but not burned. Serve warm.
You can also use a small bowl to hold the leftover sauce for dipping while eating.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
See The (Printable) Recipe Card Below For How To Make This Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers Recipe. Enjoy!
How to Grill Bacon
You might think grilling bacon is a bad idea… Please allow me to try to change your mind.
If grilled bacon makes you think of fiery flare-ups and pork-fat burnt to a crisp, let’s talk about grilling temperatures.
Some people are under the impression that a grill should always be heated to the highest temperature possible for quick cooking. However, my grill goes up to over 750 degrees F. Can you imagine what that would do to bacon? Or chicken, for that matter.
Lower-temperature grilling offers you control and flexibility.
Try heating your grill to only medium (350-450 degrees F) or even medium-low (around 300 degrees F) heat. This will allow you to cook the chicken all the way through while crisping the edges of the bacon without flare-ups under medium-high heat.
Chicken Kabobs in Oven
Don’t have a grill? You can also bake these grilled Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers in the oven. This recipe doesn’t have to be limited to the spring or summer with the baked version. Make this any time during the year for a tasty meal for any cookouts!
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Thread the skewers with chicken and bacon, then puree the bbq sauce as directed above.
- Lay the chicken skewers on an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and brush well with the bbq sauce.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges of the bacon are crispy. Serve warm!
Side Dishes for Chicken
Here are some delicious side dishes that are perfect with this barbecue chicken skewers recipe.
- Lemon Butter Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Oven Roasted Broccoli Recipe
- Healthy Rainbow Chopped Salad
- Cherry Tomatoes and Basil Focaccia Bread
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
- Grilled Vegetable Marinade Recipe
- Caribbean Confetti Rice
- Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Your friends and family will go crazy over this recipe at your first neighborhood barbecue this spring. Fortunately for you, when they ask for the recipe you can count off the ingredients on one hand!
Frequently Asked Questions
Since the chicken pieces on these skewers are pretty small, the chicken should be done right around the same time that the bacon gets nice and crispy. If you are unsure, check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure it is cooked to 165 F!
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave and serve with all of your favorite sides!
Other skewer recipes you might like:
- Balsamic Chicken Skewers with Israeli Couscous
- Teriyaki BBQ Shrimp Skewers
- Honey Sriracha Chicken Skewers
- Grilled Vegetable Kabobs with Fajita Butter
- Fruit Skewers
- BBQ Sauce Glazed Pineapple Ham Picks
- Chocolate Strawberry Kabobs from I Heart Naptime
Check the printable recipe card below for the prep time, total time, and nutrition information including calories, protein, cholesterol, sodium, and fiber percentages.
Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 thick cut bacon strips
- 1 cup sweet BBQ sauce
- 2/3 cup Musselman's Apple Butter
- 2 chipotle peppers (canned in adobo sauce)
Instructions
- Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the grill to medium or medium-low heat. (Between 300-350 degrees F.) Cut the chicken breasts into 3/4 inch bite-sized pieces. Then cut the bacon into 3/4 inch strips. Alternate threading the chicken and bacon onto 8 skewers, leaving a bare handle on one end of each skewer. Sprinkle the chicken skewers with salt and pepper.
- Place the bbq sauce, Musselman’s Apple Butter and chipotle peppers in the blender. Puree until smooth.
- Grill the chicken skewers for 4 minutes per side. Then brush the skewers with the chipotle apple bbq sauce and grill another 3-4 minutes per side, until the edges of the bacon is crisp, but not burned. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Musselman’s Apple Butter. All opinions are my own.
I appreciate how detailed and easy-to-follow the instructions are. From marinating the chicken to grilling it to perfection on the skewers, everything is well-explained. I can’t wait to give it a try and impress my friends and family!
This recipe only has 5 simple ingredients and it’s very easy to make. The sauce was super delicious, my family loved it!
These were so easy to make and oh my gosh, that sauce was to die for!
So good! Never thought of grilling bacon with my chicken skewers before! I’ll definitely add vegetables in between the meat. Could these be cooked on a cast iron pan?
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Delicious! I added orange bell pepper and onion to the mix. Thank you!!
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Do you cut out the seeds or use the peppers straight from the can?
Hi Marlena, I use them straight out of the can! :)
I live in Singapore. Im thinking maybe applesauce, or something more viscous, like orange marmalade?
Never heard of apple butter, much less get my hands on them! Is there a substitute for this ingredient?
Hi Siew! It’s like a thick smooth apple preserve. Where are you located? Maybe that will help me suggest a substitution…
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These look amazing!!! We’re going to make them for my bday party this weekend. Are these going to be too spicy for the kiddos?
Thanks :)
Hi Kelley! They aren’t too spicy for my kids, but then they do like spicy food. You can use a little less sauce on the skewers for the kids to be safe. Let me know how they turn out! :)
WOW! They were a hit!!!
We quadrupled the recipe for our party, but we only used 2 1/2 chipotle peppers because of the kids.
And everyone loved them!
Thanks so much for the recipe!
So glad to hear it! XOXO
Sorry, I forgot to take a picture, but we were so excited to eat them, that I forgot:(
These are amazing! My husband and I made them tonight! Our grill was out of gas so we used our George Foreman which worked perfect! I love the mix of peppers and apple butter, sweet and spicy!! This will be a new regular menu item for us!
These would also be great with bread and butter roast cut into chunks instead of the chicken and also add pineapple to it as well…mmm good
These look so good I can’t wait to try them. I’m always wondering though about the sides whenever I see a good recipe. What would you serve as a side with these?
Loaded baked Potatoe or grilled Brussels sprouts and grilled asparagus
i’m allergic to onions so I cannot use chipotle peppers as the adobo sauce has onion in it. Any advice on an alternative for the recipe? This sounds amazing and I really want to try it. Thanks!
Hi Cali! Hmmm… I would try adding 1 teaspoon cumin and crushed red pepper to taste, to achieve a similar smokey heat. Although, make sure to check the ingredients on the BBQ Sauce as well. Some are made with onions. Let me know how they turn out!
This is seriously making my mouth water!! I love using canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. They give so much flavour to recipes.
I just saw these about 6:00 this morning and I am drooling ! These look delicious and I can’t wait to try these. Going to give this recipe to my son who will love these too ! I think par cooking the bacon is a good idea .
These definitely go under the “make again ” category. I tossed the chicken in the sauce before skewering, didn’t cram too much on to the skewer to allow the bacon to crisp ( almost tasted like candied bacon). Grilled them on medium high. I served them with a caesar salad.
Meat on a stick is the best! I can’t wait for the snow to finally melt off our deck so I can fire up the grill and make these!
Oh my word! These skewers are rockin’ my world! Dying over here!!!
I just want to sink my teeth into these skewers!! YUM!!
would really like to know what BBQ sauce was used, as a different could really change the outcome of the taste…….
Hi Christine, We usually go with a local favorite or Stubbs BBQ Sauce.
Josh will be making these for sure!
I love how simple these are! They look fabulous!
Makes me crave for summer. If I can just hold out a bit longer.
Pinned.
Have an amazing week!
I am so ready to return to our grilling-every-day routine! These skewers look awesome!
Oh these look so good! That sauce sounds incredible.
We tried these in the oven. They bacon didn’t cook well, but the chicken did! The flavor was great but the spice was toooo much (and we eat hot stuff!). We will definitely use this recipe again but half the peppers
These just look like summer! It’s definitely making me crave a good barbeque!
Wow! These look like the perfect spring and summertime dinner! That Sauce.
Using bacon on these skewers is GENIUS!!! Great recipe!
these look delicious SOmmer! my hubby would go nuts!
I love skewers. I automatically think it’s something special. Gad they look good.
The idea of the little bacon dividers. OMG! I have to give you a star for that!
We finally lit the grill last night after months off! Your skewers sound perfect for our next go ’round!!!
I love everything about this! Must try it soon!!
These chicken skewers look beyond amazing!
I never thought to put bacon on my chicken skewers! Brilliant!
Sounds absolutely perfect with the addition of bacon. But one question, is the center of the bacon cooked good that is between the chicken pieces? I am pretty fussy about bacon being crispy or well cooked. Maybe par-cook the bacon a bit?
Hi Charlene! When you pack the chicken and bacon on the skewers tight like you see above, the bacon right around the wooden skewer is cooked through, but not as crispy as the edges. If you want crispy bacon all the way through, you can give the pieces more space on the skewers. However, I’d worry the bacon might fall off if you space them out too much.
Thank you! I think the thick sliced, good quality bacon will make a difference too. Can’t wait to make it! :-)
These are just awesome! On so ready for spring!
Love those 5-ingredients!! These sound amazing, Sommer!
I would have never thought to add apple butter – so brilliant!! I am a grill-aholic, and want to make these asap!
These look so amazing!
More sunlight equals more grilling!! Can’t way to make these skewers!
These look soooo good! And I would never have thought to put bacon between the chicken pieces. Genius!! Now I’m dreaming of summer and grilling!
Wow, this is making me so hungry!!!
These chicken BBQ sqewers looks scrumptious. Nothing give the hope of warmer climes than getting the BBQ grill out! I may have to fiddle with the recipe if I can’t get Apple Butter here in the UK!! Yummy. Sammie http://www.feastingisfun.com
Love these flavors!! Simple dinner idea!