Delicious breaded Italian Chicken Skewers breaded and grilled to perfection. Chicken Spiedini is an easy and tasty recipe for chicken thigh skewers marinaded in lemon and fresh garlic!
Looking for more recipes on the grill? Try our Big Fat Greek Chicken Burger or Italian Ring Sausage (Chevalatta).
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Why this Method
Chicken Spiedini are the most tender and crunchy chicken skewers you'll ever have. It's the perfect Italian Street Food with a little squirt of lemon to finish it off.
Marinating the chicken in lemon, garlic, and olive oil makes the chicken even more tender plus gives the chicken all of its flavor. That's why marinating for an hour or so is important to penetrate that flavor into the chicken.
We then dredge the skewers in a breadcrumb parmesan mixture to achieve the ultimate char and crunch once we grill the skewers. The little squirt of lemon juice at the end finishes these off with the perfect flavor.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Chicken thighs. It is important to use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast to achieve the tenderness desired in this dish. Chicken breast will be too tough and won't mimic the tenderness of veal and sheep that this dish was originally made with.
Breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs are the best for this recipe. They will give you the best crunch. I've tried regular Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, which can be substituted, but I prefer panko.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: Mince up the garlic until it is almost a paste. Then whisk together the lemon, olive oil, dijon, salt, and garlic until the marinade is combined.
Step 2: Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.
Step 3: Combine the chicken with the marinade and place in the fridge for 1-3 hours.
Step 4: Combine seasoned panko breadcrumbs mixture and place on a large plate.
Pro-Tips
- Marinate for at least 15 minutes but preferably 1-4 hours.
- Spray the grill right before you put the spiedini on the grill so that the breadcrumbs don't stick to the grill and rip off.
Step 5: Once the chicken is done marinating, skewer the chicken thighs onto the skewer.
Step 6: Toss the chicken skewers in the breadcrumb mixture until thoroughly covered.
Step 7: Preheat the grill to medium. Spray the grill with cooking spray to avoid chicken sticking to the grill. Place the chicken thighs on the grill and grill each side for about 4 minutes each or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Squirt with fresh lemon and serve!
Methods of Cooking
While spiedini is best cooked on the grill there are 2 other options I would use to cook them that could work well.
Air Fryer: Place the spiedini in the air fryer at 425 degrees, cook for 8 minutes, and then flip them. Cook for another 8 minutes or until they reach 165 degrees.
Cast iron: Heat a cast iron to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and cook on each side for 4 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
FAQs
Spiedini is traditionally made with veal or sheep and bay leaves. This recipe is made with chicken thighs to mimic the tenderness.
It's huge in Kansas City, MO but originated in Abruzzo, Italy. It's an Italian street food that is famously from the streets of Abruzzo.
Chicken Spiedini is a summertime recipe for me. Serve it alongside some Italian pasta salad, artichokes, or fried green tomatoes.
Video Recipe
More Summer Recipes
📖 Recipe
Chicken Spiedini
Equipment
- 1 grill
- 1 large bowl
- skewers
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- salt and pepper
Marinade
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
breadcrumb mixture
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients until combined.
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch squares. Combine the chicken with the marinade and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Combine breadcrumb mixture ingredients on a large plate. Once the chicken is done marinating, skewer the chicken thighs onto the skewer. Toss the chicken skewers in the breadcrumb mixture until thoroughly covered.
- Preheat grill to medium. Spray the grill with cooking spray to avoid chicken sticking to the grill. Place the chicken thighs on the grill and grill each side for about 4 minutes each or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Place the chicken spiedini on a plate and squirt with lemon juice. Serve hot!
Notes
- Marinate for at least 15 minutes but preferably 1-4 hours.
- Spray the grill right before you put the spiedini on the grill so that the breadcrumbs don't stick to the grill and rip off.
Diane
I've never had these before! Crunchy and tender. Will be on the summer weekly menu for sure