Sticky and sweet, these Chicken Teriyaki Skewers are incredibly easy to make. Perfect for a gluten-free weeknight dinner, easy appetizer, or simple meal prep. They're coated in a homemade honey-sweetened teriyaki sauce, with a juicy texture that can be enjoyed on salads, bowls, or dipped into more sauce.
"My kids loved this in a wrap. So easy and delicious!" -Rupali
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 55 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 5
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 172 kcals and 20 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tamari sauce, honey, garlic granules, and arrowroot powder.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, and there's apaleo-friendly option.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: They’re juicy, protein-packed chicken skewers coated in a sweet homemade teriyaki sauce that's feels indulgent but is made with simple, clean ingredients.
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These teriyaki chicken kabobs cook up juicy and tender every time, making them just as perfect for dinner as they are for leftovers. I love using them as a protein base for quick bowls with Whole30 cauliflower rice, or even slicing them up for grilled vegetable hummus wraps the next day.
And while these gluten-free teriyaki chicken skewers are delicious straight off the grill (or oven!), they’re also a great meal-prep protein. Add them to quinoa bowls, toss them into veggie-packed plates, or serve alongside something fresh like this gluten-free macaroni salad for an easy, balanced summer meal.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Juicy chicken: The teriyaki chicken skewers recipe results in juicy bites of chicken with a subtly sweet flavor.
Meal prep: Great for dinners or meal prep, as the skewers can be used with a simple side of roasted root vegetable medley.
Healthy: Lean protein and a honey-sweetened sauce makes these gluten-free chicken skewers a healthy, and filling meal choice (just like grilled veal chops).
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken Breasts: You want thick chicken breasts for this recipe so that the flavor has time to infuse and each bite stays juicy.
- Tamari or soy sauce: Use a gluten-free soy sauce as needed (this is why I use tamari). To make the teriyaki chicken skewers marinade paleo-friendly, you'll need to use coconut aminos.
- Arrowroot Powder: This is used to slightly thicken the sauce and coat the skewers better. Know that tapioca flour works as well as cornstarch.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Seasonings: Add any seasonings that you enjoy. Extra garlic powder, a special jerk seasoning rub, anything you have on hand.
Meat: Chicken kabobs are great, but we also love switching it up with beef. Learn about the best cuts of beef to use.
Veggies: Mix and match your veggies or add on some pineapple chunks for a tropical flavor.
How To Make Chicken Teriyaki Skewers
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the teriyaki marinade.
Step 2: Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces along with the peppers.
Step 3: Portion out the chicken pieces onto skewers with the peppers.
Step 4: Pour the teriyaki marinade over the chicken skewers and use a brush to make sure they’re all coated. Marinate in the fridge.
Step 5: Cook on a cast-iron flattop grill at medium to low heat.
Expert Tips To Make It
The longer you let the grilled teriyaki chicken skewers marinate, the more flavorful they’ll be (kinda like these smoked chicken thighs and these delicious grilled shrimp). Let them sit in the marinade for 30 minutes at a minimum, but overnight is great.
You can whip up extra sauce to dip the kabobs or drizzle once they’re completed.
To do this: whisk up half the sauce ingredients (except the arrowroot) in a small pot. Heat to a rolling boil over medium heat and whisk in 1tsp arrowroot powder. Whisk until no clumps remain. Boil down 2-3 minutes until sticky.
They’re best cooked on a cast-iron flattop grill because it lets them soak in the extra teriyaki sauce and coat them until sticky. You can grill them traditionally, but they won’t be as juicy.
Store leftover chicken skewers once cooled in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Enjoy the chicken chilled on a salad or warm them up in the microwave (remove the skewers first), stovetop, or back on the grill.
How To Enjoy Them
Perfect for grilling season, serve the teriyaki skewers with a side of mango habanero salsa, or smashed potatoes, or in the summer, paired with a quinoa balsamic salad.
Of course, you can get outside and enjoy them with something like a Boston sour, kinky vodka cocktail, or Aperol sour in your hand, too
If you're looking for something even fancier for BBQ season, then you can always go big or go home with BBQ pork steak recipe, or this smoked Tomahawk steak paired hibachi vegetables and a Cadillac margarita too 😉 Great for hosting!
Chicken Teriyaki Skewers FAQs
Yes, you can bake chicken skewers instead of grilling. Arrange them on a lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway, until the chicken is cooked through.
First, you’ll want to coat the cast iron with oil to prevent sticking. Heat your barbecue to roughly 350 degrees Fahrenheit (which is medium to low). Lay the teriyaki chicken kabobs on the cast-iron and cook.
The longer you marinate chicken skewers, the more flavorful they'll be. At a minimum, marinate them for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in the fridge.
To keep chicken skewers from getting dry, make sure you don't overcook them. Also, you want your chicken bites to be roughly the same thickness so that they all bake evenly.
More Gluten-free Chicken Dinner Recipes
If you tried this Teriyaki Chicken Skewers Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Chicken Teriyaki Skewers
Video
Equipment
- 1 Small pot
- 10 metal skewers
Ingredients
- 1 tbs garlic granules
- ½ teaspoon dried ginger
- 2 tbs honey
- 1 tbs oil
- ⅛ cup tamari sauce
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 bell pepper cut into chunks
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients including the arrowroot powder. Heat in a saucepan over medium heat until just boiling. Stir rapidly to remove the chunks and remove from the heat.
- Let cool.
- Prep the skewers by spearing chicken breast chunks and bell peppers. Roughly three pieces of chicken to one piece of bell pepper until everything is used.
- Place the chicken skewers in a baking tray and pour the teriyaki sauce over them. Flip the kabobs and brush them with sauce from the bottom.
- Let sit to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes – 4 hours.
- When ready to cook, preheat the barbeque to roughly 350 degrees Fahrenheit and oil the cast-iron flattop.
- Place the teriyaki chicken kabobs on the flattop and cook them at low to medium heat for roughly 45 minutes until cooked through.
- While cooking, pour the remaining marinade over the kabobs and flip them as needed so that all sides are coated in sauce.
- While cooking, pour the remaining marinade over the kabobs and flip them as needed so that all sides are coated in sauce.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Paula says
My new go to dinner! Healthy and delicious, can't beat that!!
fitasamamabear says
Right?! Classic combo lol
Allyssa says
Thanks a lot for this amazing and super easy to make teriyaki chicken skewers recipe! It's really tasty and very flavorful! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
fitasamamabear says
we adore the teriyaki flavor in this house! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Rupali says
My kids loved this in a wrap. So easy and delicious!
fitasamamabear says
Yay! Always a hit when kiddos approve lol
Jenni says
These skewers were so great! They were easy and delicious!
fitasamamabear says
Easy is key in my house lol
Glenda says
My family loved these. I made them in my pellet grill and they were perfection! Thanks for sharing the yummy recipe!
fitasamamabear says
Ohhh a pellet grill, that would be delicious!
Greta says
These Teriyaki chicken skewers are so easy to make and delicious. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
fitasamamabear says
They make a great summer time recipe!
Jennifer says
These are delish! I grilled them and they were terrific. I'll be making them again!
fitasamamabear says
So happy you loved them!
Glenda says
These chicken skewers were so easy to make. And they're absolutely delicious!!
fitasamamabear says
Thank you! A summer staple!
Bobbie says
The step by step instructions made this recipe so easy to follow!
fitasamamabear says
Yay! Glad it makes it easy.
Jean says
these skewers are also great to serve in parties, I use maple syrup.
fitasamamabear says
Mmmm maple syrup makes a yummy blend too!