Sweetened with honey, these teriyaki chicken skewers make a tasty gluten-free dinner recipe or easy meal prep idea. Easy to make, this chicken dinner uses a homemade teriyaki sauce to give them their classic flavor.
A summertime classic or a meal prep staple, this teriyaki chicken works for both!
Marinated skewers come out juicy and flavorful. And though they’re awesome to eat as is that day (or dipped into some extra gluten-free teriyaki sauce), they also add a burst of flavor to any pasta dish or Buddha bowl too!
This grilled teriyaki chicken skewers recipe:
- Results in juicy, tender, chicken bites
- Can be eaten on top of rice, roasted veggies, Buddha bowls, or noodles
- Makes a tasty, easy meal prep recipe (learn how to simplify meal prep to stay sane!)
- Is part of a clean eating diet, dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo
- Is a hit with kids because of its sweet flavor
Plus, there's nothing like a grilled meal in the warmer months (these grilled veal chops are great for that too!).
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken Breasts: you want quality, thick chicken breasts for this recipe so that the flavor has time to infuse into the bite-sized pieces.
Honey: the gluten-free teriyaki sauce is naturally sweetened with honey in place of brown sugar. As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I opt for a local, unpasteurized jar for the best flavor.
Garlic & Ginger: simply flavored with these immune-boosting roots. Though you can use fresh ginger and garlic, it's actually easier to use powder for the marinade.
Gluten-Free Soy Sauce: make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce to keep the teriyaki chicken kabobs allergy-friendly. Or, opt for gluten-free tamari which is an alternative to soy sauce (but tastes the same). Learn more about the difference between tamari and soya sauce.
Arrowroot Powder: this is used to slightly thicken the sauce and coat the skewers better.
How To Make Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients.
- Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces along with the peppers.
- Portion out the chicken pieces onto skewers with the peppers (roughly three chicken pieces then one pepper).
- Pour the teriyaki marinade over the chicken skewers and use a brush to make sure they’re all coated.
- Let sit for 30 minutes- 4 hours in the fridge.
- Cook on a cast-iron flattop grill at medium to low heat.
Step By Step Photos
Important Teaching Tips
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).
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.
Make sure to use metal skewers.
If you're looking for something even fancier for BBQ season then you can always go big or go home with this smoked Tomahawk steak paired hibachi vegetables and a Cadillac margarita too 😉 Great for hosting!
How To Serve The Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
If you need to keep the recipe paleo, serve the chicken skewers on top of spaghetti squash, cauliflower rice, or lots of veggies (or of course as a snack by themselves).
They also taste delicious with a side of mango habanero salsa or in the summer, outside with something like a Boston sour or kinky vodka cocktail in your hand!
If you only need to keep the chicken gluten-free, you can pop it on top of rice, serve it on the side of smashed potatoes, or mixed into a pasta dish with additional veggies.
Lastly, remember that these chicken kabobs work well as a meal prep recipe too. Whip up a big batch and use the juicy chicken on top of salads, wraps, or portion it into a bowl. This BBQ pork steak recipe is wicked for meal prep too.
Our favorite way to enjoy the skewers is as-is with extra sauce to dip them in, a side of roasted veggies, and an Aperol sour on Friday nights!
Dinner doesn’t have to be chaotic—this eBook gives you 20+ protein-packed meals ready in 30 minutes or less (even when the day’s already gone sideways)
Flavor Variations
Seasonings: Add any more seasonings that you enjoy. Extra garlic powder, a special 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 new tastes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
The difference between a sauce and a marinade is that the marinade tends to be thinner so that it can coat the meat. Whereas sauce, which is used more for drizzling or dipping tends to have a thicker consistency. In the instance of these teriyaki chicken skewers, it’s a bit of both, you do want to boil the marinade down slightly so that it sticks to the skewer when cooking.
First, you’ll want to coat the cast iron with oil to prevent sticking. Heat your barbeque to roughly 350 degrees Fahrenheit (which is medium to low). Lay the teriyaki chicken kabobs on the cast-iron and cook.
Normally, sugar is used to sweeten and create a fun consistency for homemade teriyaki sauce. However, in this recipe honey is used. Not only is this a healthier variation but the honey results in a sticky teriyaki sauce that coats the chicken well.
Other Healthy Recipes You’ll Love
- Teriyaki chicken thighs
- Slow cooker Tuscan chicken
- Tangy lemon noodle bowl
- Slow cooker teriyaki chicken
- Grilled veggie and quinoa salad
- Easy, healthy dinner recipes
- 30-minute dinner ideas
Healthy Teriyaki Chicken 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 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"
Jean
these skewers are also great to serve in parties, I use maple syrup.
fitasamamabear
Mmmm maple syrup makes a yummy blend too!
Bobbie
The step by step instructions made this recipe so easy to follow!
fitasamamabear
Yay! Glad it makes it easy.
Jennifer
These are delish! I grilled them and they were terrific. I'll be making them again!
fitasamamabear
So happy you loved them!
Glenda
These chicken skewers were so easy to make. And they're absolutely delicious!!
fitasamamabear
Thank you! A summer staple!
Greta
These Teriyaki chicken skewers are so easy to make and delicious. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
fitasamamabear
They make a great summer time recipe!
Glenda
My family loved these. I made them in my pellet grill and they were perfection! Thanks for sharing the yummy recipe!
fitasamamabear
Ohhh a pellet grill, that would be delicious!
Jenni
These skewers were so great! They were easy and delicious!
fitasamamabear
Easy is key in my house lol
Rupali
My kids loved this in a wrap. So easy and delicious!
fitasamamabear
Yay! Always a hit when kiddos approve lol
Allyssa
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
we adore the teriyaki flavor in this house! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Paula
My new go to dinner! Healthy and delicious, can't beat that!!
fitasamamabear
Right?! Classic combo lol