Chicken Spiedini

Chicken Spiedini is an easy and tasty summer recipe for chicken thigh skewers marinated in lemon and fresh garlic. My family eats this on repeat all summer long because they're quick, can be made ahead of time, and my kids think they're chicken nuggets!

Serve with our Crispy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes and Sauteed Rapini with Garlic for the perfect summer meal!

Looking for more recipes on the grill? Try ourBig Fat Greek Chicken Burgeror Italian Ring Sausage (Chevalatta).

A Quick Look at The Recipe

• ✅Recipe Name: Grilled Chicken Spiedini
• ⏲️Ready in: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• 👪Makes: 6-8 servings
• 📋Main ingredients: Chicken thighs, lemon, breadcrumbs.
• ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: These chicken thigh skewers are perfect for the whole family. Tender enough to be like nuggets for the kids and delicious for the adults!

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Why this Recipe

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, like our Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs, 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 when we grill them. The marinade is a binder for the breadcrumb mixture, which makes this an easy dish to prep!

Try Garlic Parm Chicken Skewers if you're looking for something similar without breadcrumbs.

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. I find chicken breast to dry out in this method of cooking. If you want to use chicken breast, try Cast Iron Chicken Breast.
• Breadcrumbs. I've found that using a combination of regular Italian seasoned breadcrumbs with panko breadcrumbs makes for the best coverage and most crunch. I've tested this recipe many times with every combination of breadcrumbs, and this is the way! You could also make Homemade Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs.
• Dijon. Mustard helps bind the breadcrumbs to the chicken.
• Lemon. Some people will use a lemon butter sauce to top with after grilling, but I find that a simple squirt of lemon does the trick, especially if you're using chicken thighs.
• Garlic Powder. This is an instance to use garlic powder because fresh garlic will burn if cooked for this long. I recommend the same for Italian Chicken Cutlets.

*Please see recipe card below for more information on ingredients.

How to Make Chicken Spiedini

This two-step process is easy to do all in one day or prep in advance. Season and marinate your chicken the morning of or just an hour before you're ready to cook.

Marinating the Chicken

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 generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Chop the chicken into 1-inch pieces.

Step 3: Combine the chicken with the marinade and place it in the fridge for 1-3 hours. Marinating chicken thighs, like in our Spicy Chipotle Chicken Skewers, lets the flavor penetrate and salt tenderize the chicken.

Step 4: Combine seasoned panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, garlic powder, and fresh parsley on a large plate.

Grilling Chicken Spiedini

Step 5: After your chicken has marinated, skewer the chicken thighs onto the skewer and pack them tightly together.

Step 6: Dredge the chicken skewers in the breadcrumb mixture until thoroughly covered.

Pro-Tip: Don't bread your chicken until after you skewer them. The breadcrumbs that are stuck between the pieces of chicken don't get crispy and end up being wet mush.

Step 7: Preheat the grill to medium. Spray or brush the grill with oil to avoid chicken sticking to the grill. Place the chicken thighs on the grill and turn every 3-4 minutes until the chicken reaches 165 degrees (about 12-16 minutes total).

Squirt with fresh lemon or drizzle with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette and serve! This Italian dish is so delicious. Grilling recipes like chicken spiedini or Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops in the summer are the perfect way to end the day. Serve alongside an Orzo and Garbanzo Bean Salad, Italian Grilled Eggplant, or Busiate with Pesto Trapanese to complete the meal.

Pro-Tips

1. Marinate for at least 15 minutes but preferably 1-3 hours.
2. Spray the grill or brush the grates with oil right before you put the spiedini on the grill so that the breadcrumbs don't stick to the grill and rip off. 
3. Don't move the spiedini if they feel stuck to the grill. Let them cook another minute. They will release when they're ready.
4. Prepare the spiedini a day in advance. Bread the skewers and store them in the fridge overnight until you're ready to grill.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Chicken Spiedini with some of our Easy summer favorites below!

• Italian Green Bean Salad
• Grilled Zucchini alla Scapece
• Easy Steamed Artichokes
• Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad
• Italian Summer Pasta with Zucchini
• Grilled Foil Potatoes

Alternate Methods of Cooking

While chicken spiedini is best cooked on the grill, there are a few other options I would use to cook them.

• 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. They get nice and crispy like Air Fryer Garlic Parm Wings.
• Cast iron: Heat a cast-iron pan to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and cook on each side for 4 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
• Oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the skewers in a pan. Cook for 10 minutes, then flip and cook for another ten minutes until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

FAQs About Chicken Spiedini

What is Chicken Spiedini made of?

Spiedini is traditionally made with veal or sheep and bay leaves. This recipe is made with chicken thighs to mimic the tenderness, marinated, and dredged in a classic Italian breadcrumb mixture.

Where does chicken spiedini come from?

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, similar to beef spiedini.

What sauces would pair best with chicken spiedini?

I find that a simple squirt of lemon is perfect, but you could use a lemon butter garlic sauce or just a simple Homemade Marinara.

More Summer Recipes

• Grilled Shrimp Salad with Mango Lime Dressing
• Mediterranean Chicken Wrap
• Goat Cheese Burger with Fig Jam
• Eggplant Caprese Grilled Cheese