Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken Skewers
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
These chicken skewers marinated in honey, lime juice and Sriracha taste every bit as good as they look.
These chicken skewers marinated in honey, lime juice, and Sriracha are every bit as good as they look — and if you haven’t tried Sriracha, the Asian hot sauce named after the coastal city of Si Racha in Thailand, this is the perfect recipe to taste just how delicious it is. Made from sun-ripened chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt, Sriracha is used in soups, sauces, noodle dishes, omelets, burgers or anything else to add a delicious spicy taste. It has become so popular in the States that you can find it in the international section of most supermarkets.
What You’ll Need To Make Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the marinade. In a blender, combine the zest of a lime, fresh lime juice, honey, soy sauce, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, and Sriracha. (Even though you’re puréeing the marinade, it’s a good idea to roughly chop the garlic and ginger so they get incorporated — some blenders can’t handle large chunks.)
Purée until completely smooth, then set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade to use as a drizzling sauce.
Next, prepare the chicken. I’ve specified boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because they’re more flavorful than chicken breasts and easier to cook without drying out. I know many people prefer white meat but I’ve tried both in this recipe and, trust me, it’s much better made with dark meat.
The only drawback to using chicken thighs is that they need to be trimmed before you cook them. I think it’s easiest to use kitchen shears as opposed to a knife. So, using scissors, simply cut off any gristle and large chunks of fat (don’t fret over every little bit as it mostly melts away on the grill) and then cut the meat into 2-inch pieces.
Place the chicken in a Ziplock bag with the remaining marinade and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
After the chicken has marinated, thread the pieces onto skewers.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Scrape the grates clean to prevent the chicken from sticking, then dip a wad of paper towels in oil and rub the grates until smooth and shiny.
Grill the chicken, turning occasionally to promote even browning, for 10-15 minutes.
Keep an eye on it — the honey in the marinade causes the chicken to caramelize on the grill and turn a beautiful, rich brown color; however, the chicken can burn if the grill is too hot. Lower the heat if the chicken is browning too fast.
Transfer the skewers to a platter and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over top and serve. Enjoy!
It was a mouth-watering photo from a blog called Kitchen Meets Girl that caught my eye on Pinterest and inspired this recipe.Â
You may also like
- Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs
- Grilled Jerk Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Wings with Seasoned Buffalo Sauce
- Thai Minced Chicken Lettuce Cups
- Char Siu Chicken
Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken Skewers
These chicken skewers marinated in honey, lime juice and Sriracha taste every bit as good as they look.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon lime zest, from one lime
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 2 limes
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1½ square inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (see note)
- 1½ tablespoons Sriracha sauce
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- 2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (between 8-10), trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus a few whole sprigs for garnish
- Limes, sliced into wedges, for garnishing platter (optional)
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the soy sauce, honey, oil, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, ginger, Sriracha and salt. Blend until completely smooth. Pour ½ cup of the marinade into a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (this will be your drizzling sauce).
- Combine the chicken and remaining marinade in a large Ziplock bag and seal tightly. Place in a bowl (in case of leakage) and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread onto skewers, folding the pieces in half if they are long and thin.
- Be sure the grill is clean, then preheat to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kebabs, covered, until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on it -- if they are browning too quickly, turn the heat down.) Transfer the skewers to a platter. Warm up the reserved marinade in the microwave and either drizzle it over top or pass it alongside. Scatter the chopped cilantro over top and garnish the platter with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs, if desired.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 321
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Sugar: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 37g
- Sodium: 1147mg
- Cholesterol: 180mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
This is a fantastic recipe made exactly as written. It has just the right amount of spiciness. I have made it several times to rave reviews and requests for the recipe. On one occasion we did not have skewers and my husband cooked the chicken pieces in a grill pan and it was also fabulous. Perfect with rice pilaf and a big green salad.
We have made this dish we call shish kebab many times, following the recipe to a T. we serve it with rice pilaf and salad. It is perfect for a nice summer day
Can you bake skewers if you don’t have a grill?
Yes, you can broil them. (Arrange them about 6 inches from the broiler, turning occasionally. If they aren’t browning you can move them up. Just be sure to shake off as much marinade as possible before putting them in the oven because it will smoke and burn in a hot oven. Enjoy!
These skewers are very good and very versatile! I make a double recipe (hoping to have leftovers for the following day) and all was completely devoured by my guests (no leftovers unfortunately)! Everyone had seconds. When my kids come home to visit, this is one of their frequently requested recipes. This is a recipe that is definitely worth trying.
This recipe is such a winner!
It is so easy and delicious that I make it for guests or for a family weekday meal. I try to save a bit of the sauce for the next day to put on just about anything to make it incredible. Thank you, Jenn!
I have made this several times. Each time is a hit with all my guests. I marinate the chicken overnight then put on skewers when I get a chance the next day. It is all prepped ahead of time. Add the saved marinade, lime and cilantro at the end and it looks as good as it tastes!
The BEST marinade ever! I’ve used this on shrimp & pork-Too Good! Easy Peasy!
Have made this several times and always a winner. I used breasts and definitely cut with a shears. So much easier than using a knife.
My whole family loves these. These became a staple for us this summer. I made with thighs and breasts. Thighs are the way to go! Thank you so much Jenn. I’m such a fan of your recipes!
I’ve made this several times now and everyone enjoys it. I do double the sauce. And since I avoid meat myself, I use some of the extra sauce to marinate tempeh slices. Its delicious with tempeh! The sauce is strong enough to cover tempehs strong flavor.
This was an easy recipe to make and it was extremely tasty. I would add a bit more heat next time. Other then that, would not change anything
Absolutely Amazing……
Glad I found this recipe. Perfect as written.
This was seriously delicious. I used chicken breasts and marinated for 24 hours. Not on purpose but we were too busy to make them the night we originally planned. They were so flavorful and not dry at all. Will definitely make again!
Phenomenal! Thanks for another go-to recipe. I didn’t have time to cut the thighs into pieces in the morning, so I just let them marinate all day and grilled them whole. It worked really nicely – and no threading onto skewers! (I’m sure whole thighs need the full day of marinating, however.)
I made this but I don’t like ginger. Do you suggest I use something else or just leave out next time? Would it make a big difference. Maybe I used too much?
I loved it and added to the skewers pieces of red pepper, vidalia onions and zucchini. Yum. Also I used chicken breasts and they were not tough. I did cut pieces larger than 2 inches.
Hi Pamela, It’s fine to use less or just leave it out – the chicken will still be delicious :).
Hi!
I’ve been marinating today for a few hours and I don’t think I’ll be able to cook it before 6 hours- more like 4. Do you think it will change the outcome too much? More importantly, my grill is inside, on my Viking bass cooktop and I’m not sure I’m up for the indoor clean up this eve. Would you cringe if I cooked them in a preheated oven? And if not, what temp? Thank you so much in advance!
Hi Tracy, longer is better when it comes to marinating these, but they will have plenty of flavor after 4 hours. And if you’d prefer to use your oven, you can broil them. (Arrange them about 6 inches from the heat, turning occasionally. If they aren’t browning you can move them up. Just be sure to shake off as much marinade as possible before putting them in the oven because it will smoke and burn in a hot oven. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn,
Quick question. I would like to try these with chicken breasts (my guests’ request) and I am probably going to just marinate the whole breast since I am short on time and won’t have a chance to cut the chicken up. I know that citrus can turn breasts tough. Should I still marinate them for 6 hours or should I do it for a shorter time?
Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, I definitely get concerned that the breasts are going to get too tough if marinated in citrus. If you’re going to use breasts, I’d definitely suggest the quicker of the two marinating times.
Thanks Jenn. I may just grill them with some olive oil and sat/pepper and then use the marinade as a suave to drizzle over afterwards. I’ll let you know how it goes.
The breasts worked out perfectly. I only marinated them for about 10 minutes and was generous with the amount of marinade I reserved for the sauce. One more question if you don’t mind – how would I use this marinade with tofu? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, Yes you could use the marinade for tofu. I’ve actually never cooked with tofu(!) so I don’t have much wisdom to share, but I know that it readily soaks up marinades. LMK how it turns out!
Jenn, another winner! The marinade was SO delicious!!! Paired with the Thai Crunch Salad…amazing! Your recipes are simply the best! Thank you!!!
Fabulous yet again Jenn! I prepared this with the suggested Thai crunch salad and everything was soooo delicious! My family loved it 🙂
Made this (again) last night, along with Thai Quinoa Salad with Fresh Herbs and Lime Vinaigrette also from on this web site. Doubled up on everything and not a bite left to be had. This has got to be the best skewered chicken recipe on the planet!!!
If you don’t own a grill, can these be made in the oven? Also, is it possible to state in your recipes going forward if the grill specified recipe is also oven friendly?
Hi Dorah, Yes, these can definitely be broiled — cook time will be about the same. And yes, that’s a great suggestion.
This is an AWESOME recipe and part of our regular rotation! Just made it last night with whole chicken thighs.
I’m so excited to try this out. Wondering is it okay to marinate the chicken tonight and grill it tomorrow night? Will the lime juice start to cook the chicken or change the texture?
Hi Karen, it should be fine because chicken thighs have plenty of moisture. (It wouldn’t work with boneless breasts, though, as it would turn them into shoe leather!) Hope you enjoy!
I’ve made these several times and I’m always wondering what would be a good side?
Hi Cathy, these would be delish with this Thai Crunch Salad. Also, just a heads up that I have a new feature on the blog– for all main dishes, I suggest one or two sides that I think would pair nicely with them. To see what I’ve suggested, scroll to the top of the recipe page and, immediately under the recipe title, you’ll see a bar with several options, one of which says “pair with.” If you click on this, you’ll see the sides I’ve suggested.
Hi Jenn,
I am going to make this for much for family which includes a toddler so I was thinking of leaving out the sirracha. Will this affect the taste other then the level of heat? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, A bit, but I don’t think you’ll miss it.
This turned out great, even without the heat. I don’t typically like thighs, but I trimmed mine pretty carefully and as Jenn said, the heat melts most of the fat off. The chicken was a huge hit with my toddler, husband and parents. Made it with Thai crunch salad which paired perfectly. Definitely a recipe to include in the regular rotation (as all of Jenn’s recipes have been!).
Oh my gosh -SO delicious and different! Yum!! Could you use with thighs? What do you serve this with?
Hi Trudy, You asked if you could use this with thigh– maybe I’m confused by your question, but this recipe calls for thighs. The dish pairs nicely with the Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing.
This chicken was absolutely perfect. One of the best I’ve ever made. The family went nuts over it!
Love this recipe because it’s so flavorful and fresh tasting. It’s one of my two most favorite recipe on this site. I double the marinade/sauce because it’s so good drizzled on the brown basmati I serve with it. Definitely agree with Jenn that they’re better with boneless thighs than breasts. Her suggestion to use scissors to trim off the fat and cut up the meat is one I use all the time now. (Boneless thighs are on special often at my market.) I usually make as directed on skewers, but recently because I was in a hurry, we skipped the skewers and marinaded and grilled the boneless thighs whole – worked well – not quite the same – but much easier.
These are amazing! 100% would recommend to anyone!
Hi Jenn-
I love your recipes, thank you. I have a couple of pescatarians and one person with a severe shellfish allergy- any reason I couldn’t do shrimp and chicken skewers with the same honey, lime sriracha marinade?
Hi Pam, glad to hear you like the recipes! These would work with shrimp, but I’d only marinate them for 20 to 30 minutes. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
This is the best chicken recipe that I’ve come across in a long time. My 7 & 4 year old grandchildren love this and they’re usually picky eaters. It’s one of my go to favorites for company, guests always asking where the recipe is from. It’s great because you can prep ahead of time and enjoy your company while the back yard permeates with the wonderful aromas from the chicken grilling. delicious!!!
I don’t have a grill. Can I make it somehow on a stove top? It just looks so good. I need to find an alternative way to cook it so I can try it!! 🙂
Hi Celeste, you can broil them! They should cook under the broiler for the about same amount of time as specified for the grill. Enjoy!
Hands down the best chicken recipe ever.
FANTASTIC! Made this last night and everyone – even my 11 year old who is a bit wary of spicy food LOVED this! Will keep this as family favorite! Thank you!!
The honey lime sriracha grilled chicken was delicious.
I had my daughter and her Boss stay with us for 3 days. Your website was my go to to prepare a daily menu. You once again came to the rescue.
I have never been disappointed with the end result. I made your zucchini and tomato saute, the ham and cheese sliders and your waffles were perfect. I also made the blueberry pancakes with the delicious blueberry syrup.
Thank you again.
This is my son’s favorite recipe. During the summer we make it at least once a week. Super easy to make the night before and then a quick grill the next day and dinner is ready!
Hi Jenn,
I am new to your website. This recipe sounds yummy. Before I try to make it, I just have one question. Towards the end, you mentioned one can drizzle the marinade after the chicken is grilled. But doesn’t the marinade has raw chicken juice in it and wouldn’t it contaminate the cooked chicken? I often wondered how to use the raw marinade juice to enhance the dish and when I cooked it slightly, it doesn’t taste too good – maybe I overcooked it, I don’t know. Anyway, love your website!
Hi, Before adding the chicken to the marinade, the recipe specifies that you should set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade and put it in the fridge. That’s the marinade that you can warm up and drizzle over the chicken when serving. Enjoy!
I think this recipe would be great for a party. You can serve these easily for larger groups.
Can you cook this in the oven on broil? I don’t have a grill. Sounds so good. Thanks Julie
Yep– cook for about same time as specified in the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
I NEVER grill chicken…mine is always dry and stringy – NOT this chicken!!
I tried this recipe last night, only because every recipe that I have tried from Jenn has been outstanding. This is the most moist, delicious chicken that has ever been grilled! It must be the overnight marinating in the lime juice and spice that made the difference. I used 1 T Siracha and that was perfect for me. I do like spicy and that was just enough heat. Bravo Jenn! Another winner!!
I have made this recipe so many times— it’s an absolute go to favorite. When I don’t feel like skewering, I have pounded chicken breasts, marinated them as the recipe calls for and then grilled for a super easy dinner, These are also delicious served with a mango salsa. YUM!
Another huge hit! Your recipes never fail me, thank you. I made this recipe and paired it with the Thai Crunch Salad. What a fabulous meal. The weather was too cold to want to stand outside at the grill so I made the chicken in broiler. I had no leftovers to put away as the entire meal was so delicious.
This has become one of my “go to” chicken recipes. I’ve used it with boneless thighs and breasts (yes, thighs are better). Yes, they are best on the grill but I have also used the cast iron grill pans in the winter. Not as tasty but it works. Such a wonderful marinade. So flavorful. Awesome, as always Jen.
This was the first time I tried cooking with chicken thighs. I like the ease of chicken breasts, but these were delicious – and using the scissors to trim the meat was easy. I marinated overnight and the flavor came through beautifully. Everyone loved them!
These are delicious! Truly a great dinner. They can be done inside on a grill pan, as well.
This has become a regular in our house. My children ask for it on a weekly basis.
I dream about these chicken skewers! They are packed with flavor and grill up so nicely. I prepped a double batch before leaving for a camping trip. It was so simple to throw the bag in the cooler to marinade on the drive out and grill them up at the campsite. They were a huge hit!
I would like to make this recipe for 50 people and don’t want to be standing outside at the grill when they arrive. If I grill the skewers outside at a medium high temperature until browned, at what temperature and how long (or what internal temp.) would you recommend I finish them inside in the oven? I plan to place them in a chaffing dish and let the guests serve themselves throughout the evening. Any other tips to keeping them moist and delicious?
Hi, I think you could brown these on the grill and then finish them off in a 350-degree oven for about 10 – 15 minutes. I think a chafing dish will work nicely as they’ll be covered. (Plus, because these are made from chicken thighs, they should be nice and moist.)
I was searching for a chicken recipe that had the flavor punch of citrus & spice. I came across this recipe & after reading, decided to try it. I loved it! The marinade combined such bold flavors, was so bright to the taste before adding the chicken, that I hoped the chicken, when cooked, would taste as bright. Often lime juice & zest is over done & hides the other flavors. This was just right! I’ve made these in smaller sizes for appetizer servings (guests raved& had to have the recipe!) & have made full sized skewers. So good! I have since taken this marinade & used it to oven roast chicken (delish!) & tried it on pork tenderloins, proceeding with them placed in marinade in Ziploc bag & placed in fridge. Came out so wonderfully. Saw the comment about trying on shrimp. Definitely will try but will marinade only 20-30 minutes. It will definitely taste good because everything I’ve used this on has tasted great!
Hi Jenn,
I love this recipe and has become a favorite with the family. Has anyone tried this out with Shrimp yet? Do you think it would work?
Hi Julie, I think it would work but I’d only marinate for 20-30 minutes. Please let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn,
The Shrimp was outstanding and a huge hit. I served it as a surf and turf dinner. I made a Ribeye Roast with shrimp skewers. Everyone loved the flavor of the marinade. I gave the recipe to three people and told them about your site. 🙂