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.
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.
I made this last night along with the cabbage salad. It was delicious and I would make it again. I did marinate the chicken overnight and I feel that the lime juice being in the marinade for so long gives the chicken a funny texture. I think I might marinate it for less time and see how that works. The sauce drizzle/dipped was amazing. The cabbage salad was off the charts!
I’d love to try the cabbage salad, but I can’t find it on the site. Does it have another name?
Hi Kate, this is the salad (which I have as a suggsted side for the chicken). And if you’re not familiar with it, I have a feature on the website– 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 down to the bottom of the recipe. Immediately under the recipe, you’ll see the dishes that I’ve suggested. Hope that helps!
my bridge partner made this and said it was divine. .I don’t have a grill. Can I make this in the oven like your chicken tandoori which was heavenly. Your recipes are fantastic. You should be on the cooking channel❤️
Suzanne
Alexandria, va
So glad you enjoy the recipes, Suzanne! You could definitely make this in the oven, either using the tandoori chicken method or cooking more quickly under the broiler. Hope that helps!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times and it’s delicious, even if you just use whole thighs and don’t cut up into pieces for skewers. Unfortunately I am out of honey today, would brown sugar be a good substitute or should I just wait to make it when I have honey in the house again? 🙂
Hi Valerie, brown sugar is fine to use (and so glad you like this)!
What is the purpose of giving the amount of honey in “85 grams plus 2 tablespoons”? I see this ingredient only once. First I thought you use plus honey at grilling, but not, so don’t understand this.
Hi András, sorry about the confusion — I can see why it was confusing written that way. You’ll need a total of 127 g of honey for the marinade. I’ve updated the recipe to reflect that. 🙂
Hi Jenn. I love all your recipes!! I love the taste of sriracha but unfortunately it does not love me (don’t know why since most hot and spicy is fine). What can I use as a substitute?
So glad you like the recipes, Hank! You could use Tabasco or any other hot sauce you have on hand. Hope you enjoy the skewers!
This is a wonderful chicken dish. I used Costco’s chicken tenders. Served with side dish black bean corn salad.
I guess chicken breast will work as well??
Hi Jenn, I get concerned that the breasts will get too tough if marinated in citrus but it does add a lot of flavor. If you’re going to use breasts, I’d use both the zest and juice, but would suggest a shorter marinating period (so definitely not overnight). Hope you enjoy!
Once again this recipe was a home run. Did not change a thing but did brush on sauce I saved while BBQ. And use the extra sauce I saved for drizzling on the chicken when serving with rice on bottom. I did marinate for 24 hours. Keeper keeper chicken dinner.
The dipping sauce is everything.
What would be a good carb side to go with this?
Hi Heather, this would pair nicely with basmati rice or cilantro lime rice. Hope you enjoy whatever you make!
Thank you for those ideas!
Haven’t made this yet. Any thoughts on subbing sesame oil for the veg oil?
Hi Dave, I think replacing half of the vegetable oil with sesame oil would work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I love this recipe, I use it for whole thighs as well. I hope that online chefs will consider inspiring readers to step away from single use plastic like ziploc bags by using home containers in their recipe directions and photos.
Yes, I use a container that will keep marinade deep enough to cover pieces and maybe stir around some.
My zip lock bags are not single use – I wash thoroughly in hot soapy water, rinse well and then hang to dry to be used another day!
Recipe is fab! Green rice and cucumber salad is great with this!
Can’t tell you how many times we’ve made this dish and will make it again this week. Love your recipe.
Hi Jenn,
I was thinking about making your Creamy Cucumber Salad with mint to accompany this chicken recipe but wondered what you might recommend?
Thanks.
Sure, Sharron, that would work. Two other options are the Cucumber Salad with Mint or this Thai Cucumber Salad with Peanuts. Hope you enjoy whatever you make!
This recipe was a big hit! I made these skewers for dinner this past week, serving with the napa cabbage salad. The chicken turned out tender and very tasty, especially with the heated, extra sauce for drizzling. I’ve already had a request to make again this coming week.
Goes in the Winner folder!
No grill so I marinated these overnight and baked them at 350 degrees for 50 min. , then broiled for 5 min. and drizzled it with the reserved sauce. This is chicken is so moist and tasty . I served it with Jasmine rice and Jenn’s creamy cucumber salad. Perfect summer dinner! Thank you Jenn !
Another absolutely amazing recipe! Did not have quite enough time for the marinating process however, they were still delicious. I’ll be using this recipe a lot – thanks Jenn!
Much more trouble than it’s worth! I followed the recipe and instructions exactly, and the result was a mostly soy-salty kebab with little other flavor.
Delicious! Cooked as recommended. I had trouble with my grill so ended up finishing the chicken in a skillet.
Great meal! Super easy and a fast favourite in our family. I’ve made this recipe well over a dozen times since finding it about 5 years ago!
Hi Jenn, we don’t have an outdoor grill but I was thinking of making these using the oven broiler. Just wondering how long do you think it should be under the broiler to be cooked? And if I was to broil just the chicken pieces not threaded onto the skewer, how long do you think this would take? Thanks again for always being so quick and generous in your advice to your readers =)
Hi Mel, Happy to help! 🙂
You can use the broiler for these. Arrange the skewers about 6 inches from the broiler, turning occasionally. If they aren’t browning you can move them up a bit. 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. And you can broil these whole; they’ll need 3 to 5 minutes for each side. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn, a heartfelt thank you for replying so quickly, your instructions for the broiler turned out perfectly and dinner was a huge success – this was our first family gathering for a few months. Thanks again for making dinner enjoyable for us all xx
So glad it came out well — thanks for reporting back!
This is a great recipe, no changes needed, except I always use skinless, boneless cut up chicken breasts and they work perfectly!
Thanks. So delicious with just a few ingredients. I had all the ingredients in my pantry and did not have to go shopping, so I was able to make a batch the same day I came across your recipe. They did not last long on the platter. My family’s only complaint; I did not make enough.Will have to make a bigger batch next time.
Made this with a fresh pheasant a friend shared with me. My 16 year old son who had never eaten it before really enjoyed it. Will definitely be making this again.
Hey, how many kebabs does this make?
Hi Helen, I haven’t made these in a while, but I’d guesstimate it makes around 6. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn, thank you so much all the way from Devon, England! My chicken thighs want to thank you personally for making them the star of our BBQ due to your amazing honey, lime & sriracha marinade! These English hands from across the ocean salute you! Kind regards x
So flavorful and easy to prepare. Kids loved it!
I love your recipes and was looking forward to this one tonight. However, I won’t be able to get to it and the chicken will end up marinating for almost 24 hours by the time I have a chance to grill it! Is it advisable to start all over agin or will it be okay?
No need to start over — it should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
I just made this marinade and I’m honestly a bit confused, I used the exact amount of ingredients from the recipe and it barely yielded about 1/2 cup of marinade. It’s enough for the chicken, not concerned about that, however the recipe says to reserve 1/2 cup for sauce and use the “rest” to marinade the chicken. What am I missing?
Hi Tori, the ingredients in the marinade should yield a generous 3/4 cup of marinade. Is there a chance you made a measuring error?
I just made 1 1/2 times the recipe and still didn’t have enough sauce…..probably ended up with 3/4 cup total. I measured everything just as the reviewer above did. Not sure what happened. I haven’t marinated the chicken yet but won’t have much to dribble on after.
Hi Ann, There’s not an abundance of marinade because it’s got really strong flavors and a little goes a long way.
Hi Jenn, what temperature is medium to high for a grill. I have a green egg and not sure what that translates to – 350 – 400?
Hi Mareesa, I’d say it translates to about 400 degrees. Enjoy!
Can you make the marinade ahead of time and keep in the fridge until you are ready to marinade the chicken ? If so how long would it be good for ?
Sure, that’s fine. I say it would keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Hello! Do you think this recipe would work with shrimp, too?
Sure, but I’d only marinate them for 20 to 30 minutes. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
This was perfect – followed the recipe with no changes. Served with basmati rice and slaw with ginger and peanut dressing.
Will go into the rotation. Thank you, Jenn – everyone of your recipes I’ve tried has been spot on.
Oh, my stars! I know your recipes always yield top-notch results, but this one is over the top! My husband declared this the best chicken he has ever tasted! The marinade gave the chicken such flavor, and the thighs were tender and juicy. We had the Thai Crunch Salad ( which was outstanding), and I followed the link you shared in a review and fixed Asian Rice Pilaf from Taste of Home. This made for an amazing meal! Thanks, Jenn for providing recipes that always deliver!
This chicken taste amazing! I’ve made this at every BBQ each year and it’s always a hit! The flavor and spiciness is wonderful!!
Hi Jenn, I would like to make this recipe as it looks delicious! Can I use an oven rather than a grill and, if so, what temperature and timing would you suggest? Also, can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? Thanks so much for this recipe, as well as all your other outstanding recipes and advice!
Hi Hannah, You can cook these using the boiler in your oven. 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. And I definitely think this is better with thighs as I 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. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Hello! I want to make this recipe but would like to leave out the Sriracha sauce. Do I need to add more of another liquid to make up for the sauce I’m leaving out?
Hi Elizabeth, no need to replace the sriracha with any other liquid. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn! This is a delicious recipe. I especially love how the ginger comes through, but not overpoweringly, as well as the spicy kick at the end of each bite. 🙂 Is there a rice dish that would pair well with this chicken? Thanks for another great – and easy! – recipe!
Hi Jane, So glad you like this! While not really a “dish” I think it would pair nicely with. basmati rice. If you were interested in something a bit more involved this looks good and gets positive reviews (please keep in mind I haven’t tried it myself). Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for the suggestions!
I actually forgot about the lime and cilantro and it was still wonderful! Won’t forget next time! Will love to make it for guests.
Delicious flavor combo and easy to prepare! This time I kept the chicken whole and broiled. Thank you 🙂
Hey lovely thanks for some incredible recipes! I would switch out the wesson veggie oil for coconut oil or coco/sunflower oil mixture. Can be used with high heat and is not toxic like the veggie oil is. Wesson veggie oil is a cause of tumors/cancer, especially when heated. My best to you, great chef! <3
Amazing recipe! I love the flavors. Do you think the marinade would work well with pork tenderloin?
Yes, the marinade should work for pork tenderloin. Glad you enjoyed these!
Another great chicken dish. Great blend of flavors.
I cooked these in the oven. Soo delicious and full of flavor!
Hi Jen, I have made many recipes from your site – and have loved them all! I’d like to try this recipe to add to my rotation. Question is regarding the cilantro – I froze fresh cilantro which I plan to use since it’s all I have – but although it still tastes wonderful, once thawed the cilantro definitely takes on a different texture. Can I just chop and mix it into the marinade?
Sure! (And glad you like the recipes.) 🙂
OMG, this recipe is fantastic Jenn! I didn’t have enough marinade to include some chicken wings BUT next time I will!!! My husband loved this, I didn’t give him any of the sauce though because I’m the only HEAT/Spicy he can handle!! 🙂
Hi Jenn, can you use this marinade and grilling ALSO for chicken party wings?! Plus, If I don’t want to fire up the grill, (real charcoal grill) can I cook these in the oven?
If so, temp…(roast or bake) and time please?!
Thanks so much, I can’t wait to try these!!
Hi Gigi, I think this marinade would taste great on chicken wings! You can make them in the oven but the skin won’t get very crispy. If you still want to go that route, I’m not sure about time and temperature so I’d look up a recipe for baked chicken wings to get an idea. Hope you enjoy!
I just couldn’t DO this in an oven Jenn, and I’m sooo glad I didn’t! Grilled it right outside on my old fashion Weber charcoal grill!!
Awesome marinade. I had boneless skinless chicken breast in the freezer, so I used it instead of thighs. Really enjoyed this recipe. Will be one of my go-to marinades for chicken from now on. Thanks Jenn!
I used thighs without cutting up. This recipe was great, but I would double the sauce. I served w/ rice (sauce was great on the rice) and roasted spicy carrots. Will definitely make again!
Absolutely gorgeous, the different tastes just remain in your mouth for ages. First class, will definitely be doing this recipe again.
Just delicious and so simple. Nice and bright flavors! A favorite!