Description
Peruvian Grilled Chicken Skewers bring zesty South American flavors straight to your backyard grill, marinating tender chicken chunks in a bold cilantro and lime sauce that makes your taste buds dance with excitement.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 4 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 salt (to taste)
- 1 black pepper (to taste)
Liquids and Oils:
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Whisk ¼ cup lime juice, 4 cloves minced garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until the marinade blends smoothly.
- Cut 2 pounds chicken breasts into uniform bite-sized chunks approximately 1-inch square for consistent cooking.
- Pour marinade over chicken pieces and massage thoroughly, ensuring each morsel gets completely coated with seasoning mixture.
- Cover marinated chicken and refrigerate for minimum 1 hour, allowing flavors to penetrate deeply.
- Soak wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent burning during grilling.
- Thread marinated chicken pieces carefully onto prepared skewers, leaving small spaces between chunks for even heat distribution.
- Preheat outdoor grill to 400°F with clean grates for optimal searing and minimal sticking.
- Arrange skewers on hot grill, cooking 10-12 minutes and rotating every 3-4 minutes to achieve golden-brown exterior and internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove skewers from grill and let rest 3-5 minutes before serving with fresh lime wedges or preferred dipping sauce.
Notes
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning during grilling.
- Marinating the chicken for 4-6 hours (or overnight) intensifies the flavors and helps tenderize the meat.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure your spices are certified gluten-free and skip any wheat-based marinades.
- When grilling, leave a small space between chicken pieces on skewers to ensure even cooking and perfect caramelization.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Peruvian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 275 kcal
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg