Description
Juicy and flavorful chicken skewers basted with a homemade garlic parmesan butter sauce. Perfectly cooked in an air fryer, oven, or grill. Serve as an appetizer or over rice and veggies for a complete meal!
Ingredients
Chicken:
2 lbs chicken tenders, thighs, or breast
2 tbsp olive oil
Garlic Parmesan Butter Sauce:
1 stick butter
8–10 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup parmesan, grated
1 tbsp hot sauce (more if desired)
2 tsp red pepper flakes
⅓ cup fresh parsley, minced
Chicken Seasonings:
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Instructions
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Prep and Skewer Chicken:
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
- Combine the chicken seasoning mixture in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cut the chicken into 3-inch pieces and place them in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Toss with olive oil and the seasoning mixture, coating all sides.
- Thread the chicken tightly onto skewers with no spaces in between. If needed, snip the top few inches of the skewers to fit in the air fryer.
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Make the Garlic Parmesan Butter Sauce:
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and minced garlic. Heat until partially melted.
- Stir in red pepper flakes, hot sauce, parsley, and parmesan. Whisk until combined.
- If the sauce separates, add 1-2 tbsp of softened butter and stir to re-emulsify.
- Scoop out ⅓ of the sauce for basting the par-cooked chicken and reserve the rest for final basting. (Ensure no cross-contamination by using clean utensils and washing the basting brush.)
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Cook the Chicken in an Air Fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Cook 2-3 skewers at a time for 5 minutes. Flip the skewers, baste with the sauce, and cook for an additional 2 minutes at 400°F.
- Flip again, baste with more sauce, and cook for another 5-6 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Total cook time is approximately 12-14 minutes (varies by air fryer).
- Once cooked, baste with the reserved clean sauce, sprinkle with extra parmesan, and serve.
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Oven Preparation (Optional):
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Place chicken skewers on the baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes, flipping halfway through and basting with the butter sauce.
- Switch the oven to broil and cook for an additional 2 minutes to brown the tops.
- Remove from the oven, baste one last time with the butter sauce, and sprinkle with leftover parmesan.
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Grill Preparation (Optional):
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the skewers over direct heat and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, basting with butter throughout the cooking process.
- Remove from the grill, baste one last time with the butter sauce, and sprinkle with leftover parmesan.
Notes
- For best results, ensure the chicken pieces are tightly packed on the skewers to seal in moisture.
- Adjust the level of hot sauce and red pepper flakes to your spice preference.
- Leftover garlic parmesan butter can be served as a sauce or spread over rice and veggies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 90mg