Honey-Butter Chicken Skewers

Name: Honey-Butter Chicken Skewers
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: .5 cup unsalted butter; 2 large garlic cloves, grated; .33 cup honey; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon rice vinegar; .25 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided; 3.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size (about 1-inch) pieces; 2 medium-size (1-lb., 2-oz.) red onions, cut into wedges

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These skewers are rich, salty, and sweet all at once.

By Ann Taylor Pittman

Published on August 16, 2021

Honey-Butter Chicken Skewers — Photo: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

Servings:

6

"Korean barbecue, whether enjoyed at a restaurant or at home, consists of meat and sometimes vegetables cooked quickly on a tabletop grill," writes recipe developer Ann Taylor Pittman, who fondly recalls childhood trips to Korean barbecue joints. "Popular offerings include bulgogi (thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic), galbi (flanken-cut beef short ribs in a similar marinade), and samgyeopsal (sliced pork belly)—all served with kimchi, rice, red leaf lettuce, sauces, and lots of little relishes and side dishes called banchan."

For our September 2021 issue, Pittman fused the bold flavors of Korean barbecue with the South's prized barbecue culture to create a mash-up of the ages. In Korea, honey-butter potato chips are a popular snack that's pretty irresistible. This recipe for Honey-Butter Chicken Skewers captures that flavor in meaty, charred-from-the-grill form. It's rich, salty, and sweet all at once. Speared with red onion and brushed with a sticky-sweet glaze, these skewers are a true BBQ treat.

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter
2 large garlic cloves, grated
⅓ cup honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
3 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size (about 1-inch) pieces
2 medium-size (1-lb., 2-oz.) red onions, cut into wedges

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F). Melt butter in a medium saucepan on stovetop over medium. Add garlic, and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Stir in honey, salt, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low, and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Toss together chicken pieces and remaining ¼ cup soy sauce in a large bowl. Thread chicken and onion pieces alternately onto 12 (10- to 12-inch) skewers. Place prepared skewers on oiled grill grates. Grill, uncovered, turning and basting often with butter mixture, until lightly charred and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.