Cajun Chicken Skewers with Garlic Butter Peppers
Cajun chicken skewers are seasoned with paprika, herbs and cayenne, then grilled with peppers and finished in garlic butter. The chicken stays juicy, the vegetables soften sweetly and the whole recipe delivers rich, savoury BBQ flavour that works beautifully with slaw, corn or potatoes.
Ingredients
- 800 g boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 3 to 4cm pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper adjust to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 red pepper cut into chunks
- 1 yellow pepper cut into chunks
- 1 green pepper cut into chunks
- 1 red onion cut into chunks
- 8 to 10 metal skewers or bamboo skewers soaked in water
- For the garlic butter
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Season the chicken
- In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper and sea salt.
- Add the chicken and toss thoroughly so every piece is coated in the spice mixture. Leave it to sit for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature while you prep the vegetables and light the BBQ, or chill for up to 4 hours if you want to get ahead.
Make the garlic butter
- Melt the butter gently in a small pan or heatproof bowl. Stir in the grated garlic, chopped parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
- Set it aside. You want it fluid enough to brush on later, but not so hot that it starts cooking the garlic aggressively.
Thread the skewers
- Thread the chicken onto the skewers, alternating with the red pepper, yellow pepper, green pepper and red onion. Keep a little space between the pieces so the heat can circulate and the edges can colour properly.
- Set the skewers on a tray while the BBQ finishes heating. If the chicken has been chilled, let it sit out for about 15 minutes first.
Prepare the BBQ
- Preheat the BBQ for medium-high heat, around 200 to 230C at grill level. Clean and oil the grates lightly. Set up one direct heat zone and one cooler finishing zone.
- If you’re cooking with charcoal, wait until the coals are mostly grey and steady. Cajun chicken skewers like heat, but not the sort that behaves like it’s had too much coffee.
Grill the Cajun chicken skewers
- Place the skewers over direct heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning as the chicken starts to colour and the peppers begin to soften. Once you have a few nice charred spots, move the skewers to the cooler side if needed.
- Cook for another 6 to 8 minutes with the lid down, turning once or twice, until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches 74C internally.
Brush with garlic butter and finish
- In the final 1 to 2 minutes of cooking, brush the skewers generously with the garlic butter. Turn and brush again so the butter coats both sides and the garlic turns fragrant.
- Rest the skewers for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. Spoon over any remaining melted butter from the tray if you like, which I usually do because it smells too good to waste.
Notes
Chicken thighs are my usual choice here because Cajun seasoning really benefits from meat that stays juicy over direct heat. The spice blend gives the outside loads of character, and thighs can take that without drying out or turning stringy. Chicken breast does work, but you’ve got less room for error and the final result isn’t quite as generous.
Cajun seasoning blends vary quite a bit, which is why I usually mix my own for skewers. It lets me control the salt and the cayenne. The peppers are not just there to bulk things out. They sweeten on the grill and soften the sharper edges of the spice mix. Fresh garlic in the butter matters too. Garlic powder has its place in the seasoning, but the finishing butter wants the real thing.
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 34gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 760mgPotassium: 770mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1890IUCalcium: 50mgIron: 2.7mg
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