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Sticky Bourbon Chicken Skewers

Sticky bourbon chicken skewers with a lacquered, deeply caramelized bourbon glaze. Marinade-rich chicken kabobs are grilled and basted until the sweet-savory mahogany glaze turns sticky and syrupy.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 34 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs cut into 1.5-inch pieces
bourbon
  • 0.25 cup bourbon
soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
ketchup
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
garlic
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
ginger
  • 1 tsp ginger grated
smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
sesame seeds and sliced green onions for serving
  • 1 sesame seeds for serving
  • 1 green onions sliced, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 small saucepan
  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the bourbon marinade
  1. In a bowl, combine bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, smoked paprika, and black pepper, then reserve 1/3 of the mixture for glazing. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the marinade looks evenly colored.
Marinate and prep skewers
  1. Marinate the chicken pieces in the remaining sauce for at least 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate until the chicken looks lightly coated and glossy.
  2. Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes. Drain well so they don’t burn on the grill.
  3. Thread the marinated chicken onto the skewers. Leave a little space between pieces so they cook evenly and char at the edges.
Reduce glaze and grill
  1. Simmer the reserved marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes until reduced and syrupy. Look for a thick, syrup-like consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
  2. Grill the skewers over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes per side, turning once. Baste generously with the reduced glaze in the last 4 minutes so it caramelizes.
  3. Continue grilling until the glaze looks lacquered and deeply caramelized with sticky mahogany sheen. The chicken should be cooked through and the surface should cling to the glaze.
Serve
  1. Transfer the skewers to a serving platter. Garnish immediately with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

Pro tip: keep basting toward the end—after you flip, use the reduced glaze in the last 4 minutes so it caramelizes instead of scorching. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days (reheat in a skillet over medium until warmed and lightly sticky); freeze glazed chicken only for up to 2 months for best texture. For a lower-sugar option, swap brown sugar with an equal amount of a brown-sugar substitute or use half the amount of brown sugar and add 1 tsp extra ketchup for body.