Chicken and vegetable skewers

Ingredients

• 400 gchicken breast
• 1red pepper
• 1green pepper
• 1onion
• to tastebarbecue sauce
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the vegetables

   Cut the peppers and onion into fairly large pieces, roughly the width of two fingers.

2. 2

   Coat the chicken

   Cut the chicken into cubes about the same width as the vegetable pieces. Put it in a dish, add barbecue sauce and mix until the chicken is coated. You can use homemade or shop-bought sauce, or another sauce or dressing of your choice.

3. 3

   Thread the skewers

   Thread the ingredients onto barbecue skewers, alternating pieces of chicken and vegetables.

4. 4

   Grill the skewers

   Preheat an electric grill or a griddle on the hob to its highest setting and add the skewers. Turn them as they cook so each side gets cooked. The original method uses an electric grill at 180°C and turns the skewers once, after about 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Serve the skewers

   Serve the skewers on their own or with a side, such as oven-baked potatoes.

What are chicken and vegetable skewers?

Skewers are a simple way to cook small pieces of meat and vegetables together over a grill or griddle. The method is used in many cuisines, so this version is best understood as a practical barbecue-style recipe rather than one tied to a single tradition.

Here, the chicken is coated in barbecue sauce before it is threaded with peppers and onion. Keeping the pieces a similar size helps them sit neatly on the skewers.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 110 calories, 13g protein, 8g carbs, 2g fat.

Chicken provides most of the protein, while the peppers and onion contribute some carbohydrate. The chicken and barbecue sauce account for much of the fat and energy, though the sauce quantity and added salt are not specified, so the estimate is approximate. Pair a skewer portion with salad or extra vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Choosing the ingredients

Chicken breast: cut it into cubes roughly the same width as the vegetables. This makes it easier to alternate the pieces and helps them cook at a similar pace.

Peppers and onion: use firm vegetables and cut them into substantial chunks, as the method specifies. Pieces that are too small can be awkward to thread and may soften quickly on the grill.

Barbecue sauce: add enough to coat the chicken rather than leaving it swimming in sauce. A homemade or shop-bought sauce both work, and the recipe allows for another sauce or dressing if preferred.

Threading the skewers

Alternate chicken and vegetables along each skewer, leaving a little space between pieces. Crowding them tightly can make it harder for the heat to reach the sides evenly.

If using wooden skewers, soak them before grilling to help prevent scorching. This is a general grilling precaution; the recipe itself does not specify a skewer type.

Getting an even cook

Heat the electric grill or hob-top griddle to its highest setting before adding the skewers. The source describes an electric grill at 180°C and turning the skewers once after about 5 minutes.

The total cooking time is not given, so use the recipe's turning point as a guide rather than a finish time. Check that the chicken is cooked through before serving.

Texture and doneness

The chicken should be cooked through, while the vegetables should be tender with some firmness left. If the pieces are cut to noticeably different sizes, the smaller ones may cook faster.

Barbecue sauce can darken on a hot grill, so keep an eye on the skewers as they cook. Turn them as needed to cook each side without letting the coating catch.

What to serve alongside

The skewers can be served on their own or with a side; the recipe suggests oven-baked potatoes. A simple salad or extra grilled vegetables would also sit comfortably alongside them.

If serving them as part of a larger meal, add the side just before the skewers are ready so everything reaches the table warm.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken and vegetables to roughly similar widths for easier threading.
• Coat the chicken evenly so the barbecue sauce reaches all the pieces.
• Leave a little space between ingredients on each skewer.
• Preheat the grill or griddle before adding the skewers.
• Turn the skewers as they cook and check the chicken is cooked through before serving.

Variations

• Use another sauce: swap the barbecue sauce for a dressing or sauce you enjoy.
• Add courgette: cut it into chunks similar in width to the other vegetables.
• Try yellow pepper: use it in place of either pepper for a different colour.
• Add mushrooms: thread firm, similar-sized mushrooms between the chicken pieces.
• Serve with potatoes: pair the skewers with oven-baked potatoes as suggested in the recipe.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Cutting uneven pieces: very different sizes can cook at different rates, so aim for similar widths.
• Overloading the skewers: tightly packed ingredients are harder to cook evenly, so leave small gaps.
• Adding the skewers to a cold grill: preheat the grill or griddle first.
• Forgetting to turn them: rotate the skewers during cooking so each side gets heat.
• Relying on the suggested five minutes as a total: it is the approximate turning point, so check the chicken is cooked through before serving.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover skewers in a covered container and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout, either on a griddle or in the oven; avoid repeated reheating.

Frequently asked questions