Oven-baked Bang Bang Chicken Skewers

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons runny honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about half a lime)
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 lb (900g-1kg) skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cubed
• 1 cup (240ml) full cream mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup (160ml) Thai sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (or more if you want it spicier)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about half a lime)
• 2 tablespoons runny honey
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Prepare the chicken ---

2. 2

   If you're using wooden skewers, let them soak in water for about 30 minutes. This helps prevent them from catching fire or burning in the oven.

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, runny honey, lime juice, garlic paste, ginger paste, smoked paprika, salt and pepper until well combined.

4. 4

   Add the chicken chunks to the bowl and stir them through the marinade until every piece is well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2–3 hours for deeper flavour.

5. 5

   --- Make the Bang Bang sauce ---

6. 6

   In a small bowl, whisk together all the bang bang sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy. Spoon out about one-third of the sauce and set it aside for brushing the chicken. Cover the rest and pop it in the fridge for dipping the skewers in later.

7. 7

   --- Prepare the skewers ---

8. 8

   Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a wire rack inside a baking dish, or use one of your oven’s built-in racks set over a tray to catch any drips (we actually just use a wire cookie cooling rack inside a cookie sheet, make sure yours is oven safe)

9. 9

   Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge and thread it onto your soaked skewers. Don’t worry if the pieces aren’t perfectly uniform. If some are long, just fold them in half before skewering. Smaller bits work well as fillers between larger pieces.

10. 10

    Arrange the skewers on the rack in a single layer, leaving a little space between each one for even cooking. Brush the tops generously with half of the reserved sauce from the 1/3 you set aside (we’ll use the rest for the other side later).

11. 11

    Bake the skewers in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then, flip them over and brush the other side with the remaining sauce. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, golden and starting to char in places. The internal temperature should read 165°F (74°C).For extra char, you can finish them under the broiler for a couple of minutes or lightly torch them with a kitchen torch.

12. 12

    Serve the skewers hot with the bang bang sauce you set aside for dipping, plus a few lime wedges and a sprinkle of fresh coriander or thinly sliced green onion.