Air Fryer Chicken Skewers

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Drenched in a lemon butter sauce, these Air Fryer Chicken Skewers are the ultimate savory comfort food! So easy to make in your air fryer, the chicken will turn out tender and juicy every time.

Why you will love this air fryer chicken skewers recipe

Perfectly seasoned chicken comes together with a rich and buttery sauce with this super simple chicken kebabs recipe.

They’re easy to prepare and they’re ready in about 20 minutes of cooking time. You’ll love serving this juicy chicken as an appetizer, a hearty side, or even a fun main course with your favorite veggie side for a complete meal the whole family will love!

Ingredients you will need

For the chicken:

Boneless chicken thighs: You can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer, but I like the juicier and more flavorful quality of chicken thighs.

Seasonings: Aside from basic salt and black pepper, I add minced garlic, fresh lemon zest, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.

Fresh parsley: This is optional, but some fresh chopped parsley elevates the presentation of your chicken skewers.

For the lemon butter sauce:

Unsalted butter: Forms the base of this rich and luscious sauce. I always use unsalted so I can adjust the salt to my liking.

Seasonings: You’ll use the same seasonings as you did for the chicken to tie all the flavors together: salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder, and paprika.

Granulated sugar: Helps balance out all the savory spices with some sweetness.

Lemon: Fresh lemon juice adds a pop of refreshing and tangy citrus flavor to your air fryer chicken kebabs.

How to make chicken skewers

1. Season the chicken. Add cubed chicken thighs to a large mixing bowl and toss with olive oil. Season with minced garlic cloves, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Toss until well coated.
2. Skewer and air fry the chicken. Place the seasoned chicken on the wooden skewers and place the skewers in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes at 400 degrees F, then flip and cook for another 10 minutes.
3. Prepare the sauce. While the chicken cooks, combine softened butter in a small bowl with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sugar, and lemon juice.
4. Garnish and serve. Once the skewers have finished cooking, remove them from the air fryer and brush with the lemon and garlic sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy.

I love serving mine with a side of mini roasted potatoes! You can save some of the lemon butter sauce for the potatoes too.

Tips for making the best air fryer chicken skewers

• Allow for some space between each piece of chicken. This will ensure more even cooking.
• Use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• Separate the pieces of chicken on the skewers with chunks of bell peppers, sweet onion or red onions, zucchini rounds, or cubed potatoes.
• For additional flavor, use smoked paprika instead of regular, add some cumin, or give your chicken skewers some heat with red pepper flakes, chili powder, or cayenne pepper.
• Serve right on the skewers, or remove the cooked chicken pieces and serve over top of your favorite rice (cauliflower rice is a good option for a lighter meal). You can also serve them on pita bread with tzatziki!
• For a lighter option, you can swap the butter for olive oil.

Will this recipe work with another protein?

You can use this recipe to air fryer beef or pork on skewers! The same blend of seasonings works well with all these types of proteins. Cooking times may vary for beef skewers or pork skewers.

Can you put skewers in an air fryer?

Wooden skewers can go right in the air fryer with no problems. I don’t recommend metal skewers, as they conduct heat a lot better and can burn you when handling after air frying.

Make sure you soak the wooden skewers in a bowl of water before putting the chicken on them.

Do you have to soak skewers before air frying?

I do recommend soaking the skewers before adding them to the air fryer. This will prevent them from burning.

Can you put foil in an air fryer?

Yes, a layer of aluminum foil underneath your air fryer basket is a great way to make cleanup easier! You don’t want to put the foil in the air fryer basket though, because that will prevent the air from circulating around the food and cooking it evenly.

What to serve with chicken skewers

Turn these easy air fried chicken skewers into a full meal and pair them with tasty air fryer cheese bites or a batch of air fryer polenta fries. For an even healthier option, serve alongside brussels sprouts with bacon or carrot bacon!

How to store

If you have a large enough airtight container, you can place the skewers right in and keep them in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for several months.

You can also pull the chicken off the skewers if you need to conserve space, or store them in a gallon sized ziploc bag.

How to reheat chicken kabobs

Place the kebabs back into the air fryer at 350 degrees F until the chicken is heated through again.

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