Chinese Chicken on a Stick (Marinated Chicken Skewers)

Name: Chinese Chicken on a Stick (Marinated Chicken Skewers)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 10 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless. 5 chicken breasts can be used instead to cut calories.); 1 tsp salt and pepper (to taste. use small amounts as the soy sauce can be salty!); 1 tsp sesame seeds (for garnish, but they add a great aroma if pan seared.); scallions/green onion (for garnish); 2½ tbsp sesame oil; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp chili sauce; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tbsp A1 steak sauce; 5 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed); 2 tbsp ginger (peeled and thinly sliced)

Talk about a quick and easy Chinese chicken recipe .. jeez. This one tops the chart! Let’s be honest, driving a skewer through any type of food instantly makes it more fun and appealing. I’m not sure why. Maybe I should be concerned?

Anyway! This budget friendly Chinese chicken on a stick, or as some call it, Chinese chicken skewers, is an easy and healthy dinner recipe that can be made a variety of ways. I love how the brunt of the work can be made ahead of time (after the kids go to sleep) so that all you need to do is thread it on a stick and pop it on the grill or stovetop when you’re hungry!

In this recipe, we will be using the stovetop. I would have preferred to use the grill so we get more of a smoky flavor, but it’s a cold and cloudy day here in New England. I’m in the mood for a cozy sweater, some upbeat music, and a kitchen filled with the smell of freshly cooked Chinese chicken on a stick!

What is Chinese chicken on a stick?

It’s just that. Juicy cooked chicken threaded onto a bamboo skewer. But to get more technical, what makes this Chinese chicken on a stick recipe different than regular chicken on a stick is the marinade. You need to let it marinate overnight so that it can really absorb all of those fresh spices and oils that will take your tastebuds on a wild ride to flavor town.

The tangy oriental flavor paired with a hint of smoke from the crust formed when seared in the sauce is absolutely delicious and tastes a bit like teriyaki chicken. The marinade softens the chicken so it is extra tender and infuses it with flavor all the way through the meat – not just the outside.

Not to mention, but is there anyone else out there that has noticed that kids love tangy flavors? Ketchup, barbecue sauce, orange juice.. you name it. This was a major driver for why I needed to figure out how to perfect this delicious recipe. As a mom, I need to make child friendly foods and this is PERFECT. Fun, easy, tasty.. what more could you ask for?!

How to make the Chinese chicken marinade

Chop chicken up into bite sized pieces around 1 inch in size. If you need it cooked the same day, you can marinate it for an hour. The marinade is an easy recipe that can made by blending sesame oil, soy sauce, A1 sauce, chili sauce, minced garlic, chopped ginger, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar.

Should chicken breast or chicken thighs for Chinese chicken be used?

It is popular in Chinese chicken dishes to go for dark meat (chicken thighs). It contains fat and, say it with me, FAT EQUALS FLAVOR. Dark meat is also so much easier to cook as it doesn’t dry out the way white meat (chicken breast) does if you overcook it even a tiny bit.

Another thing to note; the small amount of fat in chicken breast means the marinade won’t make it very far. I saw a research video on this which proved marinades only penetrate slightly past the outer layer of the chicken on chicken breast but went almost completely through to the core of chicken thighs.

However, if you’re trying to cut calories, I get it. Go with the chicken breast. It’s still going to taste so tender and juicy that your mind will still be blown. It’s just that the flavor goes a little further and the texture is a little more appealing when using dark meat.

What to serve with Chinese Chicken on a Stick

Everyone is going to tell you the same thing since it’s a Chinese dish so let’s be honest. Rice. Need I say more? To make it healthy, I’d go with grilled veggies since rice offers little nutritional value. I, however, am in the mood to be unhealthy today so I will be serving my meal with fried rice! I’ll throw some veggies in there to make myself feel better about it though.

How to store Chinese chicken on a stick leftovers

Chinese chicken on a stick can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days or frozen for 6 months. To reheat, I would recommend cooking in the microwave at 30 second intervals for 1 ½ minutes. You can also do the oven at 350F for 15 minutes.

Ingredients

Meat:

10 boneless skinless chicken thighs – 1 thigh can make 2 skewers (maybe 3 if it’s on the larger side). The average person will eat about 3 skewers (more if you have a hungry husband) so keep that in mind! These should be cut into long strips.

Salt and pepper to taste – the soy sauce in the marinade provides some saltiness so don’t go overboard!

Sesame seeds – for garnish. Not necessary.

Scallions or green onion – also for garnish.

Marinade:

2 ½ tbsp sesame oil – sesame oil does a great job of bringing in those flavorful seasonings to the inside of meat while giving it that “local Chinese takeout” scent.

3 tbsp soy sauce – to replace the salt and give that popular umami flavor.

2 tbsp chili sauce – this is NOT supposed to be spicy! It is only supposed to taste like an extra tangy ketchup, but feel free to use regular ketchup instead or oyster sauce if you prefer a more mild, deep flavor.

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar – this can be replaced with rice vinegar or dry sherry if you prefer a less tangy taste, but we prefer the taste to be more robust. Pineapple juice works excellent too if you want something sweeter.

1 tbsp brown sugar – the darker the better as it helps with the stickiness.

1 tbsp A1 steak sauce – I know. There are many out there who are anti-A1 sauce, but it really kicks the flavor up a notch!

5 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed (or minced). It does not need to be super fine. 2 tsp if using powder.

2 tbsp ginger – cut finely. If you need to use ginger powder, 1 ½ tsp will do.

Cooking Equipment

Large pan, cast iron griddle, or BBQ – large enough to fit skewered chicken.

Bamboo skewers or wooden skewers – your choice!

Large bowl – large enough to accommodate chicken and marinade

Metal tongs – to flip chicken

How to make Chinese chicken on a stick

Making Chinese chicken on a stick is easy, but it starts the night before. Make the marinade by adding 5 cloves of peeled and crushed garlic, 2 tbsp of finely cut ginger, 1 tbsp A1 steak sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp chili sauce, 3 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 ½ tbsp sesame oil.

Chop 10 chicken thighs into thin strips that can be easily skewered, or into bite sized pieces. Submerge into marinade. Allow to marinate overnight, or at least 1 hour. Always remember to allow the chicken chunks to get to room temperature before cooking!

Allow the bamboo skewers to soak in cold water for a few minutes before cooking. We want the skewers to be “pre-moisturized” first so that they don’t pull those flavorful oils from the meat. Pat dry when ready to cook. There shouldn’t be much of the marinade left as the chicken should soak most of it up.

Heat a pan or skillet wide enough to accommodate the chicken on a skewer until hot on medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes each side until fully cooked. It really depends on how thick you cut your chicken. Repeat in batches. If you are using a barbecue, I would grill the chicken for 10-15 minutes.

Allow to rest and drain on a plate with a paper towel for a few minutes before serving. Top with sesame seeds, freshly cut scallions or green onion, and even some black pepper. This is best served with rice, but seared veggies are a great, healthy alternative! Enjoy!