Crispy, juicy, and bursting with Italian flavor—Chicken Spiedini is a must-try dish! These marinated, skewered chicken bites are coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs, pan-fried to golden brown, and finished with a rich lemon butter sauce.
These Italian Chicken Skewers are a really delicious main course or even a fun Italian appetizer. Try these delicious Italian Specialties like Zucchini Scarpaccia, Parmesan Stuffed Artichokes, and Lemon Pesto Pasta along side your Chicken Spiedini.
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Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs- Thighs have a nice amount of fat and are naturally tender.
- Dry White Wine - Use a Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Dry Chardonnay for fresh, crisp flavor in the marinade.
- Juice of One Lemon- Fresh lemon juice makes the marinade and lemon butter sauce light and zesty.
- Lemon Zest- Use lemon zest whenever lemon juice is called for to add depth of flavor.
- Fresh Garlic - Garlic is an essential Italian flavor and adds a light spice.
- Panko Bread Crumbs- Panko is lighter than plain bread crumbs and will make your skewers crispy perfection.
- Parmesan Cheese- A touch of nutty, salty parmesan rounds out the breading.
- Butter- Rich melted butter is the perfect base for the zesty lemon butter sauce.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Chicken Spiedini
Step 1: Marinate
In a large bowl, mix together white wine, extra virgin olive oil, juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, and oregano to make the chicken marinade.
First, cut chicken thighs into one and a half inch pieces.
Then, mix pieces of chicken into the marinade and let them sit for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Breading
While the chicken is marinating make the breadcrumb mixture.
In a shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, and black pepper to make the breading.
Next, roll about a quarter of the marinated chicken pieces in the seasoned breadcrumbs until they are fully coated.
Step 3: Frying
Then, thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Put 5-6 pieces of chicken on each skewer touching but not packed tightly.
Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Drizzle enough canola oil in the pan to coat the entire pan.
Place the chicken skewers in the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes per side.
Step 4: Sauce
To Make the lemon butter sauce, place salted butter, the juice of half of a lemon, lemon zest, grated garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan or microwave safe bowl.
Heat the sauce until the butter is melted and the spices have warmed through.
Drizzle over the crispy chicken spiedini before serving.
Diana's Tips for Success
Top Tip
I usually cook on one side and then do a quarter turn to brown it all the way around. This will make sure that all of the bread crumbs are toasted and that each skewer is fully cooked.
Use a meat thermometer to judge doneness accurately. Chicken thighs can be a little harder to judge doneness visually because they have a softer texture and the dark meat doesn't change color as clearly as white meat.
Equipment
I recommend 12" wooden skewers because they are easy to find and fit in a 12" skillet. Metal skewers work and are reusable also.
I recommend an stainless steel frying pan or a large cast iron pan. Both of these are non-stick when heated correctly and will brown the skewers effectively.
FAQ
Spiedini is the Italian word for skewers. The simple translation would mean food cooked on skewers. Traditionally, dishes served spiedini are meat that has been breaded and threaded onto skewers before cooking.
Storage
Chicken Spiedini can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Related Recipes
- Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs
- Greek Pork Souvlaki
- Grilled Lamb Lollipops
- 23 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Italian Chicken Skewers (Spiedini)
Equipment
- 6 12" skewers wood or metal
- 1 12" Skillet stainless, aluminum, or cast iron
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Small Microwave Safe Bowl
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Chicken Spiedini Marinade
- ¼ Cup Dry White Wine
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Lemon Juice juice of half a lemon
- ½ Teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ Teaspoon Coarse Salt kosher or coarse sea salt
- ½ Teaspoon Dry Oregano
- Pinch Black Pepper
Panko Breadcrumb Mixture
- 2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 Teaspoon Coarse Salt kosher or coarse sea salt
- 1 Teaspoon Dry Oregano
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Lemon Butter Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Butter salted
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Lemon Juice juice of half a lemon
- 2 Cloves Garlic grated or minced
- ½ Teaspoon Lemon Zest
- ½ Teaspoon Oregano
- ¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes optional
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
Chicken Spiedini
- In a large bowl, mix together white wine, extra virgin olive oil, juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, and oregano to make the chicken marinade.
- First, cut chicken thighs into one and a half inch pieces. This is roughly 6 chicken cubes per thigh.
- Then, mix pieces of chicken into the marinade and let them sit for 10 minutes.
- While the chicken is marinating make the breadcrumb mixture.
- In a shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, and black pepper to make the breading.
- Next, roll about a quarter of the marinated chicken pieces in the seasoned breadcrumbs until they are fully coated.
- Then, thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Put 5-6 pieces of chicken on each skewer touching but not packed tightly. Continue until all of the remaining chicken is breaded and skewered.
- Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Drizzle enough canola oil in the pan to coat the entire pan.
- Place the chicken skewers in the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes. Turn and cook until each spiedini is golden brown on all sides and the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
Lemon Butter Sauce
- To Make the lemon butter sauce, place 3 tablespoons of salted butter, the juice of half of a lemon, lemon zest, grated garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan or microwave safe bowl. Heat the sauce until the butter is melted and the spices have warmed through.
- Drizzle the sauce over the crispy chicken spiedini before serving.
- Serve with additional lemon wedges for an extra burst of fresh flavor.
Notes
Nutrition
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