Chicken Spiedini is the kind of chicken you think about days later, crispy, flavorful, and super simple to make.
Chicken Spiedini
Iโm so obsessed with this recipeโI canโt wait for you to try it! If youโve never had Chicken Spiedini, itโs an Italian-inspired dish made with marinated chicken thatโs breaded, skewered, and baked. I cook it at a high temp so itโs ready in just 12 minutesโjust like my easy baked chicken bites!
Each skewer bakes up golden, crispy, and full of flavor. Theyโre quick, easy, and totally irresistible.
Honestly, this is one of my all-time favorite chicken dishes. Donโt skip the easy lemon garlic butter sauceโit takes them over the top!
Ingredients
Hereโs what youโll need to make Chicken Spiedini:
- Chicken Thighs: Dark meat stays juicy and adds more flavor. Breasts will dry out.
- Olive Oil: The better the oil, the better the flavor. Use extra-virgin.
- Chicken Broth: I love Swansonโs for flavorโnot sponsored.
- Lemons: Weโre using fresh lemons for both zest and juice.
- Garlic: Big flavor in the Chicken Spiedini marinade and the lemon butter sauce.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Adds a little kick without too much heat. You can skip it.
- Italian Seasoning: Lots of flavor from just one ingredient.
- Salt & Pepper: Season in layersโtaste and adjust as you go.
- Italian-Style Panko & Parmesan: Makes the chicken crispy and flavorful. Use the kind of Parmesan in the fridge section, not shelf-stable.
- Butter & Parsley: This easy sauce gets drizzled on top and takes the chicken to the next level.
What To Serve With Chicken Spiedini
- Lemon rice: Bright and simple to pair with the lemon garlic flavors.
- Roasted potatoes: So delicious with the garlic butter sauce.
- Caesar Salad: This is my favorite side to the crispy chicken!
- Herb Rice: Light, fluffy rice with herby flavorโpairs perfectly.
- Mashed Potatoes: If you want comfort food, this combo is hard to beat.
Chicken Spiedini Tips
- Soak wooden skewers: If using wood, soak them in water for 30 minutes so they donโt burn.
- Pat chicken dry: Helps the marinade stick and gives a better crust.
- Donโt skip the spray: A good coat of cooking spray helps the breadcrumbs crisp up and keeps the skewers from sticking to the foil.
- Use a meat thermometer: Chicken Spiedini is done at 160โ165ยฐF.
Storage
Chicken Spiedini is best fresh from the oven while the coating is crispy. If you have leftovers keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in the oven or air fryer to regain some crisp.
More Easy Chicken Dishes:
Chicken Spiedini
Chicken Spiedini takes marinated chicken, coats it in crumbs, and bakes it to crispy, juicy perfection.
Video
Equipment
- Metal skewers or wood skewers (soaked in water and dried)
- Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces, see note 1
Marinade
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 large lemons divided
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic divided
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
Breading
- 1-1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese see note 2
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Garlic-Butter Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructionsย
- Adjust oven rack to center of oven. Preheat broiler to high. Line a large sheet pan with foil and generously spray with cooking spray. Trim fat and cut chicken into 1-ยฝ-inch pieces. Pat dry.
- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, chicken broth, 1 tsp lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Add salt and pepper (I use ยพ tsp salt and ยฝ tsp pepper). Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour (no longer).
- In a second large bowl, stir together Panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, ยฝ teaspoon salt, and ยฝ teaspoon pepper.
- Use tongs to remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Add to breadcrumb mixture and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Thread chicken onto skewers and place spaced apart on the prepared pan. Press any leftover crumbs onto the chicken. Spray generously with cooking spray. In the fully heated oven, broil for 10โ12 minutes (watch closely), or until chicken reaches 160ยฐF and the coating is golden and crisp.
- While chicken cooks, melt butter with remaining 1 tsp garlic in a microwave-safe dish. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice and parsley.
- Drizzle or brush garlic butter over chicken. Serve right away with extra lemon wedges.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Chicken breasts wonโt work the same here. Start with close to 3 pounds of thighsโafter trimming all the fat, youโll have around 2 pounds.
Note 2: Use real Parmesan from the fridge section, not shelf-stable. It should be finely grated, like sandโnot shredded.
Storage: Best eaten freshโchicken is crispy right out of the oven. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days, but the coating softens. Reheat in the oven or air fryer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 0.7g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe looks amazing! I want to make for dinner tonight but wonโt have time to marinate and cook when I get home. Can I make this afternoon and reheat? If so, how do you recommend reheating. Thanks so much!
Iโm so sorry Molly I think it would end up pretty soggy!
My broiler is at the bottom of my oven, could I bake and then broil briefly at the end?
Since your broiler is on the bottom, hereโs how Iโd do it so you still get that crispy finish:
Bake first: Cook the chicken at 425ยฐF for about 15โ20 minutes, or until itโs almost cooked through (around 155โ160ยฐF).
Then broil: Move the pan closer to the bottom broiler and broil for 2โ4 minutes, watching closely, until the coating gets nice and golden.
Just keep an eye on it during that last step since bottom broilers can brown pretty fast. Youโll still get that crisp, golden exterior without worrying about uneven cooking
Your first instruction says to preheat oven on broilerโฆthen you say to leave chicken in fridge to marinate for no more than 30 mins so is my oven supposed to be still on while chicken is marinating in fridge?
If your oven can get to a high broil and be super hot quickly, you can do it after marinating the chicken. My oven takes a good 20-25 minutes to heat to a high broil!
I know you said not to marinate for no more than 30 mins. May I ask why?
The acid (lemon) starts to change the texture of the chicken
Loved this! But mine turned out crispy on top and a bit mushy on the bottom. What did I do wrong? Should I have turned them over halfway through?
No need to turn; did you shake off excess marinade before breading?
I did but itโs possible I didnโt shake off enough. Will try again, thanks
It tasted so good and sweet
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Kayla!
Can this chicken be airfryed?
I havenโt tested this in the air fryer, but hereโs my best guess: Preheat the air fryer to 390ยฐF. Cook the chicken for 10โ12 minutes, or until it reaches 160ยฐF on a meat thermometer. If youโre using wooden skewers, soak them well first to prevent them from catching fire in the air fryer.
Can I make ahead to freeze?
Hey Stef! I wouldnโt recommend making these ahead of time! The breading will get soggy.
Could I leave out the parmesan cheese? Dairy free house
This looks amazing! After a recent skewer disaster, could I broil these as bites on a sheet pan (without the skewers)?
I havenโt personally tried it, but I donโt see why it wouldnโt work! Timing might be slightly different since the chicken pieces wouldnโt be as bunched together!