Name: Hot Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 full chicken breast; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1 tsp lemon zest; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tbsp chili powder (optional); 1/4 tsp cumin powder; 1 tsp garlic powder (or freshly minced garlic); salt to taste; 4 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp honey; fresh coriander leaves; lemon zest; a squeeze of fresh lemon juice

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The simplicity of these lemon pepper chicken skewers will truly surprise you. It takes just a handful of ingredients with a heavy focus on the zesty lemon to get a dish that tastes like a summer barbecue in the back garden. Whether you make this recipe in an air fryer, over or over a stovetop grill or even an actual barbecue, you won’t be missing out on these delightful summer flavors.

I baked these lemon pepper chicken skewers in the oven and then gave them a quick grill on the toaster to ger those gorgeous grill marks. Besides, you can totally make these in a saucepan as well if you’re not too picky about the grilled lines (hehe!).

What You Need For These Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers?

As the recipe’s name suggests, the lemon plays a huge part in this recipe. You can also switch up the spicy levels and make it a hot recipe too by just adding some red pepper, too. If you’re not a fan of the spiciness, you can totally skip out on the red pepper and stick to the original recipe.

Lemon: Nothing beats fresh lemon juice for this recipe to really bring a pop of flavor. Don’t forget the lemon zest either.
Pepper: Fresh, coarsely crushed black pepper.
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is ideal but garlic powder works well, too.
Cumin: Just a pinch of cumin helps bring out the rest of the ingredients’ flavors.
Salt: A dash of salt brings it all together.
Red Pepper (optional): If you want to add a spicy kick to your recipe, add a dash of red pepper.
Compound butter: We will be making our own compound butter for this recipe.

What You Need For The Lemon Compound Butter?

This is a simple lemon butter rub to glaze your skewers after they’re done cooking.

Butter
Lemon juice
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper
Honey
Salt

You can use both chicken breasts or thighs – as always thighs will be juicier.

Of course, I wanted to elevate this dish and since we’re opting for flavors of summer, what better way to complement these lemon pepper chicken skewers than with a bed of creamy mashed potatoes? The spices and tanginess of the skewers pair perfectly with the creamy potatoes. You can also pair the skewers with a dill yogurt sauce.

PAIR THIS RECIPE WITH A TANGY POTATO SCALLION SALAD!

Cooking Times For These Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers

Air Fryer: If you’re using an air fryer, cook these skewers for 12 minutes at 200°C, flipping halfway through.
Oven: If you’re using an oven (like I did), cook these skewers for 12-15 minutes at 200°C, flipping halfway through.
Toaster or Grill Pan: Cook for 12-15 minutes on medium-to-high heat, flipping halfway through.

HOT TIP: If you’re using an oven, soak your wooden skewers for 10-15 minutes in water before adding your chicken. This helps prevent your skewers from burning as your chicken cooks.