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Bourbon Maple BBQ Chicken Skewers

Bourbon maple BBQ chicken skewers with a glossy, caramelized glaze are sweet-savory, fast to grill, and ideal party food. Cube chicken, marinate, then baste as it cooks until sticky and browned.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bourbon maple BBQ chicken skewers
  • 2 lb chicken breasts cubed
  • 0.5 cup BBQ sauce
  • 0.25 cup bourbon
  • 0.25 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 count wooden skewers, soaked

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the bourbon-maple sauce and marinate
  1. In a bowl, mix BBQ sauce, bourbon, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard until smooth and uniform.
  2. Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce for basting, then set it aside.
  3. Marinate the cubed chicken in the remaining sauce for 1-4 hours in the refrigerator.
Skewer and grill
  1. Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked wooden skewers.
  2. Preheat the grill to medium heat, then grill the skewers for 5-6 minutes per side, basting frequently with the reserved sauce.
  3. Continue grilling until the chicken reaches 165°F and the glaze looks sticky and caramelized, with visible dark sheen.

Notes

For best caramelization, keep basting during grilling but avoid soaking the skewers so the chicken still browns on the grill. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for 3-4 days; freeze cooked skewers up to 2 months. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar-reduced BBQ sauce and keep the maple syrup amount the same for the flavor balance.