Breaded Chicken Skewers with Lemon Butter Sauce

These breaded chicken skewers have a golden, crispy exterior and a tender interior, all coated in a luscious lemon butter sauce. They are perfect for weeknight dinners, parties, and backyard cookouts. This recipe offers three cooking options!

For a family dinner or party food everyone will love, make these breaded chicken skewers! There’s something about tender chicken and crispy breading that pleases a crowd. The sauce is rich from the butter and bright and tangy from the lemon, taking it over the top.

Since they are served on skewers, they are ideal for any gathering, whether formal or casual. They’re bite-sized and tender, making forks and knives practically unnecessary. My husband and I enjoy them for dinner alongside an easy potato dish, farro salad, or stovetop mac and cheese.

Three cooking options:

I provided three methods for cooking this easy chicken recipe: air frying, oven baking, and skillet cooking. Note that the oven method allows you to prepare everything in one batch. With the air fryer and skillet options, you will need to cook in two or more batches, depending on the size of your equipment.

Choose the method that works best for you. Regardless of how you cook the chicken, cook it until the internal temperature reaches 165° F on an instant-read thermometer.

Ingredients needed:

• Chicken—use boneless chicken breast cut into chunks. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can also be used. This cut of meat stays tender and juicier than breasts.
• Sour cream—for marinating the chicken. It helps to tenderize and lock in moisture.
• Seasonings—salt, black pepper, and less sodium chicken bouillon for flavoring.
• Chicken broth—for making the sauce. This recipe calls for less sodium salt. If you use regular chicken broth, slightly reduce the amount of salt in the recipe. You can always add more at the end to taste.
• Butter—this recipe uses unsalted butter to make the sauce; however, salted butter can be used as an alternative. If you do, add salt sparingly, adding more to taste.
• Shallot—finely chopped for making the sauce.
• Garlic—chopped finely, for the sauce.
• Cornstarch—used as a thickener.
• Lemon—for adding acidity and lemony brightness to the sauce.

Recipe highlights:

• Combine the sour cream and the seasonings for the marinade. Marinate the chicken chunks for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Thread the chicken onto presoaked skewers. Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, and seasonings for the breading, then coat the skewers with the mixture.
• Bake using your preferred method. The oven baked method is described here, but instructions for air frying and skillet cooking are in the recipe card.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F and set the shelf to the lowest level. Place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat for 5 minutes. Generously coat the skewers with cooking spray. Also, generously coat the preheated baking sheet with cooking spray or neutral oil. Bake the skewers on the baking sheet on the lowest rack for 11 to 15 minutes, turning the skewers halfway through.
• To prepare the lemon butter sauce, start by sautéing chopped shallots in butter, then add garlic. Stir in chicken stock, salt, and pepper, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the cornstarch slurry, stirring until it thickens.
• Off heat, add a few cubes of diced butter at a time to the sauce, stirring until melted. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste.
• Serve the skewers with the lemon butter sauce drizzled or brushed on top.
• Detailed instructions are in the recipe card section below.

How to store and reheat:

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it. Allow it to cool completely, then place it in a freezer bag or an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months.

Reheat the chicken in a toaster oven, conventional oven, or air fryer at 350° F until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave, but the breading won’t crisp up as well as with the other methods.

Pro tips:

• Try to cut the chicken into the same size for even cooking. Keep them about 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick. Larger pieces may require a slightly longer cooking time, while smaller chunks may need a shorter cooking time.
• Marinate the chicken for at least two hours; longer is better. A longer marination allows for better flavor absorption and tender chicken.
• If you’re oven-baking, preheat the baking sheet, as it helps the breading to brown quickly. Additionally, baking the chicken on the lowest shelf, near the heat source, enhances browning. Make sure to turn the skewers halfway through the cooking time.

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or are highly rated.)

• Wooden skewers—you can use any size you want, but I use 10-inch skewers for this recipe.
• Large skillet—if you choose to cook in a skillet, opt for a large one, such as this 12-inch hybrid skillet. This pan features stainless steel and nonstick technology, providing superior heat conduction and protection for the nonstick surface.
• Air fryer—if you choose to air fry, this model is a 6-quart size. It achieves crispiness similar to deep frying but with significantly less oil.
• Baking sheet—if you’re oven baking, this half sheet pan is large enough to fit all the skewers in one batch. It is commercial grade aluminized steel with a corrugated surface and nonstick coating.
• Instant-read meat thermometer—this one provides ultra-fast reading in 0.5 seconds and high accuracy of  ±0.5℉.

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Breaded Chicken Skewers with Lemon Butter Sauce

Author: In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Oven Baked/Roasted Cuisine:American Courses:Main

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 15 minutesRest time:2 hours Total time:2 hours 30 minutesServings:8 skewers

Description

These breaded chicken skewers have a golden, crispy exterior and a tender interior, all basted in a luscious lemon butter sauce. They are perfect for weeknight dinners, parties, and backyard cookouts. This recipe offers three cooking options!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken breast
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 rounded teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon sodium-free chicken bouillon
• cooking spray
• 8 (10-inch) wooden skewers (See Note *)

For the breading:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 rounded teaspoon black pepper

For lemon butter sauce:

• 1 1/3 cups less-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 shallot (2 tablespoons), finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (half a lemon)
• 4 level teaspoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water for slurry
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Note: Soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before you’re ready to skewer the chicken to prevent them from burning.
2. Cut the chicken into 1 to 1 1/4-inch strips. Place them in a large plastic storage bag or a medium storage container.
3. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, salt, black pepper, and chicken bouillon. Add this mixture to the chicken and massage it to coat the pieces evenly. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
4. Thread the chicken onto water-soaked skewers and bake, skillet cook, or air fry.
5. Oven bake: Preheat the oven to 400° F and set the shelf to the lowest level. Five minutes before you are ready to bake, place a large baking sheet on the shelf to preheat. Just before removing the baking sheet from the oven, generously spray the skewers with cooking spray. Grease or spray the baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the skewers on the baking sheet. Generously spray the skewers with cooking spray. Bake for 11 to 15 minutes, turning the skewers at the 8-minute mark. They are done when the internal temperature reaches 165° F on an instant-read thermometer. (See Note **)
6. Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400° F. Generously spray the chicken skewers on all sides with cooking spray. Also, coat the basket with cooking spray, cook in batches, and place the skewers in the basket without crowding them. Air fry for 11 to 13 minutes, turning the chicken over at the 8-minute mark. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness, ensuring the internal temperature reaches 165° F.
7. Skillet Cook: Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Generously coat the bottom with a neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil. Cooking in batches, add the chicken skewers, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally until all sides are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165° F on an instant-read thermometer. Add more oil as needed to prevent sticking.

To make the lemon butter sauce:

8. Set aside a two-tablespoon piece of butter. Cut the remaining butter into small cubes. Melt the two tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
9. Pour in the chicken broth, reserving 2 tablespoons. Add salt and pepper. Bring the broth to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch into the reserved broth to create a slurry. Once the broth reaches a boil, stir in the slurry. Keep stirring until the broth boils and thickens slightly.
10. Remove from heat and add a few chunks of butter one at a time, stirring until melted. Continue to add and stir the butter until fully melted. If the butter doesn’t melt easily, return the pan to medium-low heat. Do not let it boil.
11. Stir in the lemon juice and reseason to taste. Serve the skewers with the lemon butter sauce drizzled or brushed on top.
12. Makes 8 skewers.

Notes:

• * If you’re cooking in an air fryer or skillet, you may need to cut the skewers to fit the basket or skillet’s size. Additionally, you’ll have to use more skewers since the original ones have been shortened.
• **Baking does not produce as much browning as skillet cooking. If you want more color, flip the chicken over at the 5-minute mark of baking, then cook the second side for 4 minutes. Remove the baking sheet until the oven is preheated for high broil. Broil the chicken for 2 minutes on each side, keeping it 5 inches below the heating element. Check for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. It’s done when the internal temperature reaches 165° F.

Keywords:Weeknight Dinners, Breaded Chicken Skewers, Lemon Butter Sauce, Easy Chicken Recipe

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