Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Skewers

As I noted last year, I’ve been encouraging my kids to look through cookbooks and choose recipes they’d like to try. Doing this has bolstered their interest in learning how to cook and—much to my delight—motivated them to try new foods! This past week we tried a new recipe that they selected: BBQ Chicken Skewers.

This recipe comes from The Cookbook for Girls. As an aside, there are many great recipes in this book (Spicy Potato Wedges, Veggie Spring Rolls, Toffee Popcorn, etc.), but I don’t think any of them are particularly “girly.” In other words, the title is a bit disingenuous. Nevertheless, my kids wanted to try the BBQ Chicken Skewers featured in it, so we gave them a try.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Juice from one lime
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks

Special equipment

• Air fryer
• Approximately 25 small wooden skewers

Instructions

Place the ketchup, honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and ginger into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool.

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Place the cut chicken and the cooled sauce into a large bowl. Stir until the chicken is coated. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.

While the chicken marinates, soak 25 small wooden skewers in water. When the chicken is ready, remove the skewers from the water and thread the bell pepper chunks and chicken pieces onto them.

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Cook the skewers in batches by lightly spraying the basket with cooking oil and placing several skewers in it (leave room between the skewers for air to circulate).

Cook each batch for 10-15 minutes, turning the skewers over halfway. The chicken is done once the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Yield: 5 servings.

Notes

My oldest kids did a lot of the work to get this dish on the table. They measured ingredients for the sauce, stirred the sauce as it cooked, and threaded the meat and peppers onto the sewers. When it came time to eat, they actually tried the skewers! My 5-year-old said they were pretty good (though not her favorite) and my 7-year-old loved them! My 3-year-old, who is wary of all new foods, didn’t have a strong opinion one way or the other, but my husband and I thought these were great. In fact, my husband requested that we have them again soon!

Though The Cookbook for Girls gives these the name BBQ Chicken Skewers, the sauce is unlike any barbecue sauce I’ve made before. I was uncertain if the flavor would be tasty, but it ended up being great! If you are in a hurry, feel free to use a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce. I believe you’ll get a similar dish that still tastes great. I made these in the air fryer, but the original recipe suggests broiling them. Feel free to use this method (broil 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally). You can also prepare them on the grill. Of course, you can also add additional veggies if your family will eat them!

What recipes has your family enjoyed lately? I’d love to hear about them!

Shared at the following:

Encouraging Hearts and Home, Weekend Potluck, and Busy Monday.