Pinchos de
I guess that the idea of pieces of chicken — or meat —- in skewers is nothing new. But, here I bring you a version with a Latin touch that is so simple to make.
One of the cool things about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can alternate the seasoned chicken bites with almost anything you want — or you have in your fridge. I like to use veggies like mushrooms, onion, bell peppers, zucchinis, and cherry tomatoes.
You can even get a bit creative and add some fresh pineapple for a tropical sweet and sour flavor.
You can see in the pictures that I made a few with chicken and sausages. Those were for my boyfriend and they were amazing.
Table of Contents
How to assemble the pinchos de pollo ?
This is the fun part of the recipe. Call me weird but I found that threading the chicken and the veggies is almost a therapeutic job for me.
The first tip is to soak the skewers for at least 30 minutes. This will prevent the wood from catching fire in the grill.
Then it’s time to cut the veggies and try to cut the pieces in uniform sizes. In my basic recipe, I use onions and bell pepper as the veggies. I cut the onion into four pieces — like in the pictures — to get pieces big enough to be in the skewers.
Then it’s time to thread the chicken and the veggies alternating them: chicken, bell pepper, chicken, onion, etc.
Usually, I use 5 chicken pieces for skewer, this way there meat and vegetables are not so overcrowded.
How to cook the chicken skewers?
The best way to cook chicken skewers is by using an outdoor grill, especially a carbon grill that will give that smokey flavor that I love so much in my chicken kebabs.
Unfortunately, I live in an apartment and I don’t own an outdoor grill. Instead, I have a small electric grill that does the job.
But, you can use a pan in the stove or oven to cook these
If you use the oven, bake them for 20 – 30 min at 180ºc (350ºF) until the chicken is completely cooked and slightly brown.
Can you make them ahead?
This is the main reason why chicken skewers are one of the top meals for camping or outside barbecue days.
You can basically assemble them the day before and they will be ready to grill the next day. No fuss at all!
This is especially crucial when you are feeding a crowd.
Can you freeze pinchos de pollo ?
Absolutely. The key is freezing them without cooking and they will be fine and ready to use up to two months.
Pinchos de pollo (chicken skewers)
Equipment
- 6 – 9 big skewers
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast 400 gr
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 onions
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size cubes. Season them with cumin, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil. Make sure every piece is well coated. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, soak the skewers for 30 minutes.
- Cut the onions and the bell pepper into cubes about the same size as the chicken pieces.
- Thread the chicken and the veggies onto the skewers.
- Grill the chicken skewers until the chicken is completely done. If you use the oven, bake them for 20 – 30 minutes at 180ºC (350ºF).
I’m Maria and I love cooking—and mostly EATING—food from all around the world. I’ve been sharing my abuela’s secret Latin-American recipes for the last 7 years with the world on this blog. I’ve been a full-time food blogger for many years and I’m always trying new delicious meals that don’t require a culinary degree or a Michelin-star chef. I also love traveling, cats, and knitting.