Crispy Chicken Spiedini Skewers with Lemon Herb Marinade

Chicken Spiedini is a simple, flavorful summer recipe featuring chicken thigh skewers marinated in lemon, garlic, and olive oil. My family makes these repeatedly throughout the season because they’re quick, can be prepped ahead, and the kids love them — they think they’re chicken nuggets!

For a complete summer meal, serve with Crispy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes and Sautéed Rapini with Garlic.

Looking for more grill recipes? Try the Big Fat Greek Chicken Burger or Italian Ring Sausage (Chevalatta).

Why this Recipe

Chicken Spiedini delivers tender, crunchy skewers inspired by Italian street food. The lemon-garlic marinade both flavors and tenderizes the meat, while the Parmesan-breadcrumb coating gives a satisfying char and crisp when grilled.

Marinating for an hour (or up to three) lets the lemon, garlic, and salt penetrate the thighs so every bite is juicy and well seasoned. The marinade also acts as the binder for the breadcrumb mixture, making the breading step easy and reliable.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Chicken thighs: Use boneless thighs for the best tenderness; breasts can dry out with this method.
• Breadcrumbs: A mix of panko and Italian seasoned breadcrumbs gives the best texture and coverage.
• Dijon mustard: Helps the breadcrumb mixture adhere to the chicken.
• Lemon: A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens the skewers; a lemon-garlic vinaigrette or lemon-butter sauce also works if you prefer more sauce.
• Garlic powder: Used in the breadcrumb mix because fresh garlic can burn during grilling; fresh minced garlic stays in the marinade where it won’t overcook.

See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and quantities.

How to Make Chicken Spiedini

This is a straightforward two-step process: marinate, then skewer and bread before grilling. You can do everything the same day or prep the night before.

Marinating the Chicken

Step 1: Mince the garlic into a paste and whisk it with lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, and salt to make the marinade.

Step 2: Season the thighs with salt and pepper, then cut into roughly 1-inch pieces.

Step 3: Toss the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for 1–3 hours to let the flavors develop and the salt tenderize the meat.

Step 4: On a large plate, combine panko, Italian breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, chopped parsley, and salt for the breadcrumb mixture.

Grilling Chicken Spiedini

Step 5: Skewer the marinated chicken, packing the pieces snugly so they cook evenly.

Step 6: Dredge each skewer in the breadcrumb mixture until thoroughly coated. Bread the skewers after assembling them so the crumbs crisp properly.

Pro-Tip: Don’t bread the pieces before skewering — breadcrumbs trapped between pieces stay soggy. Skewer first, then coat.

Step 7: Preheat the grill to medium and oil the grates. Grill the skewers, turning every 3–4 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F (about 12–16 minutes total). Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon or a drizzle of lemon-garlic vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Pro-Tips

1. Marinate at least 15 minutes, ideally 1–3 hours.
2. Oil the grill right before cooking so the breadcrumbs don’t stick and tear off.
3. Leave them alone if they feel stuck; give them another minute and they’ll release naturally.
4. Make ahead: Bread the skewers and refrigerate overnight so grilling is quick and easy the next day.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Chicken Spiedini with light, summery sides such as:

• Italian Green Bean Salad
• Zucchini alla Scapece
• Easy Steamed Artichokes
• Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad
• Italian Summer Pasta with Zucchini
• Grilled Foil Potatoes

Alternate Methods of Cooking

If you don’t have access to a grill, you can still get great results:

• Air fryer: Cook at 425°F for 8 minutes, flip, then cook another 8 minutes until 165°F. They crisp up nicely.
• Cast iron: Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high, add oil, and cook skewers about 4 minutes per side until cooked through.
• Oven: Roast at 400°F for 10 minutes, flip, then cook another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

FAQs About Chicken Spiedini

More Summer Recipes

Please leave a comment and a star rating below in the recipe card — we love hearing your feedback. Tag us on Instagram at @vindelgiudice if you try the recipe!

Chicken Spiedini

Vincent DelGiudice