I made these for Cinco De Mayo last year, and have made them loads of times since (although not on the bbq - I’m not allowed to use Chris’s bbq - which is why he’s done the video this time! ha ha). One of the things I love about being a blogger, is getting inspiration from National or Celebratory days. I prefer the bigger ones such as Cinco De Mayo, bonfire night and Christmas. There are simply too many to keep track of if I was going to cook for all of them. Did you know that September 17th is National Monte Cristo Sandwich day for example? Wow that’s seriously specific. I Love Mexican food and this seams like a perfect excuse to make a batch of these served up with Loaded Mexican Carrot Fries, some of Chris’s famous Chilli Con Carne (which the kids ask for at least once a week in our house) or these Fish Taco’s, Any excuse is a good one 😉 Back to the chicken kebabs! First we marinate with fajita spice, lime juice, coriander (cilantro) and a few other goodies:
Then whilst the chicken is marinating in the fridge, heat up the barbecue coals. Chris uses a chimney starter to speed up the process.
Thread the chicken onto skewers with peppers and red onion:
Then cook on a direct heat until the chicken is cooked through:
Did you know, here in the UK we don’t tend to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. In fact good ole’ Wiki tells me that it’s celebrated more in the USA than in Mexico. History tells us that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexico’s defeat of the French army in 1862 after France, Spain and Britain landed in Mexico to demand payment of debts. Spain and Britain withdrew after negotiation, but France invaded. Their 6,000-strong, well-armed army were defeated by Mexico’s poorly-equipped 2,000-strong army in one day. In the US, Cinco de Mayo is more a celebration of Mexican culture, celebrated with parades, music, festivals, Mexican food and drink. And I can never resist the call of Mexican food. Especially this picante salsa! Whoa! I like to whip up an extra large batch of this stuff, and drizzle it over coriander-flecked rice to go with the chicken skewers. Then we’ll continue to eat it with crisps, and then again with salad the next day. It’s got a good kick to it - depending on the heat of your chillies. I like to start with one chilli, blend everything together, then add more if needed. I’ve used Fresno and Thai red chilli peppers when making this salsa, but use whatever chillies you like.
I think it would even taste great warm, as a pasta sauce.
Can I make it gluten free?
Yes - this recipe is already gluten free.
Can I make it ahead?
If you’re eating the kebabs hot, it’s best to eat them right after they’re cooked, as that’s when they’re lovely and juicy. Reheating them tends to dry out the chicken a little. Personally I like to cook a larger batch of the chicken kebabs and and then save some of the meat and peppers, served cold for meal prep bowls for the next couple of days.
The Mexican Chicken Skewers Recipe:
This post was first published in May 2017. Updated in August 2018 with new photos, tips and a recipe video. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
