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Bourbon Maple BBQ Chicken Skewers

Bourbon maple BBQ chicken skewers with a glossy, caramelized glaze that turns sticky on the grill. Cubed chicken is marinated, skewered, and basted so every bite lands sweet-savory with bourbon-maple depth.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken skewers
  • 2 lb chicken breasts cubed
  • 0.5 cup BBQ sauce
  • 0.25 cup bourbon
  • 0.25 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 wooden skewers soaked

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the bourbon-maple BBQ marinade
  1. In a bowl, mix BBQ sauce, bourbon, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard until smooth and glossy.
  2. Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce for basting and set aside.
Marinate
  1. Marinate the cubed chicken in the remaining sauce for 1-4 hours in the refrigerator, covered.
Assemble the skewers
  1. Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked wooden skewers.
Grill and baste
  1. Grill the skewers over medium heat for 5-6 minutes per side, basting frequently with the reserved sauce so the glaze clings.
  2. Continue grilling until the chicken reaches 165°F and the glaze is sticky and caramelized, with darker spots from the sauce.

Notes

For best caramelization, baste during the last 3-4 minutes so the sugar-rich glaze doesn’t burn; if it thickens too fast, brush on a little water or additional BBQ sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze cooked skewers for up to 2 months. For a lower-sugar option, use a reduced-sugar BBQ sauce and keep the maple syrup amount the same for balanced flavor.