Honey Garlic Asian Chicken Kabobs

Photo from Damn Delicious

I keep seeing posts all over social media declaring the start of “grilling season.” Around here, that’s a
little amusing—because in this house, grilling is a year-round sport. Rain, shine, or questionable Pacific Northwest weather…if there’s food to be cooked, the grill is fair game. So the idea of waiting for a “season” has never quite made sense to me.

That said, my grill has been a little neglected lately. Ever since the whole foot saga that kicked off back in October, I haven’t spent much time outside flipping, searing, and experimenting. But now that I’m finally back on my feet (literally), it felt like the perfect time to fire things up again.

And honestly? I couldn’t have picked a better day—or a better recipe—to get back into it.

Over the years, I’ve tried what feels like a thousand different chicken marinades. Most of them tend to follow a familiar formula, especially the Asian-inspired ones—soy sauce, garlic, ginger…you know the drill. Not that I’m complaining, because those flavors are classic for a reason. But every now and then, one stands out just enough to make you pause and say, “Okay, this one’s going into the rotation.”

This marinade did exactly that.

It leans into those familiar savory elements but brings them together in a way that tastes a lot like an Asian-style BBQ sauce—rich, slightly spicy, and packed with flavor. The kind that caramelizes beautifully on the grill and makes your backyard smell like you know exactly what you’re doing.

I let the chicken marinate for about two hours, which worked well, but if I’m being honest, it could have gone even longer to really deepen those flavors. (Next time, I’m planning ahead.)

So whether you’re just kicking off your official “grilling season” or, like me, you believe grilling has no calendar, this recipe is absolutely worth adding to your lineup.

Honey Garlic Asian Chicken Kabobs

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 4

• ¼ cup oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, combine oyster sauce, ketchup, honey, chili garlic sauce, Dijon, garlic, ginger and 1 tablespoon water. Reserve 1/3 cup and set aside.

In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine oyster sauce mixture and chicken; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, up to 8 hours, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.

Thread chicken onto skewers. Brush with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Preheat grill to medium heat.

Add skewers to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Brush skewers with reserved oyster sauce mixture, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.