Description
Juicy chicken skewers basted in a rich garlic‑parmesan ranch butter sauce—tender, flavorful, and perfect as an appetizer or served over rice.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken tenders (or thighs or breast), cut into 3‑inch pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 stick butter
- 8–10 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup Parmesan, grated
- 1 tbsp hot sauce (optional for a kick)
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tbsp dry ranch seasoning (for sauce)
- 1 tsp dried dill (for sauce)
- ½ tsp onion powder (for sauce)
- 1.5 tbsp dry ranch seasoning (for chicken rub)
- 1 tsp dried dill (for chicken rub)
- 2 tsp paprika (for chicken rub)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (for chicken rub)
- 1 tsp onion powder (for chicken rub)
- ½ tsp salt (for chicken rub)
- ½ tsp pepper (for chicken rub)
- Wooden skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes
Instructions
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk together the chicken rub: olive oil, 1.5 tbsp dry ranch seasoning, 1 tsp dill, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken pieces in this mixture to coat evenly.
- Thread the seasoned chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers, packing tightly.
- Prepare the garlic‑parmesan butter sauce: in a bowl or microwave‑safe container, melt the butter and garlic, then add grated Parmesan, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, parsley, 1 tbsp ranch seasoning, 1 tsp dried dill, and ½ tsp onion powder. Whisk until smooth. If sauce separates, whisk in 1–2 tbsp softened butter to re‑emulsify.
- Reserve one‑third of the sauce for initial basting; keep the remaining portion aside (uncontaminated) for finishing.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 °F (or oven to 450 °F or grill to medium‑high).
- Air Fryer Method: Cook 2–3 skewers for 5 min at 400 °F. Flip, baste with reserved sauce, cook additional 2 min. Flip again, baste more, and cook 5–6 min until internal temperature reaches 165 °F (total ~12–14 min). Brush with the clean reserved sauce and extra Parmesan before serving.
- Oven Method: Place skewers on a foil‑lined baking sheet; bake at 450 °F for 14 min, flipping and basting a few times. Broil 2 min to brown tops, then baste with reserved sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Grill Method: Grill over direct heat for 5–6 min per side, basting throughout. After cooking, baste with reserved sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Notes
- Air fryer, oven, and grill methods are all great—choose based on your equipment.
- If sauce separates, add a bit of softened butter and whisk to bring back smoothness.
- Serve over warm rice and drizzle leftover garlic‑parmesan butter into the rice for extra flavor.
- Wooden skewers must be soaked to prevent burning; metal skewers work, too.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer