Grilled Honey Lime Chicken Skewers

Why This Grilled Honey Lime Chicken Skewers Works

During the marinade time, the chicken sits in the honey, lime juice, soy sauce, oil, garlic, and spices. The lime juice and soy sauce start to work their way into the meat, so the cubes are seasoned all the way through, not just on the outside. A short soak keeps the chicken tender, while a longer one gives stronger taste without turning the meat mushy. Honey sticks to the surface of the chicken, so it clings there even after the extra liquid drips off.

Once the skewers hit the hot grill, the honey on the outside begins to brown and form a light crust. That thin coating holds in some of the chicken’s juices while it cooks. Because the chicken is cut into small, even pieces and spaced out on the skewers, it cooks through quickly before drying out. As the meat rests for a couple of minutes off the grill, the hot juices settle back inside the cubes instead of running out on the plate, so the chicken stays moist and soft when bitten into.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the chicken sit in the marinade for too long, especially past 4 hours, can make the outside of the cubes mushy while the centers stay firm. The acid from the lime starts to break down the surface, so the pieces lose their nice bite and feel a bit pasty once grilled.

Threading the chicken pieces too tightly on the skewers often leads to uneven cooking. The sides pressed together stay pale and undercooked while the exposed edges get dark grill marks and start to dry out before the middle is done.

Grilling over very high heat instead of medium-high can burn the honey on the outside long before the chicken cooks through. The sugar in the marinade darkens fast, so the skewers look done, but the inside can stay raw or turn stringy as the cook tries to fix it.

Skipping the short rest after grilling sends the juices running out as soon as the meat is cut or bitten into. The chicken then feels drier and a bit fibrous instead of staying moist inside.