Lemon Herb Chicken Skewers

Why This Lemon Herb Chicken Skewers Works

During the marinade time, the chicken sits in lemon juice, oil, and herbs, and the liquid slowly soaks into the meat. The lemon juice starts to break down the outside of the chicken just a little, so it doesn’t tighten up as much on the grill. Olive oil coats each piece, so the surface stays a bit slick instead of drying out right away over the heat.

As the skewers grill, the outside of the chicken hits the hot grates first and starts to brown and firm up. That light crust holds the juices inside, so the cubes stay moist instead of turning stringy. Garlic, parsley, basil, and the dried herbs cling to the oiled surface, so they stay on the chicken instead of falling off into the fire.

By the time the grill marks show and the chicken is cooked through, the inside stays tender from the marinade, and the outside has a slightly crisp edge from the direct heat and oil.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the chicken sit in the marinade for only an hour or less keeps the outside coated but leaves the inside bland and a bit dry. The acid from the lemon doesn’t have time to work its way in, so the cubes cook up firm on the outside with a plain, slightly tough center instead of being juicy all the way through.

Threading the chicken pieces too tightly on the skewers makes the outside char while the centers stay undercooked. The heat can’t get between the pieces, so the edges get dark and dry before the middle reaches a safe, fully cooked texture.

Grilling over very high heat instead of medium-high often burns the herbs and garlic on the surface before the chicken is done. The oil and bits of garlic blacken fast, leaving a bitter, crusty outside while the meat inside is still a little rubbery.

Skipping the step of patting off excess marinade right before grilling leaves too much liquid on the skewers. That extra moisture causes flare-ups and steaming, so the chicken can end up pale and a bit soggy instead of getting clear grill marks and a lightly crisp surface.