Summertime is all about the grill. I mean, nothing hits the spot quite right like flame-kissed skewers do. Add in a rich, citrus-based marinade and we have juicy and tender, sticky and saucy, grilled orange chicken skewers, bursting with a tangy orange flavour in every bite. The best part? They take only about 10 minutes of actual prep work and 20 minutes to grill. Summer weeknight dinner has never been easier.
This post was originally published in August 2018. It was completely updated in July 2020.
The quick and easiness of this recipe makes it perfect for an easy, healthy weeknight dinner. And thanks to the citrus flavours, it is a total twist on basic, run-of-the-mill chicken dinner. Plus, you can grill these any which way you desire: over a barbecue grill, an electric grill or on a grill pan. You can even make orange chicken in the oven or air fryer.
What is in Orange Chicken?
These orange chicken skewers are all about the marinade. To make this, you will need chicken breast (obvs) and then the following ingredients for the marinade:
- chicken breasts - boneless and skinless, cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
- Maggi sauce - soy sauce can be substituted for this.
- orange juice - I find freshly squeezed is best. If you are going to substitute for store-bought, purchase one that is 100% orange juice, vs. one that has added sugar.
- orange zest
- vegetable oil
- garlic
- white pepper - optional.
- black pepper
- cornstarch - we use this later to thicken up the marinade and turn it into a sauce. No waste in this recipe.
You will also need skewers, tongs for grilling, and an indoor grill pan (if you are not using an outdoor grill).
How to Make the Best Grilled Orange Chicken Skewers (Three Ways)
First marinate the chicken. In a medium bowl, combine Maggi sauce (or soy sauce), orange juice, orange zest, vegetable oil, garlic, white pepper (optional), and black pepper. Stir well until combined. Add chicken breast and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
Next, remove the chicken from the marinade, and reserve the marinade. Thread the chicken onto skewers, adding about 6-7 pieces of cubed chicken breasts for each skewer. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before you thread the chicken on and grill to stop them from burning.
Now, we are ready to grill. Lightly brush olive oil over grill or grill pan. Preheat the grill over medium high heat for 3 minutes until the oil starts sizzling and shimmering. Place the skewers spaced evenly apart on the grill and grill for 8-10 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165 F. Do not overlap the skewers at any time to ensure even cooking for all the skewers.
Finally, prepare the orange chicken sauce. Place the reserved marinade into a small cooking pot and heat over medium heat for 2 minutes, until it starts to boil. Add cornstarch and stir continuously with a spoon to dissolve, until the sauce starts to thicken and forms a smooth and thick sauce. You don’t need much sauce, a tablespoon is plenty for coating the chicken.
Let's eat! Transfer the skewers onto a plate and drizzle with the orange chicken sauce.
How to Make Orange Chicken in the Oven
To bake in the oven, place the chicken skewers on a baking tray and roast at 480 F for 12-13 minutes, or when the internal temperature reaches 165 F. You can add some charring by then placing under the broiler on high for 1 minute. Keep a close eye on them, because they can burn quickly.
How to Make Orange Chicken in the Air Fryer
To cook orange chicken in the air fryer, do not thread them and place about 10 marinated chicken pieces in the air fryer basket at a time. Cook at 350 F for 25 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. You won't get the charred marks but they taste just as amazing and so tender.
How to Serve Orange Chicken
I like to serve these orange chicken skewers with a side of 10-minute vegetarian fried rice or easy coconut rice. They also pair really nicely with an Asian cold noodle salad. And if you feel like it, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and dig in.
Tips for Making Orange Chicken
- Marinate the chicken. It is so important to allow the chicken marinate at least for an hour. This will let the flavours to really infuse into the chicken and make it juicier. I would recommend letting it marinate for as long as you can, up to overnight.
- Use a digital thermometer. A digital meat thermometer is very useful when grilling chicken skewers to check for doneness, so that you never end up with undercooked or overcooked meat. Simply insert halfway inside the meat to get a quick reading.
- Double up the recipe. This recipe that makes about 6-8 skewers. You can easily double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd (or if you just want to make sure you have leftovers for lunch the next day).
- How to store. Unthread the orange chicken from the skewers and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Equipment used: skewers, tongs for grilling, an indoor grill pan, and a digital meat thermometer.
More Grilled Skewer Recipes
- Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce
- Greek Lamb Souvlaki Skewers
- Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Pineapple
- Easy Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers
- Souvlaki Beef Shish Kebabs
- Spicy Cumin Lamb Skewers
- Persian Saffron Chicken Kebabs (Joojeh Kabob)
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Recipe
Grilled Orange Chicken Skewers
- Total Time: 1 hour 26 minutes
- Yield: 6 skewers
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Flame-kissed, sticky and saucy, grilled orange chicken skewers with a rich, citrus-based marinade are delicious, juicy and so tender. The best summer weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1.5-inch thick cubes
- ¼ cup Maggi sauce (or soy sauce)
- ¼ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ½ tablespoon white pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine Maggi sauce (or soy sauce), orange juice, orange zest, vegetable oil, garlic, white pepper (optional), and black pepper. Stir well until combined. Add chicken breast and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight). You can also store the marinated chicken breasts in a sealable ziploc bag.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, and reserve the marinade. Thread the chicken onto skewers, adding about 6-7 pieces of cubed chicken breasts for each skewer. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before you thread the chicken on and grill to stop them from burning.
- Lightly brush olive oil over grill or grill pan. Preheat the grill over medium high heat for 3 minutes until the oil starts sizzling and shimmering. Place the skewers spaced evenly apart on the grill and grill for 8-10 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165 F. Do not overlap the skewers at any time to ensure even cooking for all the skewers.
- Place the reserved marinade into a small cooking pot and heat over medium heat for 2 minutes, until it starts to boil. Add cornstarch and stir continuously with a spoon to dissolve, until the sauce starts to thicken and forms a smooth and thick sauce. You don’t need much sauce, a tablespoon is plenty for coating the chicken.
- Transfer the skewers onto a plate and drizzle with the orange sauce.
Notes
Equipment used: skewers, tongs for grilling, an indoor grill pan, and a digital meat thermometer.
Marinate the chicken. It is so important to allow the chicken marinate at least for an hour. This will let the flavours to really infuse into the chicken and make it juicier. I would recommend letting it marinate for as long as you can, up to overnight.
Use a digital thermometer. A digital meat thermometer is very useful when grilling chicken skewers to check for doneness, so that you never end up with undercooked or overcooked meat. Simply insert halfway inside the meat to get a quick reading.
Double up the recipe. This recipe that makes about 6-8 skewers. You can easily double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd (or if you just want to make sure you have leftovers for lunch the next day).
How to cook in the oven: To cook the orange chicken in the oven, place them on a baking tray and roast at 480 F for 12-13 minutes, or when the internal temperature reaches 165 F. You can add some charring by then placing under the broiler on high for 1 minute. Keep a close eye on them, because they can burn quickly.
How to cook in the air fryer: You can cook orange chicken in the air fryer as well. Do not thread them and place about 10 cubed chicken pieces in the air fryer basket at a time. Cook at 350 F for 25 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. You won't get the charred grill marks but they taste amazing and so tender.
How to store: Unthread the orange chicken from the skewers and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (+1 hour to marinate)
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Asian
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Katie Crenshaw | A Fork's Tale says
Love the citrus flavors in these chicken skewers. This recipe has so much flavor with the added bonus of being healthy. I can't wait to make this for dinner!
Anna says
Love the look of these skewers! Such a great idea for a family bbq! and that glaze looks seriously good, I love marinades based on honey and brown sugar!
Kiki Johnson says
The citrus marinade sounds amazing and I am sure the chicken turns out beautifully flavoursome and moist! Love the pairing with coconut rice and salad! Such a summery meal!
Nicole says
Your photos are so pretty and these look perfect for keto dieters. My husband and I are trying to do that.
Sri Mallya says
I love orange chicken so much. But I have never tried it at home earlier. Will try your recipe soon. Thanks for sharing !
Shanna Jones says
These skewers look amazing and I can only imagine how much flavor you get from the marinade! This is a great idea for dinnertime and for gatherings! Love it!