Cowboy Butter Chicken Skewers – Cooking With Fire

These cowboy butter chicken skewers use boneless skinless chicken thighs diced into 1 inch squares. Toss them with some olive oil and chicken seasoning, thread them on a skewer and grill over 400 to 450°F. Brush with cowboy butter at 165°F on both sides and take them off at 185°F. Cowboy butter is garlic, lemon, Dijon, herbs and a pinch of red pepper flake in melted butter, made on the stove while your chicken is on the grill. My Chicken Thigh Skewers are marinated and glazed with chili crisp. No marinade here. Just seasoned, and the butter finishes them off.

I like to use chicken thighs because they are quick to cook and won’t dry out if you remove them at the right temp. 185°F is the pull temp for thighs, not 165°F. Breast goes from done to dry fast on a 450°F grill. Thighs forgive you.

These can be on the table in about 30 minutes. Great for dinner or lunch, or just a night that you want to grill without thinking too hard.

Quick Look: Cowboy Butter Chicken Skewers

My Rotisserie Chicken On the Grill uses this same technique, just with Cajun butter on a whole bird.

Why This Recipe

• There is no marinade. Just some olive oil to bind the seasoning to the chicken, and it goes straight on the skewer. You don’t have to wait for the chicken to absorb any flavors. It’s all coming from the cowboy butter at the end.
• Using chicken thighs. Dark meat stands up to higher temps on the grill and will stay juicy, especially when cut this small and boneless and skinless. My Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs are the bone-in version of the same idea.
• Cowboy butter. Garlic, lemon, Dijon, parsley, thyme, paprika and red pepper flake in a pot of melted butter. Used as a baste and served at the table. It takes about five minutes on the stove and the whole batch comes together while the grill heats.
• Only basted twice. Once per side near the end. Enough butter to coat the chicken and leave some char on the grill. Not enough to burn the garlic or put out your fire. The rest of the batch goes to the table where it belongs.
• Cooking to 185°F. Chicken breast should be cooked to 165°F. Thighs can be cooked to 185°F. This allows the connective tissue in the thighs to break down and the meat to become tender.

I love cooking chicken on skewers. It’s one of the quickest ways to cook chicken on the grill. I make these when I want to slather some garlic butter on my chicken and have dinner done before the coals are even settled.

Key Ingredients

For the Chicken Skewers

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs. About 2 lbs total, cut into 1 inch cubes. Remove the excess fat and leave the smaller pieces of fat. These are the same cut I use in my Chicken Thigh Skewers.
• Olive oil. About 2 tbsp. We are using the olive oil as a binder for the seasoning.
• Chicken seasoning or poultry seasoning. About 2 tbsp. Whatever you like. This is the only seasoning on the chicken itself, so use one you would eat on its own.
• Skewers. I use metal. If you are using wood, make sure to soak them for at least 30 minutes so they don’t burn. Flat metal skewers keep the chicken from spinning when you flip.

For the Cowboy Butter

• Butter. 1 stick, melted in a small pot.
• Garlic. 3 cloves, minced.
• Dijon mustard. 1 tbsp. This gives the butter that cowboy butter flavor instead of plain garlic butter. It also helps the butter cling to the chicken instead of running straight off.
• Lemon juice and zest. 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp zest. The zest is where most of the lemon flavor lives, so don’t skip it.
• Parsley. 1 tbsp, chopped.
• Thyme. 1 tsp dried thyme.
• Paprika. 1 tsp.
• Red pepper flake. 1/2 tsp.
• Salt. 1/2 tsp.

You will need some butter left over to serve at the table. Make sure you have enough to baste your chicken and serve on the side. Pour off the table portion before you start brushing. One stick is enough for both if you only baste twice.

Substitutions or Additions

• Use chicken breast. Cut into the same size cubes and take it off the grill at 165°F. It will be a little drier and you’ll have to watch it more on the grill.
• Spanglish Asadero. This would be my go to seasoning for the chicken. Any seasoning will work.
• Smoked paprika. Use smoked paprika instead of paprika in the butter. It will add a little smoky flavor to your chicken without a smoker.
• Make it spicy. Use a full teaspoon of red pepper flake, or mince a jalapeno and add it to your butter. A few dashes of hot sauce in the pot works too.
• Add other meats. Try this cowboy butter on beef or shrimp. My Easy Beef Kabobs use the same idea.
• Add veggies to your skewers. Chop some bell peppers, red onion or zucchini into 1 inch cubes and add them between the chicken. They char in the same amount of time.
• Make it a bowl. Serve with rice and cowboy butter on the side for a quick and easy meal. Pull the chicken off the skewer and spoon the butter over the top.
• Sides. Charred asparagus or Brussels sprouts on the grill next to the skewers, or steamed rice to catch the butter. I usually go rice.

How to Make Cowboy Butter Chicken Skewers (Step by Step)

Always cook your chicken to an internal temp of at least 165°F. That is the USDA minimum. This recipe calls for 185°F because we want our thighs to be tender. I check the thickest piece on every skewer, since the ones over the hottest part of the grill finish first. My Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers are basted near the end as well, with a garlic Parmesan butter instead.

Tips From Miguel

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: Keep in a sealed container for 3 to 4 days. Store your dipping butter separate. Pull the chicken off the skewers before it goes in the fridge.
• Freezer: Your chicken will last 3 months in the freezer, off the skewer. Make a fresh batch of butter when reheating. The lemon in it does not freeze well.
• Reheat: Place in the oven at 350°F covered, or on the stovetop with some butter. The butter re-melts over the chicken and brings it back.
• Make ahead: Cut and season your chicken the night before and thread the skewers. Make your cowboy butter the night before as well and re-melt it on low.

If you are building a whole spread off the grill, my Buffalo Chicken Tortilla Kebabs go on the same grates at the same time.

More Chicken Recipes to Try

Cowboy Butter Chicken Skewers FAQs

What is cowboy butter?

Cowboy butter is melted butter with garlic, Dijon, lemon, herbs and a little red pepper flake. It started as a steak dip and works the same way on chicken. It can be used as a baste on the grill or served at the table.

Why do I need to cook chicken thighs to 185°F?

You only need to cook chicken to 165°F for it to be safe. That is the USDA minimum. Cooking thighs to 185°F breaks down the connective tissue and allows the meat to become tender instead of chewy.

Can I cook these in the oven?

Yes. Use a grill pan or line a baking sheet with foil. Cook your chicken until it reaches 165°F, then baste with your cowboy butter and take it off at 185°F. You lose the char from the fire but the butter still does its job.

Why is my butter flaring on the grill?

Butter is fat. When it drips into the fire it will flare. That is normal. Baste one side at a time, keep your skewers moving on the grill, and wear a high heat glove.