Smoky Paprika Chicken Skewers with Charred Peppers
- Savory
- Barbecue
Chicken thigh skewers rubbed with paprika and garlic, grilled over direct heat until the edges char, then finished with a squeeze of lemon. Sweet red onion and peppers cook alongside on the same grill.
- Total
- 57 min
- Prep 25 · Cook 27 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Marinating · Grilling
Instructions
-
If using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for 20 minutes so they do not burn. Meanwhile, cut the chicken thighs into 3 cm chunks and pat them dry.
~20 min
Soaking keeps wooden skewers from catching fire, and drying the chicken lets the paprika oil cling and brown rather than steam.
Pat the chicken very dry before coating it: surface moisture steams instead of browning, and dry chunks catch the paprika oil and char properly.
-
While step 1 waits
Cut the peppers into 3 cm pieces and the red onion into 8 wedges, then separate the layers. Peel and finely grate the garlic.
~5 min
-
In a small bowl, mix the grated garlic, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 3 tbsp olive oil into a paste. Toss the chicken chunks in it until evenly coated.
~4 min
Mixing the spices into a paste with oil coats every chunk evenly and helps the paprika bloom and stick instead of falling off on the grill.
Marinating Toss until every chunk is evenly coated and let the oil-based paste cling; too little oil leaves dry patches that scorch before the meat cooks.
-
Thread the chicken, peppers and red onion onto the skewers, alternating them and leaving a small gap between pieces so the heat reaches every side.
~6 min
Leaving gaps lets hot air and flames reach all surfaces, so the pieces char evenly instead of steaming where they touch.
-
Heat the barbecue to medium-hot. Grill the skewers over direct heat for 14 to 18 minutes, turning every 3 to 4 minutes, until the chicken is browned and charred at the edges and reaches 74°C/165°F in the thickest piece.
~22 min
Frequent turning builds an even char without burning, and the thermometer confirms the thigh is safely cooked through to 74°C/165°F.
If the paprika darkens too fast on the grill, move the skewers to a slightly cooler part of the barbecue and keep turning; burnt paprika turns bitter.
Grilling Set up medium-hot direct heat and turn every 3 to 4 minutes; watch for flare-ups and move pieces to a cooler spot before the paprika blackens.
-
Move the skewers to a plate, squeeze the lemon over them and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
~5 min
Resting lets the juices redistribute so they stay in the meat instead of running out when you cut into it; lemon brightens the charred paprika.
