“Spiedini” means skewers in Italian. This recipe uses chicken thighs, marinated in olive oil, garlic and lemon. The marinated chicken is coated with a panko and bread crumb mixture, seasoned with Parmesan cheese and herbs and skewered. The spiedini skewers are air-fried and then drizzled with lemon garlic butter. These are so delicious and a new family favorite.
I spotted with recipe on the AllRecipes.com website. These “Spiedini” Chicken skewers look so mouth watering that I had to make them. I’m so glad I did, and I know this won’t be the last time!
Chicken thighs aren’t my favorite cut of meat, as I prefer chicken breasts. This recipe changed my mind. The chicken was tender, and the combination of herbs, lemon and garlic was packed with flavor. I don’t use my air fryer often enough. I need to change that! Let’s begin:
Instead of plastic zip-lock bags, I prefer this reusable marinade container. It removes all of the air with my Foodsaver, for faster and better results. To make the marinade, measure olive oil, white wine (I use vermouth, most times, for cooking).
To that, you’ll add lemon zest, lemon juice, plenty of garlic and herbs and spices. Marinate the chicken 30 minutes or up to an hour, in the fridge.
To make the bread crumb coating, panko and Italian bread crumbs and combined with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and seasonings.
Coat the chicken evenly with the mixture, gently pressing all the while. Skewer the coated chicken on wooden skewers, soaked in water. NOTE: Using metal skewers can be a problem, because they might not fit into your air fryer. I had to cut the ends of the skewers so they’d fit!
I buy a variety of oil spray bottles from my local Trader Joe’s. Evenly spray the skewers with the oil of your choice (I prefer avocado oil). Don’t saturate the chicken, just spray an even coat!
Air Fry at 390F for about 12-15 minutes. You’ll want to, carefully, rotate the skewers halfway through until golden and cooked through. A meat thermometer should read 165F.
While the chicken is air frying, make the lemon garlic butter. Don’t skip this!
This will be drizzled (or brushed) over the cooked skewers, and this brings home the delicious flavor. Let’s eat!
TASTING NOTES: My husband I were both enamored with this recipe. So much flavor! There were no leftovers. It occurred to me, that a future shortcut would be to flatten the chicken thighs to be thin and even. Skip the skewers! Just press the coating and air fry.
Can you bake these instead? Absolutely! I would bake them at 350F until they reach 165F, between 15-20 minutes.
Can you use chicken breasts, instead? By all means. Just be aware that chicken breast meat can dry out, as thighs have more fat and can be juicier.
Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Spiedini
Equipment
- Air Fryer recipe can be adapted for a conventional oven
- wooden skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes. Check that the skewers fit into your air fryer. Otherwise cut to fit. Poultry shears work great for this.
- sprayer for oil I buy Avocado Oil at Trader Joe's
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine such as Pinot Grigio
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice divided; 2 Tbsp. and 1 Tbsp.
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced, divided in half
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 2/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 2/3 cup panko
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 6 -8 inch skewers (make sure they fit your air fryer)
- olive or avocado oil cooking spray
For the Garlic-Butter Drizzle:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- Fresh garlic (remaining garlic)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, wine, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, lemon zest, half of the garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Stir together remaining salt and pepper with bread crumbs, panko, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from marinade and toss to coat in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere as necessary. Thread chicken onto skewers and coat with olive oil cooking spray.
- NOTE: Likewise, you can skip skewering the chicken, and air fry "flat".
- Preheat an air fryer to 390 degrees F (198 degrees C). Spray the skewers with oil (my preference is Avocado Oil). Place the skewers into the air fryer. If the wooden skewers are too long, cut off a bit off each end. I use a poultry knife.Air fry until chicken is no longer pink at the center and juices run clear, and is until lightly golden brown and crisp, about 12 minutes. Carefully rotate halfway through. An instant read thermometer, inserted near the center, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).Likewise, these can be baked at 350° for about 20 minutes. Always use a meat thermometer to test that they are cooked to 165°.
- Meanwhile, melt butter with remaining garlic in a microwave-safe dish on high in the microwave, about 10 seconds. Stir in remaining lemon juice and parsley. Drizzle butter mixture over chicken just before serving.
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