Name: Chicken Spiedini with Whipped Honey Feta
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: Ingredients; 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems; ½ cup fresh mint leaves; 2 garlic cloves, peeled; 2 scallions, trimmed, roughly chopped; 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded; 2 lemons, zested, preferably unwaxed or organic; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons greek yogurt; 1 + ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided; ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper; 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces; ¾ cup roasted unsalted pistachios, finely ground; ¼ cup almond flour; ½ cup panko breadcrumbs; ½ teaspoon crushed coriander seeds; 2 egg whites; ¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled fine; ½ cup greek yogurt; 2 teaspoons honey; 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice; Pinch flake sea salt; ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper; Fresh mint leaves; Red pepper flakes (optional)

Mains

Chicken Spiedini with Whipped Honey Feta

Author: Mary DiSomma

I don’t need much of an excuse to fire up the grill—especially when friends and family are coming over! And everybody loves a good skewer. This delicious and easy chicken spiedini recipe takes a traditional Italian-American favorite and gives it a fresh Mediterranean twist.

They’re basically breaded chicken skewers, seasoned with parsley, mint, garlic, scallions, lemon, and pepper. Each piece is coated in a crispy mixture of pistachios, panko, and almond flour before heading to the grill. The chicken comes out juicy with an irresistible crunch in every bite.

To balance out all those savory flavors, I like to pair my grilled chicken spiedini with a whipped honey feta. Add some grilled flatbread, fluffy rice, or a crisp green salad, and you've got a perfect meal for summer entertaining. Well, let’s get cooking!

Chicken Spiedini with Whipped Honey Feta

Ingredient Tips

Spiedini, spiedies, and kebabs are all variations of meat skewers. Their preparation is what sets them apart.Traditional Italian spiedini (this recipe, shown below) is an Italian-American recipe. It is cubed meat that’s coated in seasoned breadcrumbs before cooking.

Kebabs, which have roots in the Middle East, are usually marinated, not breaded, and often include vegetables. This recipe borrows inspiration from both traditions.

Chicken spiedies originated in New York and are prepared more like kebabs: marinated meat skewers that are grilled, but served on soft Italian bread!

The secret to beautifully coated chicken is taking your time with each individual piece. After marinating the chicken, dip each piece into your whisked egg whites before pressing it firmly into the pistachio breadcrumb mixture. Don't just roll them around. Instead, press each piece down on each side to coat it evenly, making sure the breading sticks to the chicken.

Preparation + Preservation Tips

After marinating the chicken, you will dip each piece into the egg whites before breading. This will act as your "glue " when you firmly press the pistachio mixture onto every side of the chicken before skewering it. Once the chicken is on the grill, leave it alone for at least 6 minutes before turning to the next side. Moving it too soon is the quickest way to lose that beautiful crust!

Yes! For air frying, arrange the skewers in a single layer without overcrowding. Air fry at 375 °F until the breading is crisp and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F (about 13 minutes). Flip them halfway through cooking and see how they’re doing. If your skewers are too long, you can skip that step, and cook the chicken in pieces.

Soak them in water before you start grilling! Wooden skewers are great. And wood naturally dries out over high heat. Place the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before adding the chicken. The moisture from soaking helps prevent the wood from scorching or burning over the grill’s open flame.

If you're cooking inside on a cast-iron or griddle, soaking isn't as important, but I usually soak them anyway—it's a good habit to practice so you don’t forget next time you’re the grill master. Metal skewers are a great option if you grill out regularly, and they're reusable!

Extra Tips

Forget chicken spiedini with amogio sauce. This creamy whipped feta dip is so easy to make and it tastes like something you'd find at a Mediterranean restaurant. Salty feta cheese, Greek yogurt, honey, lemon juice, and black pepper whip into a light, airy spread that's just as delicious beyond this recipe.

Aside from this Sicilian chicken spiedini, it goes great with warm pita or flatbread, fresh veggies, grilled lamb or steak, roasted potatoes, burgers and sandwiches, or dolloped on a grain bowl. I like to double this recipe and enjoy it on different things all week long.

These skewers pair beautifully with all kinds of fresh summer sides. Try them with lemon rice or herbed rice pilaf, pita bread, a Greek salad or an Italian salad, some fresh grilled veggies, cauliflower tabbouleh, roasted potatoes, or even grilled fruit. The possibilities are endless!

My most popular chicken recipe? Chicken Tinga

My quick and easy Chicken Piccata also features lemon.

Keep the grill on and make my delicious (and oh-so-popular) Pesto Chicken with Peaches & Nectarines.