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This post is all about how to make air fried Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers; juicy chicken pieces that are basted in the most delectable garlic parmesan butter sauce.
Looking to steal the spotlight at your next gathering? These garlic parmesan chicken skewers are the perfect party appetizer or equally amazing for an easy weekday dinner and they’re bound to be one of the best chicken dishes you’ve ever had!
Basted throughout the cooking process, these garlic parmesan chicken skewers are so tender they just fall right off the skewers.
After my Hot Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers went crazy on social media, I had to give ya’ll with another incredible flavor using the same easy and fail-proof method.
You can easily make these in the air fryer (method used for the photos) or you can bake or grill them. I paired my skewers over warm rice and added some of the leftover garlic-parm butter into the rice for the most incredible meal.
This recipe post is all about how to make air fried Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers.
Key Ingredients in Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
- Chicken Tenders – you can use breast or thighs but I prefer how moist tenders are.
- Butter – one stick of butter is used.
- Garlic – lots of garlic is used, about 8-10 cloves
- Parmesan – grated parm is the best for this recipe as it easily incorporates in the butter sauce.
- Hot sauce – just a tablespoon to give this chicken a little kick without adding too much heat.
- Seasonings – paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
- Fresh Parsley – the fresh parsley adds the perfect herbiness to balance the savory butter sauce.
- Don’t forget the wooden skewers!
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Step 1: Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
Combine spice mixture in a small bowl and set aside. Prep your chicken by cutting in 3″ pieces. Place them in a bowl and toss in olive oil and the spices, coating well on all sides.
Step 2: Pack the chicken onto each skewer, making sure they are tightly packed with no space in between to ensure maximum juiciness. If needed, snip the top few inches of the skewers to fit in the air fryer after the chicken is skewered
Step 3: Make the garlic parmesan sauce by combining all ingredients into a saucepan over low heat. Scoop out 1/3 of the sauce and use that for basting the chicken as it cooks. Reserve the remaining sauce for basting the cooked chicken so you don’t cross contaminate.
Step 3: Cook 2-3 skewers at a time in an air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove and flip the skewers and baste with sauce, returning to cook an additional 2 minutes at 400 degrees.
Baste with more sauce and cook another 5-6 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees. A total cook time of 12-14 minutes. Once they are finished cooking, hit them with a final pass of the garlic sauce (the reserved sauce) and sprinkle with some parmesan and serve.
Tools I Use:
Air-Fryer Sized Skewers
Metal Air Fryer Sized Skewers
Stainless Steel BPA-Free Air Fryer
Looking for More Delish Recipes?
Easy Chicken Tetrazzini
Fried Chicken Elote Tacos
Hot Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers
Smothered Chicken & Gravy
Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Rolls
I hope you enjoy this easy Air Fryer recipe for Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers. Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback! If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken tenders, thighs or breast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Garlic Parmesan Butter Sauce
- 1 stick butter
- 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated
- 1 tbsp hot sauce more if desired
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
Chicken Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Prep and Skewer Chicken
- Before you start, make sure to soak your wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Start by combining your chicken seasoning mixture in a small bowl and set aside. Prep your chicken by cutting in 3" pieces. Place them in a large bowl or ziptop bag and toss in olive oil and the spices, coating well on all sides.
- Pack the chicken onto each skewer, making sure they are tightly packed with no space in between to ensure maximum juiciness. If needed, snip the top few inches of the skewers to fit in the air fryer after the chicken is skewered.
Make the Garlic Parmesan Butter Sauce
- Add the butter and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until partially melted. Add in red pepper flakes, hot sauce, parsley, and parmesan. Whisk together until combined. (If sauce separates, add 1-2 tablespoons of softened butter and stir to re-emulsify.)
- Scoop out 1/3 of the sauce and use that for basting the par-cooked chicken. Reserve the remaining sauce for basting the cooked chicken so you don't cross contaminate. Be sure to wash your basting brush in between.
Cook The Chicken
- Cook 2-3 skewers at a time. Place in an air fryer and cook at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove and flip the skewers, baste with sauce, return to cook an additional 2 minutes at 400 degrees.
- Flip them back, baste with more sauce and cook another 5-6 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees. Total cook time of 12-14 minutes. This time will vary based on your air fryer.
- Once they are finished cooking, hit them with a final pass of the garlic sauce (the clean reserved sauce) and sprinkle with some extra parmesan and serve.
Notes
Here are some additional photos for your Pinterest boards:
Absolutely, delicious! I licked the plate and pan clean lol. Definitely, will share. In lieu of chicken thighs and butter, I used breast and olive oil. This recipe made me realize my new love for paprika. Thank you for the share.
Delicious!!!
Will make these again,, this sauce would also be good for wings,,
Chicken was tender and yummy!!
These were AMAZING….Will make them again and again!!!
Hi! I am excited to try this recipe. Question….Could this be done in the oven or on the grill?
Hi Lisa – yes! They are amazing on the grill, several people have sent me their photos on Instagram and they’ve all loved it too. I actually list the instructions in the notes section of my recipe card 🙂 I hope you enjoy!
These were so delicious. Made for supper tonight everyone loved them. Thank you for the awesome recipe.
May I ask which kind of chicken you used in your video?
I used Bell & Evans air chilled chicken tenders.
Chicken is not my favorite so I was surprised just how much I loved them. these were amazing. We put them on our grill, great flavors!
Hi! I am very excited to try these… Quick question… for the grated parmesan, should I grate a block of parmesan or use the kind of grated parmesan that comes in the plastic bottles found in grocery stores?
Hey! Great question and funny enough, neither of those. I don’t like the plastic bottles cause it’s a little too fake/cheap tasting. I think it works on pizza better than in this recipe. Instead I use the prepared grated parmesan that you find in the cheese aisle. It usually comes in a tub. Shredded parm can also work if you don’t find that, it just doesn’t incorporate into the sauce as well as grated. Hope that helps 🙂
This looks so delicious! Seems like a lot of red pepper flakes though. What’s the spice factor for this recipe? I don’t do well with too much spice and I’m worried about heat of the hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Thanks!
Hi Christina – it depends on how hot your red pepper flakes are. Some are very hot, others (like mine) were a little on the mild side. So feel free to use as much or little as you would like. I’ll usually add a little at a time and taste test it until it’s our desired heat level.
This was very good! I grilled the chicken breast instead of air fry and they were so yummy, thank you for sharing recipe!
How much could I make ahead? I’m thinking the chicken and seasoning prep ahead of time. I want to make it for dinner tomorrow night
Hi Erin, I would cut the chicken into pieces and season it and place in a zip-top bag or bowl sealed with cling wrap in the fridge overnight. It’ll be even more flavorful! You can also make the garlic parm compound butter and refrigerate that as well and let skewers soak overnight. So tomorrow, just throw the chicken on the skewers and microwave your butter until it’s softened but not fully melted. It’ll be so easy!
Anyone tried this recipe with chicken thighs? We love thighs in the air fryer. Thinking it would be delicious