Cuban Dinner Recipes

Pinchos De Pollo (Easy Cuban-Style Chicken Skewers)

Chicken is never boring in a Cuban household. Whether we are making Cuban grilled chicken breast or Cuban arroz con pollo, you can always expect a dish full of flavor! This Pinchos de Pollo recipe is no exception. I mean I also love my Cuban pollo asado but that’s a post for…

  • Ready 2 hours
  • Serves 6 servings
  • Prep 20 minutes
  • Cook 20 minutes
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Pinchos De Pollo (Easy Cuban-Style Chicken Skewers)

This Pinchos de Pollo recipe is no exception. I mean I also love my Cuban pollo asado but that’s a post for another day.

What are Pinchos de Pollo?

The word pinchos is Spanish for “spikes” or “skewers”. It comes from the verb “to pinchar” which means “to pierce” so pinchos de pollo translates to “chicken skewers”.

Personally, I think these pinchos de pollo can be an appetizer, lunch, OR dinner. Eat them directly off the skewer or slide them off onto a plate of arroz con frijoles. It’s my favorite eecipe with boneless skinless chicken thighs!

Cuban pinchos de pollo glazed with guava bbq sauce on a white plate with white rice and lime wedges

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Bold Cuban Flavors. What makes these pinchos a Cuban chicken recipe you ask? The marinade, of course! Sour orange juice, fresh lime juice, my own Cuban spice blend, I mean it doesn’t get any better than that!

Save the remaining Cuban spice blend in a jar and use it to make my Cuban grilled chicken thighs!

  • Easy To Make. The simple ingredients of this recipe make it super versatile and easy to make. I bet you have most, if not all, of the ingredients sitting in your kitchen right now.
ingredients for pinchos de pollo
Make the marinade with oil, sour orange juice, garlic, complete seasoning, annatto, cumin, salt + pepper.
chicken chunks marinating in citrus marinade with sazon completa in a resealable bag
Transfer the 1-inch chicken pieces to a resealable freezer bag with the marinade—place in the fridge for 2 hours.
pinchos de pollo (Cuban chicken skewers) on a grill
Thread the chicken into the skewers, brush them with guava BBQ sauce then grill them at medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Flip them over, brush with BBQ sauce again, and grill for another 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and grill for another 5 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through, golden brown, and the bbq sauce is caramelized.

Metal Skewers

These metal skewers are made of stainless steel and reusable! The 14″ long kabob skewers fit various size grills and unlike wooden skewers, you don’t have to soak them!

When you’re done making this recipe for the family, you should make one of my other easy chicken recipes!

What are the best skewers for Pinchos de Pollo?

  • Metal skewers are reusable and retain heat very well which makes for even cooking. They can be pricey, however, and may rust, plus if you’re feeding a crowd, you’ll have lots of dishes to do after.
  • Wooden skewers are a great option for crowds since they are disposable and inexpensive. Just make sure to soak them in water for 20-30 minutes prior to grilling. Doing this will keep the skewers from burning while grilling.

Either one of these options will work for this recipe. It’s totally up to personal preference.

What To Serve With Cuban Chicken Skewers

Storage Tips

Any leftovers should be removed from the skewers and transferred to an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. You can reheat them in the oven or in the microwave.

Recipe

Grilled Pinchos de Pollo (Cuban Chicken Thighs Skewers)

Pinchos de pollo are grilled marinated chunks of chicken on a skewer glazed with guava bbq sauce. This Cuban version of the popular street food is made with a citrusy garlic marinade and homemade Cuban sazon completa spice blend making it the perfect meal for just about any day of the week!

  • Serves 6 servings
  • Prep 20 minutes
  • Cook 20 minutes
  • Total 2 hours

Ingredients

Citrus Marinade

  • 1/4 cup neutral oil
  • 1/2 cup sour orange juice (naranja agria)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons homemade sazon completa
  • Salt + pepper to taste

Pinchos de Pollo

  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup Guava BBQ Sauce (or your favorite BBQ sauce)
  • Metal or wooden bamboo skewers (roughly 10” long)
  • Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. 1

    In a bowl, whisk together the oil, sour orange juice, garlic, sazon completa, salt + pepper to taste. This is your marinade. Set aside.

  2. 2

    Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, making sure they are cut as evenly as possible, so that they’ll cook evenly. Transfer the chicken pieces to a resealable freezer bag and add the marinade.

  3. 3

    Toss and massage the chicken pieces really well with the marinade. Place the resealable bag in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).

  4. 4

    If using wooden bamboo skewers, soak in water for 20-30 minutes prior to grilling. Doing this will keep the skewers from burning while grilling.

  5. 5

    Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread the chicken onto the skewers. No need to pat them dry. Make sure to leave a 2-3-inch space at the bottom which will act as the handle for our pinchos.

  6. 6

    Preheat a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grill grates to keep the chicken pinchos from sticking.

  7. 7

    Place the skewers on the oiled grates. Grill for 3 minutes then flip them over and brush with bbq sauce. Grill for another 2 minutes, flip again, and brush them again with the bbq sauce.

  8. 8

    Reduce heat to medium and grill for another 5 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through, golden brown, and the bbq sauce is caramelized. Enjoy!

Equipment

  • Citrus juicer
  • Food Thermometer
  • Basting Brush
  • Metal Skewers
  • Wooden Skewers

Nutrition

  • Serving1 serving
  • Calories316 kcal
  • Carbohydrates13 g
  • Protein30 g
  • Fat16 g
  • Saturated Fat2 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat4 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat8 g
  • Trans Fat0.1 g
  • Cholesterol144 mg
  • Sodium561 mg
  • Potassium477 mg
  • Fiber0.3 g
  • Sugar10 g
  • Vitamin A132 IU
  • Vitamin C11 mg
  • Calcium28 mg
  • Iron1 mg