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Bourbon Bacon BBQ Chicken Kebabs

Bourbon chicken kebabs with bacon-wrapped chunks and a smoky sweet bourbon BBQ glaze. Grilled until the bacon is crispy and the chicken reaches 165°F, with visible glaze as it basts over the grill.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb chicken breasts cut into chunks
  • 12 bacon slices, cut in half
  • 0.5 cup BBQ sauce
  • 0.25 cup bourbon
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 wooden skewers soaked
  • 1 bell peppers optional
  • 1 onions optional

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Wrap the chicken with bacon
  1. Cut chicken breasts into chunks, then wrap each piece with half a bacon slice and secure so the bacon stays on during grilling.
  2. Set the bacon-wrapped chicken aside while you mix the bourbon BBQ glaze.
Make bourbon BBQ glaze
  1. In a bowl, mix BBQ sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce until the sugar dissolves and the glaze looks smooth.
Marinate
  1. Marinate the bacon-wrapped chicken for 1-4 hours so the glaze clings to the surface.
  2. While marinating, pre-soak the wooden skewers to prevent scorching on the grill.
Assemble kebabs
  1. Thread the marinated bacon-wrapped chicken onto skewers, alternating with bell peppers and onions if using.
  2. Reserve a little marinade to baste during grilling, if desired.
Grill and baste
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat, then grill the kebabs for 6-7 minutes per side, basting with the marinade as they cook.
  2. Continue grilling until the bacon is crispy and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest piece, then serve hot.

Notes

For the best bacon crisping, dry off excess marinade before grilling so it can caramelize instead of steaming. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for 3-4 days; freeze up to 2 months, though the bacon texture softens slightly after thawing. For a lower-sodium swap, use low-sodium BBQ sauce and reduce added Worcestershire as needed.