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Bourbon Bacon BBQ Chicken Kebabs

Bourbon chicken kebabs made with bacon-wrapped chicken chunks and a smoky sweet bourbon BBQ glaze. Grill until the bacon is crisp and the chicken hits 165°F for juicy, kebab-style party food.
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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: 750
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bourbon bacon BBQ chicken kebabs
  • 2 lb chicken breasts
  • 12 bacon slices
  • 0.5 cup BBQ sauce
  • 0.25 cup bourbon
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 6 wooden skewers, soaked Use enough skewers to thread all kebabs.
  • 1 bell peppers and onions (optional) Optional for alternating pieces on the skewers.

Equipment

  • 1 grill
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Wrap and set up
  1. Wrap each chicken chunk with half a bacon slice and secure so the bacon stays snug around the meat. Set the wrapped pieces on a sheet pan in a single layer.
Make the bourbon BBQ glaze
  1. Mix BBQ sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and glossy. This becomes your basting marinade for grilling.
Marinate
  1. Marinate the wrapped chicken for 1-4 hours, covered, so the bacon flavors through. Refrigerate during marinating.
Thread the kebabs
  1. Thread the marinated chicken onto wooden skewers, alternating with bell peppers and onions if using. Keep pieces tight so they grill evenly.
Grill with basting
  1. Grill over medium heat for 6-7 minutes per side, basting with the marinade as you cook. Continue until bacon is crispy and the chicken reaches 165°F.

Notes

For best results, soak wooden skewers so they don’t scorch on the grill. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze kebabs cooked (up to 2 months) and reheat until hot. For a lighter swap, use turkey bacon and reduce bourbon to 2 tbsp while keeping the same BBQ sauce ratio for a similar sweet-smoky glaze.