Chicken Chorizo Olive Skewers Grilled

Cut the chicken into cubes. Toss with olive oil and spices — fennel, pepper, curry powder, salt. Let it sit while you thread the skewers. That’s when the flavor actually starts happening.

Why You’ll Love These Chicken Chorizo Olive Skewers

Takes 55 minutes total but most of that’s just sitting around waiting. Actual hands-on time? Maybe 20 minutes.

Mediterranean flavors without overthinking it — chicken, chorizo, olives. They work together. No weird ingredient you’ve never heard of.

Grilling an appetizer means you’re not stuck inside sweating over the stove. Everything happens on the grill. One tool.

The fennel and curry aren’t obvious. People taste something good and can’t quite name it. That’s the point.

Works for a crowd. Eight skewers feeds like twelve people if you’re also making other stuff.

What You Need for Chicken Chorizo Olive Skewers

Chicken thighs work better than breasts — they don’t dry out as fast. About 700 grams. Cut them into cubes. Not tiny. Not huge. Around an inch and a half.

Spicy chorizo. Thin slices. About 1 centimeter thick. The fat renders out while grilling and makes everything taste better.

Green olives. Pitted. Rinse them first — they come in brine and it’s way too salty.

Olive oil — 35 milliliters. Good stuff if you have it, regular stuff if you don’t. It’s mainly for coating and keeping things from sticking.

Fennel seeds, crushed. Not ground. Crushing them yourself is faster and tastes fresher. Two milliliters. Sounds small but it matters.

Curry powder. Three-quarters of a teaspoon. Not that much. Just enough that you feel it at the end of the bite.

Kosher salt and black pepper — cracked pepper works best. Fresh cracks mean more flavor than the pre-ground stuff.

Eight skewers. Metal or soaked wooden. Soaked means they won’t char while the chicken’s still raw. Metal’s easier because it heats up and cooks from the inside a bit.

How to Make Chicken Chorizo Olive Skewers

Put the chicken cubes in a bowl. Pour the olive oil over them. Add the crushed fennel, the pepper, curry powder, salt. Mix it until everything’s coated. This is where you wait — at least twenty minutes if you can. The spices need time to stick around. If you’re in a rush, skip it. It still works. Just tastes better when you wait.

While that’s going, get your skewers ready. Soak the wooden ones if you’re using them. Thread the chicken first. Then a slice of chorizo. Then an olive. Then chicken again. Keep going. Four chicken cubes per skewer. Six chorizo slices. Six olives. The spacing matters. Too tight and heat doesn’t reach the middle. Too loose and it falls off.

Fire up the grill until the grates actually glow. Sounds dramatic but you need real heat. Oil the grates with a paper towel held by tongs — soak the paper in oil first. That’s how you stop chicken from peeling off.

How to Get Chicken Chorizo Olive Skewers Perfectly Grilled

Lay the skewers directly over the heat. Listen. You want sizzling. You want to see sear marks forming. Four minutes per side. Maybe a bit longer. The chorizo fat renders out and smokes, and that smoke tastes sharp and rich and right.

You’re looking for color — actual brown crust — not just cooked through. That’s where the flavor is. Once both sides have color, move the skewers to the cooler side of the grill. Indirect heat. Close the lid. Let them go for another ten minutes or so. Just slow heat now, finishing the chicken inside.

Touch the chicken pieces. They should feel firm but have a little give. Press with your finger. If juice comes out clear, not pink, you’re done. Some people use a thermometer — 75 Celsius, 165 Fahrenheit. That works. But your hands know better after a few times.

Chicken Skewers with Green Olives and Chorizo — Tips and Mistakes

Don’t overcrowd the skewers. I said it but it’s the thing that kills it. Pieces touching means steam, not sear. The olives and chorizo stay soft instead of getting that slight char.

Fennel is easy to skip because it’s not a huge amount. Don’t. It’s the thing that makes people go “wait, what is that?” in a good way.

Chorizo breaks apart sometimes when you’re threading it. Thin slices help. If one tears, just use the next one. It happens.

The grill temperature matters more than time. If your grill isn’t hot enough, you get wet chicken. Pale. Wrong. Wait until those grates glow.

Metal skewers get hot. Use tongs. Your fingers will hurt.

Rinsing the olives is not optional. They come in salt and vinegar and if you don’t rinse them, that’s all anyone tastes.

Let them rest for like two minutes after they come off. Not because the meat needs it but because you need to not burn your mouth. They stay hot for a while.

Chicken Chorizo Olive Skewers Grilled

By Emma

Prep:

35 min

Cook:

20 min

Total:

55 min

Servings:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 700 g (1 ½ lb plus 1 oz) boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut in cubes (approx 34 cubes)
• 35 ml (2 ½ tbsp) olive oil
• 2 ml (¾ tsp) fennel seeds crushed
• 2 ml (¾ tsp) freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 ml (¾ tsp) curry powder
• 1 ml (⅓ tsp) kosher salt
• 34 thin slices spicy chorizo (about 1 cm thick)
• 34 pitted green olives rinsed well
• 8 metal or soaked wooden skewers
• Optional garnish quarters lemon
• Optional sauce tzatziki
• Optional sauce hummus

Method

1. 1 Toss chicken cubes in olive oil with crushed fennel, black pepper, curry powder, and salt until evenly coated. Let flavors marry for at least 20 minutes if time allows, can skip but more taste builds. Prepping skewers now is key to speed later.
2. 2 Thread each skewer with 4 chicken cubes, 6 chorizo slices, and 6 olives, alternating to keep a rhythm. Keep pieces compact but loose enough so heat circulates around for even cooking. Skip overcrowding—uneven, soggy bits ruin the mouthfeel.
3. 3 Fire up barbecue on high until grill grates glow red-hot. Oil grates well with paper towel soaked in oil held by tongs. Prevent chicken sticking, no peeling bits during flip.
4. 4 Place skewers directly over coals or burners. Listen for sizzling bursts, see sear lines forming. Grill 4 minutes per side (slightly longer than some recipes) to develop good color and sound. The crust from chorizo fat renders, smells sharp and smoky now.
5. 5 Move skewers to cooler side of grill for indirect cooking. Close lid, let them cook slower about 10 minutes total. Touch chicken pieces, they should feel firm but have a little bounce. Juice runs clear, never pink or sticky. Using a thermometer? Aim for 75°C (165°F) internal but trust your hands more after time.
6. 6 Remove skewers when chicken passes the tactile test and juices run clear. Rest them briefly on a tray or cutting board; the aromas rise, the meat pulls juicy without drying.
7. 7 Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over—brightens the richness. Offer tzatziki or hummus depending on mood and pantry. Feta crumbles or flatbread can be nice extras if you want to stray. Sometimes I add grilled veggies next time around, bell peppers or onions help balance the saltiness.
8. 8 Cleanup tip: soaked wooden skewers before threading to avoid charring. Metal skewers heat fast but better control flipping. Remember to always test chicken doneness via texture and juice, not time alone—grill temps vary wildly!

Nutritional information

Calories

430

Protein

38g

Carbs

3g

Fat

30g

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Frequently Asked Questions About Mediterranean Chicken Skewers

Can I make these ahead? Thread them in the morning. Keep them in the fridge. Grill whenever. The flavors just get more intense sitting there.

What if I don’t have fennel seeds? Skip it. The curry and pepper still work. You lose something subtle but the skewers don’t fall apart without it.

How do I know when the chicken is done? Press it. Firm with a little bounce. Juice runs clear. Don’t rely on color alone — chorizo is dark so the whole skewer looks done before the chicken actually is.

Can I use wooden skewers without soaking? They’ll char. Tastes a bit burnt. Soaking for thirty minutes prevents it. Not hard.

What’s good to serve with these? Lemon wedges. Squeeze them over. Tzatziki if you have it. Hummus works. Flatbread. Grilled bell peppers to balance the salt. Just other stuff to eat with them.

How long does prep actually take? Cutting chicken and threading — maybe fifteen minutes. The waiting is built in but you’re not standing there. More like thirty-five minutes total if you count the marinade time.