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 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”.

Pinchos are originated in the Basque country of northern Spain however they were called “pintxos” and were considered small tapas or appetizers in local bars.

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 place of arroz con frijoles.

You can’t go wrong either way!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bold Cuban Flavors. What makes these pinchos de pollo Cuban 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.

• Guava BBQ sauce. One of my favorite homemade recipes using guava is this barbeque sauce. Sure, you can use any bbq sauce you’d like but I gotta say, this sweet & tangy guava bbq sauce really is the cherry on top of this recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Sour orange juice (naranja agria). This is the main character of this recipe. I recommend making homemade sour orange juice. All you need is orange zest, 1 cup of fresh orange juice, 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice. You can also buy store-bought naranja agria (sour orange juice).

• Neutral oil. You want to use an oil with a high smoke point. I’ve used vegetable oil in the past but you can also use canola oil. I don’t recommend olive oil for this recipe.

• Minced garlic. 3-4 cloves are fine but if you’re a garlic lover, feel free to add more!

• Sazon completa. My own homemade Cuban spice blend is a complete seasoning of ground coriander, ground annatto, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.

• Salt + pepper to taste. Adjust as needed.

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I used chicken thighs since they are way more flavorful for this recipe.

Recommended For This Recipe

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!

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Step-By-Step Instructions

• Make the sour orange marinade. In a bowl, whisk together the oil, sour orange juice, garlic, complete seasoning, annatto, cumin, salt + pepper to taste. This is your marinade. Set aside.

• 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.

• Marinate the chicken. Toss and massage the chicken pieces really well with the marinade. Place the resealable bag in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight).

• Thread the chicken into the skewers. 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.

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

• Brush the chicken with guava bbq sauce. Place the skewers on the oiled grates. Grill for 3 minutes then flip them over and brush with bbq sauce.

• Continue to cook. Grill for another 2 minutes, flip again, and brush them again with the bbq sauce. 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.

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

• Sliced crusty bread
• White rice
• Black beans
• Yellow rice
• Moros
• Sweet Plantains
• Tostones

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.

Pinchos De Pollo (Easy Cuban-Style Chicken Skewers)

5 from 5 votes

By: Jamie Silva

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!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Marinating Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Latin

Servings 6 servings

Equipment

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

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

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Instructions

 

• In a bowl, whisk together the oil, sour orange juice, garlic, sazon completa, salt + pepper to taste. This is your marinade. Set aside.
• 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.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grill grates to keep the chicken pinchos from sticking.
• 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.
• 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!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 316 kcalCarbohydrates: 13 gProtein: 30 gFat: 16 gSaturated Fat: 2 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4 gMonounsaturated Fat: 8 gTrans Fat: 0.1 gCholesterol: 144 mgSodium: 561 mgPotassium: 477 mgFiber: 0.3 gSugar: 10 gVitamin A: 132 IUVitamin C: 11 mgCalcium: 28 mgIron: 1 mg

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