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Spiedie Chicken Kebabs

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These scrumptious spiedie chicken kebabs (pronounced speedie) are perfect for those following a paleo or whole30 plan and are loaded with flavor!

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Spiedies are a type of kebab that has been marinated in herbs and spices. They’re then skewered, grilled to perfection on all sides – resulting in juicy tenderness with flavorful spice!

Spiedies are traditionally made with chicken, pork, or lamb cubes or chunks, but you can even use shrimp or tofu! Yummmm! Spiedies were started in Binghamton, NY (home to Johnson State College) back in the 1930s at a restaurant named “Mario’s.”

They served these yummy morsels as a 10 cent snack, along with a slice of bread. Talk about a great deal at 5 to a pound for only half a dollar! The “spiedie” comes from the Italian word spiedo, meaning “skewer.”

chicken speedies

If you grew up anywhere near Binghamton, Buffalo, or Syracuse, NY, you probably had spiedies. I bet that if you are from upstate New York that no matter where you live now, you either grew up on spiedies or still enjoy them.

Spiedies are one of the most popular regional delicacies in the Northeast US. This popularity can be attributed to immigrants who brought their love for flavor-infused meat cubes with them when they settled here, creating this tasty treat that you’ll only find around these parts!

And while it has become a big tradition to eat spiedies while watching Binghamton Mets games at the stadium in Johnson City, people make these same kebabs for backyard get-togethers all year long.

These are great eaten alone or stuffed into pita pockets along with other veggies for an extra punch of flavor! Enjoy!!

We love the versatility of the recipe because it can be made several days ahead of time, it takes up very little space in the fridge and everyone loves them. This is actually a Whole30 Compliant remake of one of our favorite recipes Chicken Spiedies.

Speedie Chicken Kebabs aka Chicken Spiedies

You’ll Need:
2-1/2 pounds chicken, cubed
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons crushed dried mint or 1/4 cup of finely chopped Fresh Mint
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Veggies, Cut into Large Chunks:
Mushrooms
Bell Peppers (any color)
Red or Vidalia Onions
Cherry Tomatoes
6 shish kebab skewers.  If you’re using wooden skewers be sure to submerge and soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before skewering the meat. This helps to prevent the skewer from catching on fire or burning as the food cooks.

How to Make Spiedie Chicken Kebabs

Wash and cut the vegetables into large chunks. We like to use whatever happens to be in season at the time.

variety of vegetables cut into chunks

In a Ziploc bag, combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic, garlic salt, oregano, garlic salt, mint, basil, and black pepper, seal the bag and shake. If you prefer to use a sealed container, that’s fine too. Usually, we’re camping when we make these, so we try to keep dishes to a minimum. At this point, the marinating chicken can be frozen for use at a later date!

Add the raw chicken chunks into the marinade. Seal, remove as much air as possible, and shake well, to completely cover the pieces. Refrigerate for at least four hours or up to three days.

To prepare, alternate pieces of raw marinated chicken on the skewers with various veggies such as fresh mushrooms, bell pepper chunks (red, yellow, green, etc), jalapeno pepper chunks (if you’re daring!), red or Vidalia onion pieces. Place them on a HOT grill, cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, rotating to ensure all sides cook evenly.

raw chicken spiedie skewers on hot grill

They cook rather quickly, so we recommend using a grill mat to ensure even cooking without worrying about them burning. I can’t begin to describe how utterly delicious and easy these are to make.

chicken spiedie kebabs cooking on grill

speedie chicken kebabs
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Chicken Spiedies

Budget101.com by Melissa 'Liss' Burnell
Spiedies are cubes of marinated meat that are flavored with herbs and spices. They're skewered and grilled. Meat becomes tender and flavorful as a result of absorbing all the juices.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 27 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Servings 6
Calories 562 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Veggies, Cut into Large Chunks:

Instructions
 

  • 6 shish kebab skewers (if you’re using wooden skewers be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning).
  • In a ziploc bag combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic, garlic salt, oregano, garlic salt, mint, basil, and black pepper, seal the bag, then shake to mix.
  • Add the raw chicken chunks into the marinade. Seal, removing as much air as possible and shake well, to completely cover the pieces.
  • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 3 days.

Prepare the Skewers

  • Alternate pieces of raw marinated chicken on skewers with large chunks of a variety of fresh vegetables.
  • Place them on a HOT grill, cook about 3-4 minutes per side, rotating to ensure even cooking on all sides.

Equipment

Recipe Size Alteration Note

If you altered the ingedients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cooking/baking time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 562kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 19gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 32gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1047mgPotassium: 520mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 966IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 3mgNet Carbs: 7g
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