Chicken and halloumi skewers are colourful, delicious and super easy to cook whether you are grilling indoors or on a BBQ. Serve with simple sides for an easy family dinner.
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I’m a bit obsessed with halloumi cheese. I’d happily just sit and eat it on its own with a yummy chilli dip. But I typically try to use it in meals.
I love things like mushroom and halloumi burgers and halloumi stir fry, but the combination of halloumi and chicken is always fantastic.
This recipe for chicken and halloumi skewers is a fabulous family dinner, perfect for weekend BBQs and quick midweek dinners.
Why I Love Chicken and Halloumi Skewers
This chicken and halloumi skewers recipe ticks pretty much all of my family dinner boxes! I love them because:
- There are lots of different colours and textures.
- They are super easy to make.
- The spice mix is delicious, but you can use different spices or a ready-made mix if you prefer. Peri peri chicken and halloumi kebabs would be fantastic.
- You can add different veggies.
- You could skip the chicken for a veggie option.
- They’re ready fast and don’t take much prep.
- Chicken thighs are cheap and tasty.
- Grilled chicken and veg are really healthy.
Ingredients for Chicken and Halloumi Skewers
I make my own Mexican-style spice mix for Mexican chicken skewers. It’s actually the same mix I use for my fajita traybake and pasta. If you prefer, you could use a store-bought spice mix. Something like piri piri or Cajun would be really nice. Just mix 2 tablespoons with some oil and toss with your chopped chicken.
For the Mexican Spice Mix:
For my Mexican spice mix, I use:
Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil is excellent, but use whatever you’ve got. Other cooking oils are fine, too.
Paprika
Oregano
Coriander
Cumin
Chilli Powder
Smoked Paprika
Salt and Pepper
For the Halloumi and Chicken Skewers:
When it comes to threading the skewers, I use:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Fillets – I toss in the spice mix for 10 minutes before threading.
Halloumi
Peppers – Red pepper is popular, but I use whatever I have.
Onions
Can You Add Different Veggies?
Yes, of course! Different coloured peppers and things like courgettes and aubergines would work well.
Can You Make Chicken and Halloumi Skewers with Chicken Breasts?
Yes. I love boneless, skinless thighs. They are nice and moist, full of flavour and typically cheaper than breasts. But you can use any boneless skinless chicken for your chicken and halloumi skewers.
Can You Use a Different Spice Mix on Halloumi Kebabs?
Yep. Peri-peri and Cajun are perfect. You could also use a premade Mexican spice mix or a tablespoon of paprika or smoked paprika instead of any kind of mix.
How to Make Chicken and Halloumi Skewers – Step-by-Step Instructions
You can also get the full recipe and quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Disclaimer: While I aim to be as accurate as possible, any advice in this post, including but not limited to, cooking times, quantities, nutritional information and storage and freezing guidance is based on my own experience. Please use your own skills, knowledge and judgement, and get up to date food safety information.
Step One – Soak the Skewers
If you are using wooden skewers (you can use reusable ones if you have them), soak them in cold water for about 30 minutes before threading the ingredients onto them. This will prevent them from burning under the grill.
Step Two – Make the Spice Mix
Stir the spices, herbs and salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
Step Three – Chop the Chicken
Chop the chicken into bites (around 2-3cm) and place in a large bowl.
Step Four – Marinade
Pour in a tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of the spice mix and stir it well. Leave in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
Step Five – Chop
Chop the halloumi and peppers into 2-3 cm bites and the onion into 8s.
Step Six – Thread the Skewers
You should have enough for about 8 fairly full skewers. Thread either randomly or in a pattern. I tend to go with pepper, onion, halloumi, and chicken to start with and then just add leftover bits to the bottoms.
Step Seven – Prepare to Grill
Place the skewers on a baking tray (I spray with a little cooking spray first, but it’s not essential). Try to leave a little space between them so they can cook evenly.
Step Eight
Grill the skewers on medium heat for 10 minutes on each side, turning carefully.
You might find that a lot of liquid comes out of your veggies and halloumi. If so, try to drain some off halfway through when you turn the skewers over.
Step Nine
Make sure the chicken is piping hot and cooked through (I recommend ripping the biggest bit off and chopping it in half) before serving. You can grill for a little longer if necessary.
How Do You Add Halloumi to Skewers without it Breaking?
Halloumi tends to split and break, making it hard to thread onto a skewer.
I wouldn’t chop any smaller than 1cm. Bigger is better, and just take your time. Some will split. Just do your best.
Can You BBQ Chicken and Halloumi Skewers?
Halloumi BBQ skewers are fabulous! You could do these skewers either on the BBQ or home grill. Just make sure the chicken is cooked before serving.
If you do them on the BBQ, you might want to just start them off in the oven to make sure the chicken is well cooked.
I’ve got a cute little lotus grill (affiliate link).
What to Serve with Chicken and Halloumi Skewers
I like to serve my skewers with a range of sides so everyone gets their favourites. We typically have pitta bread or wraps, Mexican rice, and salad. Chips or wedges, coleslaw and corn on the cob are also delicious and perfect for a BBQ.
They are quite juicy, so I don’t think you need a sauce.
What to do with Leftover Mexican Spice Mix
This recipe makes a pretty big portion of Mexican spice mix, and you only need around 2 tablespoons.
I save the rest in a sealed tub (I use an old spice jar) and use it on fajitas and tacos.
Other Chicken and Halloumi Recipes
If you love chicken and halloumi as much as I do, you might also want to try:
- Chicken and Halloumi Pasta
- Chicken and Halloumi Salad
- Pasta Bake
- Chicken and Halloumi Traybake
- Easy Chicken and Halloumi Wraps
- Chicken and Halloumi Burgers
Chicken and Halloumi Skewers
Ingredients
For the Spice Mix:
- 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Oregano
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- Pinch Salt and pepper
For the Skewers:
- 600 g Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Fillets (Chopped into 2-3cm bites)
- 2 Peppers (Deseeded and chopped into 2-3cm bites)
- 1 Large Red Onion (Peeled and chopped into 8 chunks and separated into slices)
- 225 g Halloumi Cheese (Chopped into 1-2cm cubes)
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Soak 8 wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.
- Stir the spices, herbs and salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl.
- Pour in a tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of the spice mix and stir it well. Leave in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
- Thread the chicken, halloumi and veggies onto the skewers in a pattern.
- Spray a large baking tray with cooking spray and place the skewers on, leaving a little space between them.
- Grill the skewers on medium heat for 10 minutes on each side, turning carefully.
- You might find that a lot of liquid comes out of your veggies and halloumi. If so, try to drain some off halfway through when you turn the skewers over.
- Make sure the chicken is piping hot and cooked through (I recommend ripping the biggest bit off and chopping it in half) before serving. You can grill for a little longer if necessary.
Notes
- Read the post above for more tips and advice.
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
