• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cookin Canuck
  • Recipe Index
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Cooking 101
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Quick&Easy
  • Instant Pot
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Quick&Easy
    • Instant Pot
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Entrees » Poultry Recipes

    Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce Recipe

    Published: Jul 30, 2014 · Modified: Mar 30, 2021 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 11 Comments

    116Shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Summer entertaining was never easier than with this make-ahead menu, including healthy and tasty Spiced Chicken Skewers with an Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce. Thank you to California Avocados for helping me to share these ideas with you.
    Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce Recipe | cookincanuck.com #healthy #entertaining

    Every summer we eat as many meals "al fresco" as we possibly can. We're lucky that our back patio is shaded in the afternoon and evening so that we can enjoy dinner in relative coolness while gazing at the Wasatch Mountains.

    When entertaining, I prefer to serve everything family-style so that our guests can help themselves and go back for seconds and thirds whenever they like. And honestly, it's a heck of a lot easier than serving everything from the kitchen, plate by plate.

    Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce Recipe | cookincanuck.com #healthy #entertaining

    With the help of California Avocados, we whipped up an avocado-focused meal. Really, I don't need any encouragement to cook with avocados. What's not to love about the creamy, healthy fruit?! That being said, I have to admit that the avocado-colored napkins, avocado table runner and the awesome California Avocado-branded Weber grill definitely got me in the mood.

    Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce Recipe | cookincanuck.com #healthy #entertaining

    It's been pretty hot here, so we wanted to keep the meal really light, with dishes that could mostly be made ahead of time. I've learned over the years that the less that I have to cook when my guests arrive, the less stressed I am...that means that EVERYONE has more fun.

    This was the menu:

    • Mini Avocado & Hummus Quesadillas (these are great for afternoon snacks, too)
    • Water flavored with lemon, lime and peach slices + other beverages
    • Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce (see recipe below)...the sauce can be made a few hours ahead of time
    • Ultimate Summer Salad with Dill Buttermilk Dressing
    • Shrimp, Corn & California Avocado Pasta Salad...I used cheese tortellini this time
    • Grilled Corn
    • Tart Cherry & Coconut Milk Popsicles (our favorite Blueberry Swirl Ice Cream Pie with Hazelnut Crust would be another great option)

    Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce Recipe | cookincanuck.com #healthy #entertaining

    What could be made ahead? Virtually everything!

    Make-ahead guide:

    • Quesadillas: Assemble ahead of time; cook just before serving
    • Flavored waters: Cut the fruit and place in carafes ahead of time; pour in water and ice before serving
    • Spiced chicken skewers with avocado sauce: Place the chicken on skewers and make avocado sauce ahead of time; cook chicken before serving
    • Ultimate summer salad: Make everything ahead of time; dress the salad before serving
    • Pasta salad: Make the entire thing ahead of time; chill until ready to serve
    • Grilled corn: Remove silks ahead of time; cook before serving
    • Popsicles or Blueberry Ice Cream Pie: Make ahead of time

    Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce Recipe | cookincanuck.com #healthy #entertaining

    So, let's talk about these skewers and the sauce (oh, the sauce!). I actually stole the idea for the sauce from my own Chilled California Avocado Soup with Coconut Milk recipe. "Lite" coconut milk is such a great way to add extra creaminess to a sauce or soup without going overboard on the fat content (and there are plenty of "good" fats in California avocados...did you know they're cholesterol-free?) I happened to have a can of diced green chiles in my pantry and thought they might be happy to be blended all together with some avocado and seasonings. They were!

    Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce Recipe | cookincanuck.com #healthy #entertaining

    For the chicken skewers, I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they always stay juicy and tender when grilled. Cut into pieces, toss with olive oil and spices and thread on skewers until it's time to cook. Easy peasy!

    Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce Recipe | cookincanuck.com #healthy #entertaining

    If you have any tried-and-true summer entertaining tips, I would love to hear them in the comments below!

    Spiced Chicken Skewers with Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce Recipe

    Summer entertaining was never easier than with this make-ahead menu, including healthy and tasty Spiced Chicken Skewers with an Avocado Chile Coconut Sauce.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entrees
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Poultry Recipes
    Prep Time: 27 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 8 Servings
    Calories: 193kcal
    Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

    Ingredients

    The sauce:

    • 1 California avocado peeled, pitted & chopped
    • 2 ounces diced green chiles canned
    • ⅓ cup lite coconut milk
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 1 garlic clove minced
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    The Chicken:

    • 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed & cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
    • 2 teaspoons olive oil
    • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place 8 wooden skewers in a large baking dish filled with hot water. Soak for at least 30 minutes.

    The Sauce:

    • In a blender, combine the avocado, chiles, coconut milk, water, garlic, lime juice and salt. Puree until smooth.

    The Chicken:

    • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
    • Place the chicken into a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper.
    • Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers.
    • Place on the grill and cook until the chicken is just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
    • Serve the chicken skewers with the avocado sauce.

    Notes

    From the kitchen of Cookin' Canuck | cookincanuck.com

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Skewer + 2 tablespoon Sauce | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 412mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 3.5mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1.2mg
    Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

    Disclosure: This post was sponsored by California Avocados, plus they provided me with an entertaining pack and some gorgeous avocados. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Signature

    116Shares
    « Grilled Teriyaki Shrimp Recipe
    Whole Wheat Strawberry Oat Bars Recipe »

    Want more easy, healthy recipes?

    Subscribe to get the recipes sent straight to your inbox.

      We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Diane

        August 06, 2014 at 12:53 pm

        What a delicious party!!! I can't wait to make this chicken, it looks so great.

        Reply
      2. Kristen

        August 03, 2014 at 1:16 pm

        The weather has been amazing this summer... we haven't taken advantage of that nearly as much as we should with outdoor eating!

        Reply
      3. Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily

        July 31, 2014 at 11:58 am

        What a gorgeous table! I love these chicken skewers, so flavorful and healthy.

        Reply
      4. averagebetty

        July 31, 2014 at 10:43 am

        I want to come visit! And bathe in that sauce... YUM

        Reply
      5. Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes

        July 31, 2014 at 7:56 am

        I love entertaining at this time of year. Chicken is always a hit! I love the idea of coconut in this recipe.

        Reply
      6. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl

        July 30, 2014 at 6:40 pm

        We actually had people over for dinner and ate outside this evening - it was wonderful!! Wishing I had this avocado sauce though - it looks to die for!!

        Reply
      7. Tywana

        July 30, 2014 at 5:37 pm

        Recipe sounds amazing, will be trying it. We've used the same BBQ for a couple of years now, absolutely love it. Of course our propane assist charcoal one is my favorite but this one is a whole lot quicker.

        Reply
        • Dara

          July 30, 2014 at 9:02 pm

          Tywana! It's so good to hear from you! My parents are here visiting right now and we were all thrilled to see your comment. Yes, there is definitely something to be said for the flavor from charcoal, but I do love the ease of a gas grill.

          Reply
      8. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness

        July 30, 2014 at 2:44 pm

        I am seriously drooling all over my keyboard at the thought of these.
        Sorry if that's TMI. That avocado chile coconut sauce sounds AMAZING! Pinned!

        Reply
      9. Rachel Cooks

        July 30, 2014 at 1:11 pm

        Those skewers look so perfect! And the sauce sounds amazing!

        Reply
      10. Christine at Cook the Story

        July 30, 2014 at 7:37 am

        I love how easy it is to make these ahead of time. Perfect for entertaining!

        Reply

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      Primary Sidebar

      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • Twitter
      Photo of Dara Michalski.

      Hi there! Welcome to Cookin' Canuck.

      I'm Dara, a Canadian living in the U.S. and sharing my favorite healthy recipes. My cooking motto is that healthy eating never needs to be boring!

      More about me →

      Popular

      • Strawberry Nice Cream
      • Lemon Orzo Salad
      • Sautéed Corn, Zucchini & Blistered Tomatoes Recipe
      • Grilled Halloumi Cheese Recipe

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      About

      • Meet Dara
      • Contact
      • Work With Me
      • FAQ
      • Privacy Policy

      Newsletter

      • Sign Up! for emails and updates

      Recipes

      • All Recipes
      • Main Dishes
      • Instant Pot Recipes
      • 30-Minute Meals

      I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

      Copyright © 2022 Cookin' Canuck