Kick off grilling season with a total game-changer: Buffalo Rosemary Chicken Skewers. By swapping standard sticks for sturdy rosemary sprigs, you infuse the meat with a woodsy aroma from the inside out. Marinated in a buttery buffalo sauce with a splash of apple juice for balance, these skewers are the perfect mix of spicy, tangy, and herbal flavors.

Rosemary skewered chicken served on a white platter with dipping sauce viewed from overhead

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love These Skewers

As the chicken hits the grill, the fresh rosemary sprigs release their essential oils, adding great flavor to the meat from the inside out. It’s a total conversation starter that tastes even better than it looks.

  • Perfect for Entertaining: These look high-end but take very little effort to prep.
  • Unique Presentation: Swapping wood for herbs makes these a standout centerpiece.
  • Built-in Flavor: The rosemary infuses a woodsy aroma directly into the chicken.

The Secret to the Buffalo Marinade

The sauce is the backbone of this recipe, and it’s all about balance.

  • The Heat: Buffalo sauce provides that classic spicy kick.
  • The Sweet: A splash of apple juice cuts the vinegar and adds a subtle sweetness.
  • The Richness: Melted butter helps the marinade cling to every inch of the chicken.
  • The Earthiness: Fresh rosemary ties the spice to the woodsy grill flavors.
A closeup showing the buffalo chicken grill marks and fresh rosemary sprigs

Which Protein Should You Use?

While I usually reach for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you have plenty of options:

  • Chicken Swap: Use skinless chicken thighs if you prefer a juicier, richer bite.
  • Firm Fish: Salmon or halibut work beautifully with rosemary stems.
  • Steak Bites: Sirloin or ribeye can also handle the bold buffalo and herb combo.

Quick Tip: If you choose fish, keep a close eye on the heat! Fish cooks much faster than chicken, so pull them off the grill a few minutes early to keep them tender.

How to Make Rosemary Skewers

Using herbs as your hardware is easier than it looks! The key is picking the right “tools” from your garden or the grocery store.

  • Select Sturdy Stems: Look for thick, woody rosemary sprigs. You want them firm enough to thread through the chicken without snapping.
  • Prep the Sprigs: Strip the leaves off the bottom two-thirds of the stem, leaving a decorative tuft at the top. This gives you a clean ‘handle’ and a sharp point for skewering.
  • The Pre-Drill Trick: If your chicken is thick, use a metal skewer or toothpick to poke a small hole first. This makes it much easier to slide the rosemary stem through.
  • Get Those Grill Marks: Once threaded, place them over direct heat. Not only do the stems infuse flavor from the inside out, but you’ll get those beautiful, charred grill marks that make these look professional.

Pro Tip: Don’t throw away those extra rosemary leaves you stripped off! Chop them up and toss them into the marinade or sprinkle them over your blue cheese dipping sauce for an extra pop of color.

How to Keep Your Rosemary From Burning

Let’s be honest – nobody wants a mini brush fire on their grill! Rosemary is hardy, but those delicate leaves can catch flame if you aren’t careful. Here’s how to keep them green and aromatic:

  • Indirect Heat: If you’re using a gas grill, turn off one burner and let the rosemary ‘handles’ sit over the cool side while the chicken sears over the heat.
  • The Off-the-Edge Method: This is my favorite trick. Simply hang the leafy ends of the sprigs off the edge of the grill grates so they aren’t sitting directly over the flames.
  • The Foil Shield: If your grill is too small to hang them off the edge, just wrap the exposed leafy tops in a little piece of aluminum foil. It acts as a heat shield while the chicken cooks.
Pieces of chicken coated in buffalo sauce skewered onto fresh rosemary sprigs lying on a square white plate


Indoor Grilling & Broiling Options

Don’t let a rainy day or a lack of an outdoor grill/BBQ stop you from making these! You can get that same charred, smoky vibe right in your kitchen.

  • The Foil Shield: When broiling, the heat comes from the top down. Be sure to wrap the leafy ends of your rosemary in a bit of foil so they stay fresh and green while the chicken gets that perfect golden char.
  • Stovetop Grill Pan: This is your best friend for indoor cooking. It delivers those iconic grill marks and, since you have more control over the flame, there’s almost zero risk of the rosemary catching fire.
  • The Oven Broiler (Grill if you’re in the UK): If you don’t have a grill pan, the broiler works wonders. Just place your skewers on a sheet pan and keep a close eye on them.

Hosting Tip: If you’re cooking for a crowd, using the oven broiler is actually faster because you can fit all the skewers on one large baking sheet!

Can I Use Regular Skewers Instead?

You can, but you’ll be missing out on a lot of the magic!

The Trade-off: While the chicken will still be tasty, you’ll lose that built-in herbal infusion. Plus, let’s be real – wooden sticks don’t exactly get the “oohs and aahs” from guests like a fresh rosemary skewer does. Just sayin’!

  • The Substitution: If you’re out of rosemary, standard metal or wooden skewers will work just fine.
  • The Soak Rule: If you go with wood, remember to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before hitting the flames to prevent them from snapping or burning.
  • The Trade-off: While the chicken will still be tasty, you’ll lose that built-in herbal infusion. Plus, let’s be real – wooden sticks don’t exactly get the “oohs and aahs” from guests like a fresh rosemary skewer does. Just sayin’!

Want the Flavor Without the Stem?

If you have to use regular skewers, try finely chopping some fresh rosemary and adding it directly into the buffalo marinade so you don’t miss out on those earthy notes.

Buffalo Rosemary Chicken Skewers step-by-step

Whisking buffalo sauce, melted butter and fresh rosemary
  1. Whisk the buffalo sauce, melted butter and rosemary in medium bowl.


2. To a ziptop bag, place chicken pieces and mix with ⅔ of the marinade and mix to coat. Seal the bag and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Marinating chicken pieces
Threading chicken onto rosemary skewers

3. Thread the chicken pieces on to rosemary sprigs.

4. Grill the chicken on each side.

Grilling chicken skewers
Brushing grilling chicken with marinade

5. Brush with the rest of the marinade.

What to Serve with you Skewers

What goes better with buffalo sauce than blue cheese? It’s the ultimate cool-down for that spicy kick.

I always pair these with my Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing. It’s thick, tangy, and – best of all – the easiest recipe you’ll ever make. If you aren’t a fan of blue cheese, a cool ranch or even a creamy avocado dip works beautifully here, too.

Platter Idea: To really make the colors pop for your backyard gathering, serve these skewers on a big platter lined with extra rosemary sprigs and plenty of fresh celery and carrot sticks on the side!

Dipping a buffalo rosemary chicken skewer into blue cheese sauce

More Buffalo Recipes to Try

If you love  that tangy, spicy kick as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to add these to your rotation:

A beef burger in a bun with coleslaw and buffalo sauce
A warm buffalo chicken salad on a white rectangle plate
A crispy Panko breaded chicken tender served with a spicy blue cheese sauce
6 pieces of grilled chicken on rosemary skewers
5 from 14 reviews

Buffalo Rosemary Chicken Skewers

Janette
Classic buffalo chicken is skewered onto fresh rosemary sprigs for a pretty presentation and little infusion of rosemary, served with a delicious blue cheese dipping sauce.
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 4 minutes
Servings: 16
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Ingredients
 

  • 16 rosemary sprigs
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • ½ cup (118 ml) hot sauce buffalo sauce
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) apple juice
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 pound (453 grams) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
  • Blue cheese dressing

Instructions
 

  • Remove about ⅓ of the rosemary from the end of the sprigs. Finely chop the rosemary for the sauce.
  • To a mixing bowl, add the hot sauce, apple juice, melted butter, chopped rosemary and salt and pepper to taste, mix well.
  • Add the chicken to a sealable bag or dish with a lid. Pour ⅔ of the hot sauce mixture over the chicken and mix well. Seal and refrigerate for 1 hour up to 24 hours. Set the other ⅓ of the sauce aside.
  • Once the chicken has marinated, pat the pieces dry with a paper towel.
  • Take a sprig of the rosemary and skewer the 2 pieces of chicken, repeat with the rest of the chicken.
  • Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat.
  • Brush the chicken with olive oil and grill.
  • Turn the chicken after 2 minutes and brush the grilled side with reserved hot sauce (do not use the marinade).
  • When the chicken is cooked on the second side transfer to a plate and brush with more hot sauce.
  • Serve hot with blue cheese dressing.
  • This recipe yields 16 skewers with 2 pieces of chicken on each skewer.
Serving: 1, Calories: 126kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 161mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g
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