Chicken Pintxo is a Spanish tapas that’s full of flavor and great party food. My family loves tapas because it’s a fun and delicious way to try a variety of dishes in small bites. This past weekend, I threw my husband a tapas party for his birthday. Chicken Pintxo was one of the nine tapas dishes I made that evening, and it was one of the favorites from our dinner. Served with Red Chimichurri Sauce on top, these little bites are packed with flavor.
Pintxo are a type of tapas that are usually served on a skewer or toothpick, often with a piece of bread on the bottom. Sometimes pintxo are called pincho or pinchu. It’s traditionally eaten as bar food in a social setting.
The key ingredient in chicken pintxo is Spanish smoked paprika. Spanish smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices. It’s a key ingredient in this recipe and many other Spanish recipes such as paella and Spanish octopus tapas. Smoked paprika used to be hard to find, but now you can find it in the regular supermarket.
In addition to Spanish smoked paprika, the marinade for chicken pintxo includes oregano, cumin, garlic, parsley and olive oil. Marinating the chicken overnight in this spice mixture is important for best flavor.
Soak bamboo skewers for 30 minutes before grilling time to keep them from burning on the grill.
Another trick I use when grilling chicken is to line a baking sheet with foil and oil it, and lay the chicken on top. Then I slide the entire sheet of foil, with the chicken, onto the hot grill. The chicken doesn’t stick to the grill, and cleanup is a cinch.
Serve these chicken pintxo as is,
or top with some red chimichurri sauce to brighten up the flavor and add some contrast.
These chicken pintxo are fun for a party or summer barbecue.
Chicken Pintxo
Ingredients
- 1.8 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into 1" pieces
- 1 tablespoon Spanish smoked paprika mild
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons parsley minced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
For Serving
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to coat chicken pieces. Cover and let marinade overnight in refrigerator.
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Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Skewer chicken pieces.
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Grill for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through.
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Serve with Red Chimichurri Sauce, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Humble Crumble
Perfect for the bbq season! Love that marinade and ease of preparation too. Thanks, Jeanette, for another delicious and healthy treat!
It’s been a long winter, so I’m looking forward to grilling season – smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices – adds so much flavor.
Is this a Spanish recipe or Latin American. Chimichurri is from Argentina?
The pintxo is Spanish; the chimichurri is Latin American – so a fusion recipe 🙂
wow! it looks really delicious i wonder if i can add beef instead of chicken? will it mess up the recipe or it will be great too ? like you did with chicken!
This should work fine with beef as well
Absolutely the best thing on my tapas dinner. Marinated for 24 hours. Sooo tender and juicy. Served with home made mojo sauce. Deeelicious!
So glad you enjoyed these for your tapas dinner!