My new favorite ingredient? Bourbon. You can use it for everything, from steaks and burgers to cookies and pies. And of course, it goes great with my all-time favorite ingredient: bacon. Pair those two magical ingredients with some BBQ sauce and chicken and prepare to be amazed.
Have you ever heard of bacon paste? This stuff will change your life. It was the perfect way to add some bacon flavor to this crazy-good sauce.
I love cooking on the grill, especially this time of year in Florida. We have been having gorgeous weather lately, perfect for cookouts and bonfires.
We eat a lot of chicken, so it can get boring after awhile. Every now and then I need to mix it up with something really different. I’m excited to add this recipe to my arsenal! It was so easy to make, and I’ll definitely be making it again soon.
Kebobs are the perfect thing to make for a party or get-together. They are easy to throw together and you can grill lots of them all at once. Serve them with some rice and grilled veggies.

Bourbon Bacon BBQ Chicken Kebobs
Ingredients
- 16 oz BBQ Sauce
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 6 slices of raw bacon, cut into small pieces
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
Instructions
- Light the grill and heat to medium high.
- In a medium bowl, combine the BBQ sauce and bourbon. Reserve 1/4 of this sauce to serve with the chicken. Set aside.
- Combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, brown sugar and bacon pieces in a food processor and blend into a paste.
- Add the paste to the BBQ sauce and mix well.
- Dump the chicken pieces into the remaining sauce and coat well.
- Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers (I used metal, but if you use wooden skewers make sure to pre-soak them).
- Place the kebobs on the preheated grill. Cook 5 minutes on each side, coating with more sauce each time you flip them.
- Cook for 1 additional minute on each side or until done.
- Serve with reserved sauce.
What is your favorite bourbon recipe?
The Golden Vlog: Christmas Edition!
Another month has already flown by, and I’m joining Faith from Life w/ Mrs. G. & The Artist and friends for The Golden Vlog. This month we are talking about all things Christmas! Have fun watching and be sure to click the button to link up your video.
Sarah @ 12 Twenty Seven says
Welllll those kabobs sound amazing and I’m definitely checking out bacon paste! I’m super bummed that I can’t watch your vlog right now but I promise I’ll be back later! 😉
Jenna Brussee says
Please do! I loved watching your vlog this month. And you should try this recipe sometime. Bacon paste is sent from heaven!
Stephanie @Sustaining the Powe says
Basically all of these things are my favorites in one dish. I can’t wait to try it! One question though: you put raw bacon into the bacon paste and then add it to the sauce that you serve with the chicken. Is it okay to eat raw bacon? Also, I’m jealous of your cookout weather in December.
Jenna Brussee says
The recipe for bacon paste that I found said it was alright, but if you are worried about it you could just coat the chicken before you cook it, and throw out the rest of the sauce.
Jenna Brussee says
I actually just updated the recipe, just in case! I didn’t have a problem with it, but didn’t want anyone to get sick if the recipe I found wasn’t trustworthy.
Stephanie @Sustaining the Powe says
So your answer got me curious about eating uncooked bacon, so I did some research. The general concensus, and FDA Safety guide says that apparently you can eat some types of bacon out of the package, but it needs to be slow cured (which is really just cooked at that point). The good stuff is prepared ready to eat at the charcuterie quality. Most grocery bacons aren’t though, they’re just injected with flavorings, so you would want to cook it first. Chefs will often buy uncured bacon and cure it themselves. This explains why restaurant bacon is sometimes way more incredible than what we can buy.
Jenna Brussee says
Thank you! That is really good to know. I decide to change it to be on the safe side since most people might not be able to get the right kind.
Rebekah says
O.M. Goodness!! My husband will love this recipe! He is a grilling fan, he loves to experiment there…I’m sure this wil be a hit at our house.
I’ve never heard of bacon paste, but I bet it makes everything taste better. 🙂
Jenna Brussee says
These were so good! I really liked the combination of bacon, bourbon and BBQ.
Miz Helen says
Your Bourbon Bacon BBQ Chicken Kebobs look awesome! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a very special Christmas week!
Miz Helen
Jenna Brussee says
Thanks, Miz Helen! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.