Sweet, tangy and no grill needed! These incredibly easy chicken skewers are perfect for a delicious weeknight meal!

Love chicken skewers but are just a tad intimidated by the grill? (Guilty…) Or maybe the weather just sucks today but you’re dying for a good kabob! Either way you slice it babe, I’ve got you covered with these incredibly easy baked cranberry bbq chicken skewers!
Ingredients
- Chicken tenders: The main component of this dish! They’re moist, tender and incredibly juicy too!
- Whole cranberry sauce: Adds sweetness and gives your skewers a fun “holiday” vibe. (I used canned cranberry sauce for this recipe but you can also use one that’s homemade too! This would be a great way to use up your leftover sauce after Thanksgiving. 😉 )
- Bbq sauce: Adds so much flavor and and is such a great contrast to the sweet cranberries. (I love using Stubbs Sweet Heat bbq sauce for this recipe because it adds just a little bit of spice! Feel free to use your favorite bbq sauce though!)
- Red onion: Compliments the tangy bbq sauce and adds some texture to your skewers.

What kind of chicken should I use?
I love using chicken tenders for this recipe because they take less time to cook and they’re a little bit cheaper too. (Plus they don’t require as much cutting so prep time for these is a breeze.) That being said, you can also use chicken breasts or thighs too! Below are the cooking times for each!
- Chicken tenders: 15-20 minutes
- Chicken breasts or thighs: 20-25 minutes

How to bake skewers in the oven
It really doesn’t get any easier than this babes!
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the chicken tenders into 1 inch pieces and add them to a large bowl. Season them with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix your cranberry sauce and bbq sauce together and pour it over the chicken pieces. Give them a good stir to make sure they’re fully coated.
- Thread the chicken pieces and sliced onion onto your skewers and place them on a broiler pan that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Can I grill these skewers instead?
Absolutely! Ok so maybe your not one of the people that gets freaked out by the word “grill”… (Lucky you! 😉 ) Because these skewers are absolutely delicious on the barbecue too!
- Follow the same directions for preparing the skewers. (If using wooden skewers, just make sure to soak them for 30 minutes – 1 hour before threading them. I personally prefer using metal skewers for these but that’s just me.)
- Heat your grill to medium heat (around 400 degrees) and spray it with non-stick cooking spray once it’s hot.
- Place your prepared skewers on the grill and cook for 15-20 minutes, turning once half way through.
- Baste the skewers with your remaining sauce right before taking them off the grill and serve them immediately!
I hope you all love these easy baked cranberry bbq chicken skewers just as much as we do! Let me know if you try them!
More recipe like this:
- Grilled Jerk Chicken Kabobs
- BBQ Turkey Meatballs
- Easy Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema
[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!]
Oven Baked Cranberry BBQ Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken tenders, cut into 1 inch pieces*
- 1½ cup canned whole cranberry sauce (or homemade cranberry sauce)
- ¾ cup bbq sauce (I used Stubbs sweet heat sauce)
- 1 medium red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the chicken pieces to a large bowl and season them with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, mix your cranberry sauce and bbq sauce together and pour ½-¾ of the sauce over your chicken pieces. (Give the chicken a good stir to make sure they're fully coated.)
- Thread your chicken pieces and onion slices onto your skewers. Once finished, place the skewers onto your prepared pan and bake them for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve immediately with your remaining sauce on the side!
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Hi there! Yes absolutely! 🙂 Thank you so much for thinking of me.