I am a sucker for any type of ranch, but especially pesto ranch. Any time I see this on a menu anywhere I always order it! Luckily I had some buttermilk floating around in the fridge because I had just made this bread pudding recipe over the weekend: Small Batch Classic Bread Pudding with Buttermilk Syrup and it was INCREDIBLE. Anywho, I decided to whip up a buttermilk ranch for some grilled chicken skewers. I had some homemade pesto in the fridge as well and decided to add that to my ranch…and it is legendary!

I love grilling chicken as much as possible. An easy way to change things up is to put the chicken on skewers instead of leaving the chicken thighs whole! These would be great for a cookout with friends because having the chicken on skewers just feels elevated for some reason. This recipe is a great healthy weeknight meal that comes together quickly, and pairs perfectly with my favorite oven-baked sweet potato fries if you ask me!

Pesto chicken skewers with herby pesto ranch dressing.

Why You Should Make Grilled Chicken Skewers with Herby Pesto Ranch

Summer vibes. Grilling chicken skewers in the backyard is just perfect.
Ranch. Who doesn’t love homemade ranch?
Leftovers. I know I am not complaining about having extra ranch in my fridge for dipping…

Here’s what you’ll need:

Chicken – for the skewers, I always opt for thighs
Wooden Skewers – …for the skewers
Mayo – makes the creamy ranch
Buttermilk – gives the ranch a perfect tang
Sour cream – also for the ranch
Dill – gives ranch that classic flavor
Pesto – store bought or homemade!
Chicken Marinade – optional, but this is my go-to for grilling chicken, recipe in the card below

Ingredients for pesto ranch. Fresh pesto, mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk on a wooden cutting board.

Grilled Chicken Skewer and Herby Ranch Tips

Soak your skewers for an hour before grilling to prevent the skewers from burning on the grill!
Marinate your chicken! I am adding a delicious marinade below, this makes a huge difference!
Prep the ranch early. Prep the ranch so it has time to chill in the fridge and is ready for you once the chicken comes off the grill!

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How To Make Grilled Chicken Skewers with Herby Pesto Ranch

Chicken prep. Cut the chicken thighs into uniform bite size pieces that will fit on the skewers. Soak your skewers in water for about an hour before grilling to prevent the skewers from burning on the grill!
Marinate. I usually marinate 3-4 hours before grill time. You can marinate the chicken for 30 minutes up to 12 hours, up to you! In a small bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients. Put chicken thighs into a ziplock bag and pour in the marinade. Seal it up and shake the bag to make sure all of the chicken is coated. Put in the fridge until ready to grill.
Ranch prep. In a bowl add in mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, fresh chopped dill, pesto, and salt. Whisk together until incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed!
Grill. After the chicken has marinated remove from the bag and place on a plate. Grill for 8-10 minutes on direct high heat (450-550 F) until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees farenheit.
Serve! Once the chicken is done, serve up the skewers. I drizzled extra pesto on mine, and dipped in plenty of herby pesto ranch. Serve with sweet potato fries and enjoy!

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Recipe Variations

Ranch. If you are not a ranch fan, dip the chicken into your favorite sauce!
Marinade. Use your favorite marinade, or make it simple and just go for season salt and pepper.
Bake! If you don’t feel like grilling bake the skewers. Use the same method when preparing the chicken, and bake the chicken until internal temp is 165 degrees farenheit.

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