Chicken Spiedini Recipe (Copycat Garozzo's)

Learn how to make Garozzo's famous chicken spiedini recipe at home. Marinated chicken breasts, skewered, rolled in seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, then seared or grilled. Served over fettuccine and a rich, velvety Alfredo sauce.

Inspired by Garozzo's Ristorante in Kansas City, a popular American Italian eatery that has been serving its legendary Spiedini di Pollo for decades, and has earned its spot as one of the best dishes in the city. It’s where chicken spiedini began!

What Is Chicken Spiedini?

The word spiedini is derived from an Italian food term for skewered meat. It's a kebab made with chicken.

Garozzo's Ristorante is where chicken spiedini began. Their skewers consist of folded strips of garlicky, boneless chicken breast coated in breadcrumbs before being grilled. They offer spiedini in 4 ways on the menu, and you can see what they look like in this Kansas City Magazine article.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• This is not the usual chicken and pasta dinner.
• It's fun to make, and kids love it.
• Cook the chicken spiedini using your stove or the grill.
• It's paired with a unique sauce rather than an olive oil-based sauce.

Common Problems When Making Spiedini

• Don’t marinate the chicken too long. I did a side-by-side test with a 6-hour marinade time and found the cooked chicken to be noticeably dry next to the juicier 30-minute marinade time. The lemon in the marinade starts to cook the chicken, resulting in a drier texture versus a quick marinade.
• Don’t use the ridged backside of a cast-iron griddle over the stove; what a mess! Either pan-sear in a skillet and finish in the oven, or grill the kebabs over medium-low heat.
• If you are using a grill, the breadcrumbs burn easily. Turn the spiedini frequently to prevent burning.
• If you are adding artichokes like Garrozo's does, jarred or canned artichokes are not the same flavor as the restaurant version. They are often marinated or pickled, rather than steamed. If you want to add them to the Alfredo sauce, try soaking them in water for 15 minutes beforehand to remove that brine taste. Frozen artichoke bottoms are also an option, but I have a challenge finding them.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients needed to make Garrozo's copycat chicken spiedini recipe with fettuccine Alfredo!

For The Chicken Spiedini

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: Garozzo's spiedini contains the breast rather than dark meat. You can use boneless thighs if that's your preference.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh, bright, and acidic juice for the marinade. If left on too long, it will start to change the texture of the chicken.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Taste various olive oils to find the one that you like the best. My favorite is from California Olive Ranch.
• Garlic: A lot of real garlic, not the jarred stuff.
• Garlic Powder: This is dried garlic that has been ground in the spice aisle. Use the unsalted version.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: They provide a tiny bit of heat to the sauce. You can use just a pinch or more to your liking.
• Breadcrumbs: To keep things simple, use Italian-style storebought breadcrumbs.
• Pecorino Romano Cheese: A hard, salty Italian cheese made from sheep's milk. It is made in Italy and regulated and protected by the European Union laws (PDO). I purchase this cheese at Costco. You can substitute Parmigiano cheese.
• Fresh, Flat Leaf Italian Parsley: Italian parsley helps bring a herby brightness to the cheese mixture. Please don't use dried parsley.

Fettucine Alfredo

• Heavy Whipping Cream: Pasteurized or ultra-pasteruized heavy whipping cream both work. Do not substitute half and half.
• Unsalted Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter for most of my holiday cooking, as I'm unsure about the salt content in some stocks. I can add kosher salt as needed.
• Parmigiano-Reggiano: Umami-rich ingredient also sold at Costco. Grate it over everything. I don’t recommend using pre-grated Parmesan as it contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting as nicely, and your sauce will be thin.
• Fettuccine Pasta: A long, flat pasta that is commonly served with a cream-based sauce. It can be fresh or dried pasta.

Diamond Crystal kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper are added for seasoning. If using the Morton brand or table salt, reduce the salt measurements by half.

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.

Variations

Here are some ideas on how to change this recipe to better suit your taste and needs.

• Tenderloins: Don't want to slice chicken breasts? You can use chicken tenderloins, rather than chicken breasts. Skewer the whole tenderloin and allocate 2 tenderloins per skewer.
• Garlic: Garozzo's chicken spiedini is very garlicky with both fresh and powdered garlic. You can reduce the fresh garlic by half, if preferred.
• Artichokes: To mimic Garozzo's version, add 6 ounces of quartered artichoke hearts canned in water (not marinated in oil), drained and rinsed, to the Alfredo sauce while the fettuccine is cooking.
• Different Sauces: If you are looking for an alternative to a cream sauce, substitute tomato sauce for the Alfredo or drizzle a basil pesto over the chicken skewers and serve with steamed broccoli.

Equipment

• mini food processor (optional)
• large bowl
• rimmed baking sheet
• wooden skewers
• 2-quart pot
• wire whisk
• 8 to 10-quart pasta pot
• 12 to 15-inch wide base, oven-proof sauté skillet like this one from Calphalon or cast-iron. Alternatively, you can trim the skewers to fit into a smaller skillet.
• instant-read meat thermometer (optional)
• tongs
• ladle
• Pyrex measuring cup
• colander

Step-by-Step Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

Step 1: Finely chop 12 cloves of garlic with a knife or a food processor.

Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the chopped garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, chili flakes, kosher salt, garlic powder.

Step 3: Slice the chicken breasts into thirds lengthwise and add them to the bowl of marinade.

Step 4: Toss to coat and set aside to marinate for 30-60 minutes.

Make The Alfredo Sauce

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Step 5: Heat the heavy whipping cream in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat until simmering, then continue simmering to reduce for 15-20 minutes. Turn the heat down to low.

Step 6: Whisk in the butter and Parmigiano cheese. Add salt, if needed. Hold warm over low heat.

Prepare The Chicken

Preheat the oven to 350℉.

Step 7: Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic with a knife or a food processor.

In a rimmed baking sheet, combine the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, Pecorino Romano cheese, parsley, chopped garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Step 8: Sprinkle half of the breadcrumb mixture to the bowl of marinated chicken. Toss to coat the chicken with the breadcrumbs, allowing the breadcrumbs to absorb the olive oil.

Step 9: Thread the chicken onto each wooden skewer (about 2-3 pieces per skewer). Fold the chicken back and forth while piercing the meat, making sure the chicken is tightly pushed together.

Step 10: Apply another coating of breadcrumbs to the chicken by pressing the skewer into the seasoned breadcrumbs on the sheet pan.

Step 11: Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the skewers in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 2 minutes per side. If your skillet is not big enough, you may have to sear in batches.

Step 12: Finish cooking the chicken by baking it in the oven for 16-17 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160℉, then remove from the oven. It will continue to rise to 165℉ with carryover cooking.

To Grill The Chicken Spiedini

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat, and oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking. Grill the skewers, turning regularly, until the breadcrumbs are deep golden brown and beginning to char, and the chicken is cooked through, about 14 to 17 minutes.

Prepare The Pasta & Serve

Step 13: Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions, collecting 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Return the cooked pasta to its pot

Step 14: Ladle half of the Alfredo sauce over it. Stir, gently, with tongs. Add pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin out the sauce and coat the fettuccine noodles until it reaches the perfect creamy consistency.

Step 15: Remove the skewer before serving the chicken on top of a plate of fettuccine Alfredo. Ladle more Alfredo sauce over the chicken spiedini. Serve.

Make Ahead Instructions

The pasta is best enjoyed when tossed in the Alfredo sauce at the last minute and topped with chicken spiedini.

For The Chicken (1-2 Days Before Serving):

1. Thread the chicken breast onto the skewers.
2. Bread them. The breadcrumb coating will soften in the fridge.
3. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Day of Serving: Cook the chicken up to 2 hours ahead and keep it hot in the oven at 175°F.

Storage & Reheating Information

To Store: Cover and refrigerate the leftover pasta and chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Alfredo sauce doesn’t freeze well, as it can separate and become grainy. 

To Reheat Leftovers: Reheat the pasta in a pan over low heat. Add a tablespoon of water and stir continuously until it’s creamy and heated. Reheat the chicken in the microwave or use a 350°F oven until warmed through.

FAQ

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