Willem’s Mandarin Maple Skewers were born as a blend of balanced elements gathered together beneath the maples. Warm glowing oranges, a peaceful zen vibe, delicately stacked stones, the incense scent of the grill , and the blissful feeling of an evening outdoors with the dogs all helped shape the mood behind this recipe.
Inspired by Willem’s wonderful owner Michelle, and our mutual love of maples, natural stones, and rich citrus colors, the flavors lean into that same sense of balance
The result feels both grounding and vibrant at the same time, much like Willem himself — calm, watchful, quietly striking.
In this garden daydream, sweet mandarin oranges glow between tender chicken or prawns, red peppers, and onion, all brushed with a warm citrus glaze layered with ginger, garlic, soy, maple, and just a whisper of heat. Somehow, it all feels like magic beneath the trees.
They become juicy, lightly smoky, and almost candy-like around the caramelized edges while beautifully balancing the savory glaze. The mandarins bring a bright grilled sweetness similar to pineapple, but with a softer citrus warmth all their own.
These skewers are perfect for a casual summer dinner, yet colorful enough to feel a little extra special — especially served outdoors with jasmine rice, sesame noodles, or a crisp cucumber salad.
Protein Choices-Switch up the Vibe
One of my favorite things about Willem’s Mandarin Maple Skewers is how versatile they are. The citrus-maple glaze pairs beautifully with everything from seafood to steak, and can easily be adjusted to your own taste. Add a little extra soy for deeper savory notes, more or less sriracha to adjust the heat level, or brighten it further with extra orange maramalade or rice vinegar.
TRY THESE VARIATIONS:
• Chicken breast or thighs
• Large prawns or shrimp
• Sirloin steak cubes
• Teriyaki meatballs
• Pork tenderloin
• Salmon chunks
• Chicken meatballs
• Tofu cubes
• Portobello mushrooms
• Sweet sausage slices
• Japanese-style beef meatballs
• Glazed turkey meatballs
WILLEM’S MANDARIN MAPLE SKEWERS
Ingredients
FOR SKEWERS
- 1 lb chicken chunks or large peeled prawns
- 1 red bell pepper 1.5″ pieces
- 1 small red onion 1.5″ pieces
- Mandarin orange segments or wedges
- Skewers soak bamboo before grilling
THE MARINADE-GLAZE
- 1/3 cup orange marmalade
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh GRATED ginger
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1-2 tsp sriracha optional heat
Instructions
GRILL OR BAKE
- Whisk glaze ingredients together. Reserve some for serving
- Alternate chicken or prawns, vegetables, and oranges on skewers.
- Brush with glaze.- MARINATE 30 MIN – 2 HOURS
- Grill at 400- 425° until lightly charred and cooked through (165°F)
- Turn often to avoid burning. Brush with reserved glaze before serving.
Notes
Serve with jasmine rice, and a crisp Sunomono cucumber salad. Garnish with sesame seeds & slivered green onion.
SOOT says this recipe works equally well with salmon, tofu, beef, pork, etc. Just keep the pieces fairly uniformly cut to about 1.5″ to allow for even cooking.
If you can’t find fresh mandarin oranges, use either regular orange segments or even pineapple chunks work very well.
DOG IN THE KITCHEN STORE
Willem’s kitchen goodies and recipe card are waiting for you to add to your collection !
COOL STUFF I’M LOVING !
An easy to use kebab rack for your grill or oven!!! Check out this fun and versatile kit
Complete with stainless skewers and rack plus bonus bamboo skewers. No more sticking to the grill grates.
