Chicken Kabob Recipe

These grilled chicken kabobs are made with marinated chicken and colorful vegetables, all threaded onto skewers and cooked to perfection. An easy dinner that can also be baked in the oven!

Chicken skewers are a classic summer dinner option. This version includes a sweet and savory honey garlic marinade and plenty of fresh vegetables. Serve your chicken kabobs over rice for a complete meal.

Kabobs are one of my favorite grilling options. I make these grilled chicken kabobs constantly during the summer months, they’re a perfect combination of tender marinated chicken with a variety of veggies.

The marinade is the most important part of this recipe since it brings the majority of the flavor to these chicken kabobs. Whisk together your ingredients for the marinade then toss in your chicken and veggies to soak for a minimum of an hour. Thread the deliciously marinated chicken and veggies onto your skewers, cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, and you have mouthwatering grilled chicken skewers!

These skewers are pretty versatile and can be cooked on an outdoor or indoor grill, or broiled in the oven. Whichever way you choose to do it, be sure to soak your wood skewers in cold water for at least 20 minutes to keep them from burning. Wooden skewers have a tendency to burn, catch on fire, and then easily break when trying to eat off of them. Soaking the skewers helps alleviate those issues.

You can use chicken breasts or thighs, it’s up to you and doesn’t matter which are used. If you don’t like the veggie combination I chose, just simply substitute your own favorites! That’s the great thing about these grilled chicken kabobs, they’re easily adjusted to fit each person’s taste.

Middle Eastern-Style Grilled Chicken Kabobs

You’ll make these flavorful chicken kabobs all summer long.

Prep: 35min

Total: 50min

Yield: 4 to 6

Nutrition Facts: servingSize , calories 350, Fat 15g, Carbohydrate 6g, Protein 41g, Saturated Fat 3g, unSaturated Fat , Sugar 3g, Fiber 1g, Sodium 871mg, Cholesterol 186mg

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce to ½ teaspoon for less heat)
• Zest from one lemon
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
• 1¾ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2½ to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1½-inch pieces (see note)
• 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
• Vegetable oil, for greasing the grill

Instruction:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, folding if the pieces are long and thin, alternating with the red onions. Be sure not to cram the skewers. (Note: You’ll need between 6-8 skewers.) Place the kabobs on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the marinade all over the meat, coating well. Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight.
3. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kabobs until golden brown and cooked through, turning the skewers occasionally, 13 to 15 minutes. (The yogurt marinade makes these kabobs prone to sticking to the grill grates; if necessary, use a metal BBQ spatula to scrape underneath the kabobs and release them.) Transfer the kabobs to a platter and serve.
4. Note: I’ve specified boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe; they’re juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts, and they work better in this type of yogurt and lemon-based marinade. They’re also much easier to cook without drying out.

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

These grilled chicken kabobs are made with marinated chicken and colorful vegetables, all threaded onto skewers and cooked to perfection. An easy dinner that can also be baked in the oven!

Prep: 20min

Total: 30min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 278 kcal, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 27 g, Fat 12 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 72 mg, Sodium 420 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 21 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch pieces)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 red bell pepper (cut into 1 inch pieces)
• 1 yellow bell pepper (cut into 1 inch pieces)
• 2 small zucchini (cut into 1 inch slices)
• 1 red onion (cut into 1 inch pieces)
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instruction:

1. Place the olive oil, soy sauce, honey, garlic and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Whisk to combine.
3. Add the chicken, bell peppers, zucchini and red onion to the bowl. Toss to coat in the marinade.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
5. Soak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high heat.
6. Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers.
7. Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through.
8. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

These Grilled Chicken Shish Kabobs are flavorful & easy to make! The chicken is marinated with bright Mediterranean spices on a skewer with fresh veggies.

Prep: 15min

Total: 60min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 199 kcal, Carbohydrate 7 g, Protein 25 g, Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 73 mg, Sodium 329 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 3 g, Trans Fat 1 g, unSaturated Fat 5 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into large bite-sized pieces)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon (juiced)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large red onion (cut into thick slices)
• 2 bell peppers (cut into squares)
• Vegetable oil (for greasing the grill)
• Chopped parsley (for serving)

Instruction:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces to the mixture and mix well to combine. Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, and grease the grill with vegetable oil.
3. When ready to grill, thread the chicken onto the skewers, with the vegetables in between the chicken kabobs. Pour any leftover marinade on top of the chicken kabobs. Makes 6-9 skewers.
4. Grill the chicken kabobs until fully cooked and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes, turning the skewers every couple minutes to allow for even cooking.
5. Remove the chicken from the grill and serve with Lebanese rice or any other sides, if desired.

The Juiciest Grilled Chicken Kabobs

Learn how to make the juiciest grilled chicken kabobs with this classic recipe. See notes above for different seasoning options too.

Prep: 20min

Total: 35min

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness and brined in saltwater (*see easy instructions below)
• 1 Tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (I prefer smoked paprika)
• optional: fresh lemon wedges

Instruction:

1. To brine the chicken breasts, fill a large bowl with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed. Add the whole chicken breasts and let them sit in the mixture to brine for 15 minutes. Or you can also also cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse them with cold water, then pat them dry with some paper towels. (If the chicken breasts you purchased have already been pre-brined in a sodium solution, skip this brining step completely.)
2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 15 minutes before using.
3. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Add them to a large mixing bowl and drizzle evenly with the olive oil. Toss to combine.
4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika until combined. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the chicken. Then toss for 1 minute, or until the chicken is evenly coated with the seasoning. Thread the chicken evenly onto the skewers.
5. Once the grill is hot, place the chicken kabobs evenly on the grill. Cook for 10-14 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (no longer pink on the inside).
6. Transfer the kabobs to a clean plate, and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes.
7. Then serve warm while the chicken is hot and juicy, drizzled with freshly-squeezed lemon juice if desired. Or, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Perfect Chicken Kabob Recipe – Juicy Grilled Chicken Kabob

FAQ

Do kabobs need to be marinated?

Should I marinate kabobs before grilling?

What goes good with chicken kabobs?

• Coconut Rice.
• Cucumber Yogurt Dip.
• Corn on the Cob.
• Green Salad.
• Potato Salad.
• Corn Pudding.
• Sweet Potatoes.
• Cucumber Tomato Salad.

How do you keep chicken kebabs from drying out?