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These grilled chicken kabobs are perfect for all of your cookout needs! They are flavorful, juicy & easy to make! The chicken is marinated with Mediterranean spices, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
There’s something just irresistible about food on a stick…especially grilled food on a stick that just escalates the flavor and fun factor of the food! I’ve been on a stick kick this summer from my grilled shrimp, to my Lebanese shish tawook and even grilled fruit! Food on a stick on a grill is the way to ride the summer heat. Here’s one more grilled food recipe for you this summer that you can sneak in while you’ve still got that grill fired up – it’s these juicy, tender grilled chicken kabobs!
What is a chicken shish kabob?
Shish kebabs originated in Turkey. Cubes of meat (in this case, chicken) are marinaded and then added to skewers with fresh vegetables, and then grilled.
How to make grilled chicken kabobs
Start with a rainbow themed vegetables on the skewers. Because too cute! If you’re not of a fan of peppers, you can use zucchini, squash, mushrooms, tomatoes, or even parboil potatoes!
Then it’s time to marinate the chicken. The key to juicy chicken is marinating it for at least half an hour or even overnight if you have time. The longer you marinate it for, the stronger the flavors will become. You can marinate the chicken in a bowl or tupperware.
I used chicken thighs because they’re less likely to get dry when grilled. But you can substitute for boneless skinless chicken breast as well.
Or if you want to save time right before grilling, you can even marinate them on the skewers. If you do that, make sure to pour any leftover marinade on top of the skewers so the chicken really soaks up the juices. Also if you’re doing that, there’s no need to soak the skewers before grilling. All those juices will soak up the skewers plenty enough to avoid any grilling mishaps!
When you’re ready to cook, you can cook these on an outdoor grill or indoor grill like I did. You can even broil them in the even until the chicken is cooked through.
Tips For Making Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- If you’re using wooden or bamboo skewers, check for splinters on the skewers. If you see any, you can remove them by rolling two of them together in your hands or rubbing them over each other, as if you are sharpening a knife.
- To avoid burning the wooden or bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes. This keeps them moist and typically reduces the chance of them burning on the grill.
- Large chunks of chicken and vegetables work best for grilling. Just be sure to secure everything well so they don’t fall through the grill grates. This is especially important if you’re using chicken thighs like I did and have long thin pieces.
- For the best flavor and tenderness, I recommend that you marinate the chicken for 8 hours, or at least one hour if you’re strapped for time.
Frequently asked questions
These chicken kabobs only take around 15 minutes to cook on the grill.
If you’re using an outdoor grill, you want to heat the grill to 350-400°F. Be sure to flip them halfway through. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 160-165°F.
You can serve them straight off of the grill on the stick or you can serve with hummus and a Lebanese side salad. To make a larger meal you can serve them with a rice pilaf or take the chicken off of the skewer and pop them in a pita or a wrap.
Grilling is a much better way of cooking the chicken than frying as you don’t add any extra fat to the meat. Each kabob is around 150 calories and they are low carb with a good amount of protein.
Grilling is a much better way of cooking the chicken than frying as you don’t add any extra fat to the meat. Each kabob is around 150 calories and they are low carb with a good amount of protein.
I love how easy these grilled kabobs are to make and the Mediterranean marinade is so flavorful! they are the perfect accompaniment for any cook out!
For more chicken recipes, try these:
If you make this healthy-ish feel good Grilled Chicken Kabobs recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into large bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large red onion cut into thick slices
- bell peppers cut into thick slices
- vegetable oil for greasing the grill
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, cumin, turmeric, 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.
- When ready to grill, thread the chicken onto wooden or metal skewers, being careful to fold any pieces that are long and thing. You can alternate the chicken with the onions and peppers, or group them together. Pour any leftover marinade on top of the chicken kabobs.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, and grease the grill with vegetable oil
- Grill the chicken kabobs until fully cooked and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Turn the skewers occasionally to allow for even cooking
- Remove the chicken from the grill and serve with hummus, rice or salad.
Notes
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 3 days.
- You can make the marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead of time. This will save you time if you’re preparing many other dishes at once for a barbecue.
- I used a variety of Mediterranean spices. If there are any you don’t like or don’t have, you can just add more of something else. I wouldn’t leave out the olive oil, lemon juice or garlic though.
Nutrition
I followed the recipe but cooked the veggies separately rather than as kabobs. This was so good. My husband loved it! He loves many of your chicken recipes. Thank you!
I’m glad you both enjoyed! Yay!! That’s so great to hear.
Made these today and they were wonderful. I little taste of India and I loved them. I added mushrooms to mine and made it even better by adding them
Thank you!
That makes me so happy to hear! The mushrooms sound like such a great addition!
I have been following your blog for a year and this is the first recipe I’ve tried and all I can say is Oh My God! It was so good!!! I only had enough time to let the chicken marinate for 45 minutes, but they still came out juicy and so full of flavor! I will definitely make this again! The family loved it. Thanks!
Yay, so glad to hear that! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback 🙂
Hope you try more recipes soon!
This was the first recipe I tried from your blog. And I can say this happily that we loved it. Chicken kabobs came out so juicy and tender. I like the cinnamon addition in this recipe.
Thanks for all the healthy and yummy recipes. <3
Yay! So happy to hear that. Thank you!!
This recipe is delicious! I’ve made several types of kebabs over the years and this one goes to the top of the list. Follow the recipe and you will not be disappointed.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks so much!!
These were so flavorful and juicy! I used chicken breasts and marinated them for about 6 hours before grilling. Thank you for the helpful tips! Will definitely be making this recipe again
Yay, so glad to hear it! Thanks so much!!
Juicy and easy to make