Middle Eastern-Style Grilled Chicken Kabobs
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You’ll make these flavorful chicken kabobs all summer long.
One of my go-to chicken recipes for summer cookouts, these Middle-Eastern style grilled chicken kabobs are wonderful over a bed of rice pilaf or served with a Greek salad. The chicken is marinated in yogurt, olive oil, lemon, garlic and spices, and then grilled over an open flame until juicy and golden brown. The only time-consuming part of the recipe is threading the meat and onions onto skewers. Short on time? Skip the skewers and grill the chicken pieces whole, and slice the red onions into large wedges and pop them right on the grill. A word to the wise: make more than you think you’ll need. The first time I made these chicken kabobs for a crowd, I actually ran out of food!
What You’ll Need to Make grilled Chicken Kabobs
I’ve specified boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe; they’re juicier and more flavorful than boneless skinless chicken breasts, and they also hold up better when using an acidic marinade; yogurt or lemon-based marinades can make boneless skinless chicken breasts leathery. Chicken thighs are also much easier to cook without drying out. (If you’d like to experiment with other chicken thigh recipes, BBQ-spiced chicken thighs and char siu chicken are both huge crowd pleasers.)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Marinade
In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
Stir to combine.
Step 2: Prep the Chicken and Thread onto Skewers
Trim the chicken of any excess fat and gristle. Don’t worry about getting every last bit of fat; most of it will melt off on the grill. Then cut the meat into bite-size pieces. I think it’s easiest to use kitchen shears as opposed to a knife.
Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers alternating with the red onions. Metal skewers are ideal as they won’t catch fire on the grill. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes first so they’re slower to char on the grill.
Step 3: Marinate the Chicken
Place the kabobs on a baking sheet lined with foil, and then brush the marinade all over the meat, coating well. Cover and let the kabobs sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Grill the Kabobs
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, grease well, and then grill the kabobs until golden brown.
Serve and enjoy!
Chicken Kabob Video Tutorial
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Middle Eastern-Style Grilled Chicken Kabobs
You’ll make these flavorful chicken kabobs all summer long.
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
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Sugar: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 41g
- Sodium: 871mg
- Cholesterol: 186mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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No kebabs, I just cooked the chicken thighs whole but followed the recipe. The chicken was delicious and my wife and 2 small kids loved it. One thing, I added a little sea salt before the thighs hit the grill and served with a side of saffron rice, pita, and greek yogurt sauce (olive oil, garlic, mint, grated cucumber, lemon, and salt). Thanks Jenn.
Do you think you could use this marinade for veggie kebabs, for my vegetarian friends out there? Would it taste good with tofu or chunks of zucchini/onion/artichoke or something?
Hi Sarah, Yes, I think it’d work well with veggies and tofu.
Hello,
I don’t have a grill. Can I cook this in my oven or the broiler of the oven? If so how long should I leave it to cook for?
Hi Summer, Yes, you can use your broiler. Set your oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source and broil, turning a few times so the kebabs brown evenly. Cook time should be about the same.
Can I use something vegan instead of greek yogurt? Trying to keep this kosher, thanks!!
Hi Jess, I have never tried vegan yogurt so can’t say for sure, but I do think it would probably work.
Try onion and onion juice instead of yogurt(the white extract that comes out of the center of the onion not from juicing the peels). Chop up some LARGE white onion in the same plate you intend to marinade the chicken in over night. This way you won’t lose the juice on your cutting board. I also add some chopped green pepper and 1/2-1 tsp turmeric for a more Middle Eastern flavor. What I like to do is to marinade first and then thread onto the skewers without the onion and pepper, since they tend to burn before the chicken is ready.
Hi jennifer, do you think this will work with 0% or fat free Greek yogurt?
Hi Jennifer, It will work, but won’t be quite as rich and flavorful. Could you use 2%?
Excellent! I made it without time to marinate more than 30 minutes, then cooked under the broiler, but it was still wonderful! Is it safe to leave raw poultry on a metal kabob stick over 8 hours?
Hi Joan, Glad you enjoyed! What is your concern with the metal kabob sticks?
Made this today for my husband,daughter and myself.Absolutely amazing.Having it again next week
Absolutely gorgeous. All the family loved this, I made these the day before so they really marinated! Highly recommended although I didn’t have any paprika so I used cayenne pepper instead and worked really well. Saved this recipe so I can make again
This recipe is fabulous! The second time I have tried it, I chose lime instead of the lemon and it worked quite good adding a more oriental zing. Thank you for the recipe!
Oh my! Just made tonight for my husband and I and he couldn’t stop complimenting on the wonderful flavor and tenderness. I also used boneless chicken thighs (I prefer Brest meat, he thighs). His birthday is coming up and begged that I make this for his birthday dinner. Thank you!!
Oops. 5 star for sure!!