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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CAN YOU DO THIS ON A GEORGE FORMAN GRILL??? OR JUST IN THE OVEN??
While technically it would work, it may be a bit messy. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn! I love this dish, and plan to make it for friends with your basmati rice. I also really love your pumpkin soup. Do you think this soup would go well with the chicken and rice?
Sure, Jane, I think that would pair nicely. Hope your friends enjoy!
Thank you so much! Every recipe of yours has been a hit, so I’m sure they will! 🙂
I tried this recipe last night and the dish was fabulous! My husband, who generally doesn’t like chicken stopped at several points before & after the meal and said how wonderful it was and how he wanted it again. Wow! We had freezing rain and sleet so I used the broiler method. I followed your recommendation to set broil on High with a cook time of a little more than 10 mins. I positioned the rack near the middle of oven. Served with Basmati rice and broiled zucchini & squash, which was a great combo. I only had two skewers, so cooked some of the dish on the side of the skewers flat on the pan. That side was tasty, but it didn’t get any char action like the skewered meat and I prefer the skewered over the broiled-flat. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Hi Jenn,
This recipe looks amazing, I would love to try but I unfortunately live in a condo and don’t have a grill. Any suggestions for preparing in an oven? Temperature/timing ? Thanks !
Hi Alexis, You could broil it in the oven – cook time will be about the same. Be sure to turn the skewers so they brown evenly. Enjoy!
Would you recommend the “high” or “low” broil setting? And when you say the cook time should be the same, what is the general cook time per side?
Hi Armin, Use the high setting on your broiler. The cook time should be somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes total; just make sure you rotate them occasionally so they cook evenly. Enjoy!
OMGGGGG!!!!!! Girl! Each time I think you can’t top yourself you do it again!! Al bacio!!!!
1000 stars! INCREDIBLE thank you!!
Is it possible to do these in the oven if you don’t have a grill? What heat and how long would you suggest?
Sure Margeaux — K’d use your broiler — cook it for about the same time as indicated in the recipe – and you’ll need to turn it occasionally just as you would on a grill so that it browns evenly. Hope you enjoy!
I absolutely LOVE THIS RECIPE, Jenn!!!! Making my second batch 4 tomorrow right now!! Dead of winter, 1/9/2020, IKR!!?! #Vegas
So I’ve gotta question, I’m thinking about adding a few whole chicken wings to this fabulous marinade, have you tried using it on wings as well?!
Hi Gigi, so glad you like this recipe! I’ve never used the marinade on wings, but a few readers have commented that they have successfully. Hope that helps!
Great flavor, we use the chicken on salad!
Made this tonight and it was DIVINE!!! Incredible flavors and a super quick and easy dish makes this busy mom happy! Also made the tzatziki, hummus and basmati rice. Needless to say, those were wonderful, too!
Jenn, thank you so much for this recipe! I can barely toast bread, but every single time I follow your recipe, we get delicious chicken!