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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I was so afraid to try this at first. My teenager daughter is terribly picky (in the sense that chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese are her main choices). The whole family absolutely loved this! I made with chicken breast… followed the reviewer who suggested 5 minutes one side, flip and another 3 then tent with foil. It was falling apart it was so tender. I followed the recipe exactly, not being sure what the outcome would be. The flavors were incredible, very different, but we couldn’t stop eating them. My only regret is I didn’t make more. Thank you for posting this amazing recipe! I served with lemon lentil soup, fried tortillas with hummus, and caprese on skewers.
AMAZING RECIPE
This is the BEST middle eastern chicken recipe ever! I prepared everything the same way, but used chicken tenders and my husband cooked them whole. People could not stop raving about how delicious and tender the meat was!! Try this recipe. You will not be disappointed.
This was delicious. I doubled the amount of cumin and marinated the chicken overnight. I broiled them for about 7 minutes on each side. So yummy!
This is one my my favorite chicken recipes on this site. I served it with the recommended rice and Jenn’s brussel sprouts. My entire family loves it. I take about 15 minutes the night before to prep it and marinate it and skewer and grill it when I get home from work. Leftovers at lunch make all my coworkers jealous! At this point, if you haven’t ordered Jenn’s cookbook you’re seriously missing out. Get on it!
Thank you Jenn! They were delicious! And appreciate the hint about using thighs instead of boneless breasts. Made all the difference…. Also i just grilled them on a grill pan. 👌👌
Can I cook the skewers in the oven? If yes, what temp and for how long?
If you want to use the oven, I’d broil them. Set the broiler to high. The timing should be the same; just be sure to turn the skewers so they brown evenly. Hope you enjoy!
Did you try broiling? How did they turn out?
I want to just marinade the chicken and bake it on a baking sheet in the oven. Will it lose the essence of this recipe you think?
I haven’t broiled these myself, but I think they will turn out nicely using a broiler. I wouldn’t really recommend baking them as you won’t get that nice char on the outside that makes the kebabs so good.
I broiled mine in the oven and they turned out just fine!
I oven broiled them, turned out great with some delicious char.
I followed the recipe and the kebabs were delicious!
I have made this dish several times and have found it fabulous in every way. I was wondering if this marinade can be used with other meats such as lamb or beef?
Sure, Rich, that should work!
Can I add the chicken thigh/breast fillet with the marinade, and just freeze everything for future cooking? If so, how long can i keep them frozen and still be good?
Sure, that will work. And you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Enjoy!