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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Very easy, moist and flavorful chicken to make. Whole family loved. Paired with some naan and homemade raita (Indian sliced yogurt) to round out the meal. Definitely a great summer rooftop grill dinner!
I 100% recommend these Kebabs!! My husband is from Afghanistan so Ive always been nervous to make Kebabs at home not wanting to be compared to his family’s amazing cooking. But I decided it was time to be brave and made these last night. He did a little happy dance when he took the first bite off the grill. It only got better when plated it up with the Basmati rice pilaf. So flavorful and delicious thank you for this awesome recipe!!
This looks amazing! I am going to try it this week. Do you think it would also work with shrimp?
btw- love all of your recipes. Just this week, I have made your challah, golden Rice Krispies, Southwestern burgers, and Thai curry. Love your book too!
So glad you like the recipes — sounds like you’ve been busy in the kitchen! I haven’t tried this with shrimp, but I think it would work. You should definitely cut the marinating time down to 30 to 60 minutes. And, be careful not to overcook the shrimp – you’ll need about 1 1/2 minutes per side. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Thanks so much for your reply! The chicken was amazing, and I also tried it with shrimp using your advice and it was also delicious. Thank you!
So glad — thanks for the follow-up!
Can this be baked in the oven? I’ve made on the grill but would like to bake in oven during the winter.
Hi Donna, 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!
❤️❤️❤️this recipe! 🚫 boring chicken! So flavorful, moist and yet, easy! The fruited rice is exceptional too.
First, I want to thank you for your awesome site. I recommend it all the time. I love your buttermilk chicken tenders, Peruvian roasted chicken and, I just fell in love with your key lime pie recipe!
I was excited to try this chicken recipe but I must say I was disappointed. I personally didn’t care for the overall flavor… I prepared it on a cast iron stovetop grill without the onion (maybe that would have made a big difference). I’ve tried at least 5 recipes from this site. Most of my ratings have been 5 star ratings. With those odds, I’m searching your site looking for my next favorite only minutes after I’ve devoured your key lime pie. Thanks, Jen!
I made this recipe for dinner two nights ago and my husband loved it. I used chicken breasts instead of thighs and it turned out perfect. Very yummy! I served it with grilled eggplant, humous, a bulgur and wild rice salad and, of course, pita. DELICIOUS!
This recipe has become a family favorite. My kids love it! Thank you.
Fabulous recipe! Easy to prepare before guests arrive and just grill. I cut up the chicken thighs, mixed them in a bowl overnight. In the morning I threaded the skewers — chicken only, red onion only and tri-colored pepper only, each on it’s own skewer (because each is cooked at a different rate). Served with the basmati pilaf, greek salad, pita bread and a platter of Trader Joes’s hummus, red pepper spread, pitted kalamata olives and tzatziki sauce.
Try Jen’s hummus recipe. Love it and make it almost every week. I add extra cumin and coriander.
Loved this chicken recipe!! Made it twice as kebabs on the grill, and then as chicken tenders fried, and both came out delicious! Thank you!