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
You May Also Like
- Grilled Moroccan Chicken
- Perfect Grilled Chicken Breasts with Lemon, Garlic & Herbs
- Middle Eastern Lamb Kofta
- Souvlaki
- Gyros
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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Have made many times to rave reviews. But I have a stupid question…I have been using the smallest container of Fage Greek yoghurt assuming it was a cup. With my new eyeglasses I see it’s only 6 ounces…should I have been measuring into a cup measure?
Thank you.
Not a stupid question at all! A 6 oz. container is just under a cup so technically you’ll need a little from a second container. That said, if it’s worked just fine with the 6 ounces, it’s okay to stick with that. 🙂
Jenn, again you have given us another winner. I live in the Middle East, and we call this dish Shish Tawook. Your marinade is authentic, and just perfect with a nice kick from the spices and such tender chicken. Thank you!
The chicken was so moist and flavorful, I will be making this dish quite often. Instead of putting the pieces on skewers, we bbq them separately on a grilling mat and they turned out beautiful. Talk about melt in your mouth goodness.
Excellent chicken kabobs loved the rice pilaf.
Made this several times. Love it. One of my go tos.
Just made this dish today & my kids loved it!!!! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Hi Jen,
Would the marinade work for a sauce for the grilled chicken kabobs as well?
Thanks, Diane
Sure, but you’ll need to boil the marinade for 5+ minutes to kill any bacteria from the chicken. 🙂
I like to make these in advance can I freeze the chicken skewers with the marinade or thaw the chicken skewers and then marinate, what do you recommend?
Hi Brina, you really can go either way here! 🙂
Hi Jenn, can you marinade these in advance and freeze the kabobs prior to cooking?
Thanks!!! They’re delicious!
Sure, that should work. 😊
Can I use this marinade for chicken breast tenderloins and grill them at the same temperature and time as your Moroccan Grilled Chicken recipe?
Hi Sona, I wouldn’t recommend this marinade for the tenderloins. It contains lemon juice which will make the tenderloins tough. Sorry!
can i make ahead for a party and freeze cooked kabobs, defrost and reheat gently in oven?
Sure, Rhonda that will work. I’d cover them with foil when reheating. Hope everyone enjoys!
This is my FAVORITE chicken recipe! I’m making a huge batch for an upcoming event and would love to make it in advance…could it be reheated?
So glad you enjoy it, Susan! And, yes, it reheats well. 🙂
I’ve made this and searched frantically again for it 3 times on the web. Finally saved to my recipe file. Perfection! I wasn’t sure about cinnamon but it really softens the acid of yogurt and lemon. Marinated lamb in the same recipe, and served with traditional middle eastern sides and a greek salad mixed with farro. Picky eaters love it and very healthy meal. Thank you for making me look like a rock star with minimal effort. I love many of your recipes.
This is really the best chicken I’ve eaten. Everyone was raving about it.