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 I grill these in advance and serve the next day or two? Has anyone done that? Best way to reheat? Thanks!
Sure, that’s fine. I’d reheat them in the oven in a baking dish covered with foil. Enjoy!
Delicious recipe! Made it on a whim, as I already had all of the ingredients on hand. My mother and brother loved it. Mother said it was absolutely delicious – words she does NOT use lightly – so props to you and the recipe! Served it alongside tabouli (over chopped lettuce with olive oil and feta), and baba ghanoush on the side. Will definitely be making this again for my summer barbecue. Thanks for the recipe!
Great recipe as far as the marinade, but if you want more flavor marinate the chicken in a bowl or bag overnight, then thread onto skewers, also use a charcoal grill with good hardwood lump with a mix of birch wood.
I have concern about marinating raw chicken with raw vegetables on the same skewer for fear of food poisoning. For that reason I plan to cook them separately but just wondering will the meal be less tasty?
Hi Marcy, It’s totally fine to do it that way – won’t be less tasty. 🙂
Made this for a dinner party, it was easy to make and delicious! Had multiple people ask me for the recipe after
This chicken kabob recipe is so good! It tastes like it came from a restaurant. I made the basmati rice with dried fruit and almonds and it was amazing and restaurant quality as well. I can hardly believe I made it. Followed both recipes as written. Love this website.
I am going to make these next weekend but I have a question, I am on a very restrictive low-sodium diet and question is the salt necessary? I know some recipes such as dressings need it as an emulsifier. I am NOT a Chef, but this seems like a lot of salt.
Would also like to add I am also making your Creamy Whipped Feta Dip to pair with this along with the rice.
Hi Terry, The salt isn’t necessary from a scientific standpoint — it’s just used for flavoring. Feel free to cut back on the added salt and add more salt to taste when you serve them. Hope you enjoy both the kabobs and dip!
So very good! Loved it with your Basmati rice dish with dried fruit and almonds. Perfect pairing.
One of my favorite recipes! I’ve made it at least 6 – 8 times. On my last go, I didn’t have Greek yoghurt for the marinade, so I subbed in sour cream and it was interchangeable. Cooked in the oven under the broiler for about 7 mins on each side and it was perfectly charred. For those who complained it was bland, you can always go heavy on the spices or mix in za’atar, sumac, garlic salt, onion powder and/or cloves, then taste the marinade before adding the chicken. I like it as-is, though sometimes I’ll add more spices to change things up. The suggested batsmati rice is a must (only add golden raisins and sliced almonds).
Wow, the flavours! This dish is a taste sensation! I used chicken breast and cut them into strips, skipping the skewers and onions. Our 6 and 10 year old loved it! They don’t usually enjoy rice and I made your Basmati Rice Pilaf (sans dried fruit and nuts) to go with it and the kids loved it and asked if I could make this supper more often. Such a win when everyone loves a new dish! Thanks for another absolutely delicious and simple to make supper.
The chicken breasts didn’t seem dry? I’d love to try this recipe, but thighs aren’t a favorite.