Middle Eastern-Style Grilled Chicken Kabobs
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Delicious, tender, perfect!
Well received by my family. I subbed with sour cream for the yogurt and doubled recipe for my large brood. The tang of the lemon zest and the end of every bite is phenomenal. Served with basmati rice as recommended minus the onions. Yum. Adding this to the menu rotation.
This recipe sounds delicious! Can it be served cold for a concert picnic?
Sure, Mary, that will work. 🙂
I made this twice in two days, one for company and one for a recovering friend. They all loved it. Served with your Yellow Basmati Rice. Absolutely delicious! This is also the most tender chicken thighs I’ve ever eaten. I am practicing on our pellet grill and these were perfect.
I appreciate the idea of what to pair your recipes with. Very helpful.
Hello, how many kebobs are in one serving? Thank you
1 to 1.5 kabobs – hope you enjoy!
I made these for my family last night after marinating for nearly 12+ hours. I added zucchini and grape tomatoes (with the red onion) to the skewer and served over yellow rice. My family LOVED it and requested again very soon. Thanks for the great recipe!
Instead of putting on skewers, can I bake the chicken thighs in oven? Or, do you suggest making on bbq?
Sure, Luci – that’s fine. I’d flash them under the broiler towards the end to get some nice color. Grill would work too.
Fantastic recipe, I’ve tried many kebab recipes and this is by far the best, so flavoursome, couldn’t fault it in any way, I always, always use this recipe for all our BBQS, always use thighs as opposed to breast for juicy tenderness.
Big fan of chicken, kebabs, and middle Eastern flavours, this is a new fave. Took much longer than I expected but it was well worth the effort, saving this to do again in the future.
Actually did a mix of thigh and breast and noticed no difference, both were soft and juicy, served with bbq carrot and asparagus on the side and they went nicely with the marinade and rice. I set aside some of the sauce as well before adding some to the chicken, glad I did too, its a delicious dressing for the chicken once it was cooked, saved quite a bit from going down the drain. Paired well with the veggies~
It goes great with the suggested pilaf!
Hi Jen! If I wanted to grill your chicken kebabs for a large group of approximately 20, would they dry out if I cooked them ahead of guests’ arrival? Would you reheat covered in foil or just serve room temp? Any advice appreciated. Weezie
Hi Weezie, because these are made with thighs, they’re not likely to dry out. You could get away with serving them at room temperature. If you want to serve them warm, I’d reheat them in the oven in a baking dish covered with foil until warmed through. Hope everyone enjoys!
I am sure it’s been asked but, I couldn’t find an answer in the recent comments. Can 2% Greek yogurt be used? The store didn’t have 5%.
I haven’t made this in a long time but, I remember it being phenomenal.
Sure, you can get away with it (and glad you like it)!
I used chicken breasts with 0% Greek yogurt (no WW points!) and they were delicious!