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Juicy, tender, and perfectly charred, these grilled chicken kabobs are bursting with flavor from lemon, garlic, and Middle Eastern spices.
One of my go-to chicken recipes for summer cookouts, these grilled chicken kabobs are wonderful over a bed of rice pilaf or on top of a salad. A yogurt-based marinade gives the chicken incredible flavor and helps keep it moist as it cooks on the grill.
The only time-consuming part of the recipe is threading the meat and onions onto skewers. If you’re short on time, you can grill the chicken pieces whole (the red onions can also be sliced into large wedges and placed directly 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!
“Served with the rice pilaf…better than going to a restaurant.”
What You’ll Need to Make Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Plain Whole Milk Greek Yogurt: Forms the base of the marinade, tenderizes the chicken, and keeps it juicy, while it also helps the seasonings cling to each piece.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Helps distribute the seasonings and encourages browning on the grill.
- Spices: Paprika, ground cumin, ground cinnamon and crushed red pepper flakes give the kabobs their warm, Middle Eastern flavor. Reduce the red pepper flakes to ½ teaspoon for less heat.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: Add brightness and tang to the marinade. You’ll need one lemon for both.
- Garlic: Five cloves give the marinade plenty of garlic flavor.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs are perfect here because they stay juicy, are forgiving on the grill, and hold up better to the yogurt-and-lemon marinade than boneless breasts. Cut them into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Red Onion: Softens and chars around the edges as the chicken cooks. Cut it into chunks large enough to thread onto the skewers.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Make the marinade: In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, and garlic until well combined.
Prep the chicken thighs: 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.
Assemble and marinate the kabobs: Thread the chicken and red onion onto skewers, alternating between the two and leaving a little room between the pieces so they cook evenly. Arrange the kabobs on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush the marinade generously over the chicken, turning to coat all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Grill and serve: Grill the kabobs, turning occasionally, until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. If they stick when you try to turn them, give them another minute rather than forcing them off the grates; once the chicken has browned properly, it should release much more easily. Serve and enjoy!
Chicken Kabob Video Tutorial
Grilled Chicken Kabobs (Middle Eastern-Style)
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- â…› teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce to ½ teaspoon for less heat)
- Zest of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
- 1¾ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2½ to 3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1½-in/4-cm pieces (see note)
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) 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 cleanup. 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.
- 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; if necessary, use a metal BBQ spatula to scrape underneath the kabobs and release them.)
- Transfer the kabobs to a platter and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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:
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
Make-Ahead: The chicken kabobs can be assembled and marinated up to 24 hours in advance. Keep them covered in the refrigerator until ready to grill.
Freezing: You can freeze the uncooked chicken in the marinade for up to 3 months. Place the chicken and marinade in a freezer-safe bag, press out the excess air, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then thread the chicken and onions onto skewers and grill as directed. The yogurt marinade may look slightly separated after thawing, but that’s normal.
Storage: Store leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Warm the chicken in a 325°F oven, covered with foil, until heated through. Avoid overheating, which can dry out the chicken.
What to Serve with Chicken Kabobs
To round out your spread, serve these kabobs with creamy hummus, tzatziki, or a garlicky tahini sauce for dipping. For something fresh, add a Greek salad, tabbouleh, or a crisp fattoush salad. Grilled or roasted vegetables are another delicious addition to the meal.
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I made this recipe for our family Sunday lunch. It was great!! I used small pieces of chicken breast instead. The chicken was very tasty and the rice was perfect.
Thank you for sharing your recipes!
This. Was. Awesome.
I had to make a few changes and it still was amazing: used sour cream instead of the yogurt, left out the red onion, subbed in a red pepper, cooked it covered on the stovetop not on skewers (this was actually a yummy change- I ended up with sauce. I’m sure grilling it is even better because, hey, it’s grilled)
I served it with that awesome rice on this site and with homemade hummus and veggies and pita bread. Delicious! My picky fancy pants husband said it was his favorite meal he’s had in a long time.
Thanks so much!
I plan on just making the whole chicken thigh so I would love to know how to cook them in the oven and have the coloring and charring still look beautiful thank you
I would broil them on a rack or broiler pan 5-6 inches below the heat source. Cook time would be about the same. Please let me know how they turn out 🙂
Well let me tell ya. I did this recipe half drunk on red wine. Hosted a bbq and freaking nailed it. Took all the praise for myself and got some sweet loving. (A man 32yrs) God bless you x
Hi Jen
It rained in DC last night but I was determined to try this and it did not disappoint. My poor husband was in the rain working the grill but he said it was totally worth it! I just have one question, I thought the kabobs needed some type of sauce, do you have any that you can recommend ?
Hi Fran, Glad you and your husband enjoyed. I think tzatziki would be delicious. Here’s a link: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/tzatziki.html
Thank you for your prompt reply. I will certainly try this. All the best to you and your family !
PS….love your recipes ! This is my go to site !
I used the chicken breasts that I had on hand, sour cream instead of Greek yogurt, a pinch of cayenne and since it was pouring outside, I ended up having to broil these (for ~20 min). Still came out tasting great!
Hi Jenn ,
This Recipe sounds perfect ! I just want to know if I can marinade the chicken and freeze it for about 3 weeks to cook on my daughter birthday party ? I am a little hesitant about freezing chicken in a yogurt-based marination .
Please let me know
Hi Mariam, I think it will fine. The yogurt might separate when you defrost it, but that shouldn’t affect the end result.
The recipe was great! Really flavorful. I paired it with a jalapeño cilantro lime hummus. My issue was i lacked greek yogurt and was in a time crunch. I subbed mayo, less than 1/8 cup. 2 reasons for the small amount 1) i feared the flavor change 2) that would be a crazy amount of mayo. The spices were really concentrated but it worked! Thanks for the recipe, ill try it for real next time!
This chicken is amazing, I have made it almost every week since I first found it. I wanted to know what is the longest period of time that I can keep it marinated? Is 2 days too much? Thanks!
Two days is fine but I probably wouldn’t go any longer.
Any suggestions if you don’t have Greek yogurt stocked in the house? I was thinking of trying sour cream… I know it’s more fat but kids are napping and trying not to run to the store.
Hi Stephanie, That should work 🙂
It was still amazing! Can’t wait to try it without the substitution. Thanks!