This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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
- ⅛ 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.
You May Also Like
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
These are easy to make , on the grill or oven. A different and delicious way to have chicken for dinner.
Where is the recipe for the rice?
Hi Tori, I believe this is the recipe you’re looking for:
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/basmati-rice-pilaf-with-dried-fruits-and-almonds.html
I don’t have a grill so I cooked these in the broiler. They came together very easily, and the most time-consuming part was trimming the chicken thighs. Another hit with the entire family, including the little ones. I served it with the basmati rice in the picture, and my 8-year-old asked for seconds of both the chicken and the rice. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Are these kebabs ok to BBQ instead? And could I use wooden skewers? Thanks the ingredients sound delicious 🙂
Hi Annette, They are meant to be cooked on the grill and, yes, wooden skewers are fine; just soak them in water for about 30 minutes first so they don’t burn on the grill.
Oh MY. This is scrumptious — there’s only two of us but I made the full recipe (using thighs), and I’m immensely glad I did. The leftovers didn’t last long at all. This is going on the menu again sooooon…
Why place the chicken in a baking sheet if you are baking chicken. You are grilling the chicken so why the baking sheet and foil?
Hi Frank, Good question — it’s just for easy clean-up.
Hi. I can’t mix dairy with chicken, istha wayo make your Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs without the yogurt? dairy free?
Hi Sharon, Unfortunately, there’s no substitute for the yogurt in this recipe. Sorry!
Coconut Cream: Allow a can of full-fat coconut milk to settle (about 1/2 hour). The coconut cream will rise to the top and can easily be skimmed off. Depending on your needs, coconut cream can substitute yogurt nicely using a 1:1 ratio.
Pureed Silken Tofu: Medium Firm Silken Tofu will puree into a nice consistency, and may substitute yogurt using a1:1 ratio. Obviously, this sub is only for recipes, and since it does lack the tartness of yogurt, it is most suitable for “heartier” dishes.
Store-Bought Dairy-Free Yogurt: Soy-, coconut- and even rice-based yogurts are popping up all over the place, and they contain that same great “healthy bacteria.”
http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-substitutes/how-to-substitute-yogurt
Looking forward to serving the Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs this weekend to guests. The reviews are fantastic. I will definitely serve it with your suggestion of Basmati Pilaf with Dried Fruits and Almonds. I was thinking of a side salad of greens and have a terrific Thai Mango Salad recipe, do you think they would work together nicely or do you have another one or two suggestions of side greens or veggies? Many thanks! This is the first time I will be serving something from your repertoire and so looking forward to it.
Cheers, Jenny
Hi Jenny, I think the side salad of greens will be nice but not sure about the Thai Mango Salad. Here are a few other dishes that would pair well with the rice pilaf and chicken:
https://www.onceuponachef.com/2009/10/roasted-carrots-with-thyme.html
https://www.onceuponachef.com/2009/11/roasted-brussels-sprouts.html
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/minted-cucumber-salad.html
https://www.onceuponachef.com/2011/11/oranges-caramelized-red-onions-and-baby-spinach-in-balsamic-vinaigrette.html
Hope that helps, and please come back and lmk how it all turns out 🙂
Wow! Thanks so much for your input and suggestions! Decisions, decisions! I love the sound of all the options you outlined and have all the makings in the fridge for each. I am leaning toward the cucumber salad, I will let you know how it turns out! Thank you so very much!
The dinner was wonderful! Thank you! I ended up by serving the cucumber salad which was delicious. The rice was superb! Next time I’m going to try chicken thighs but the chicken breasts for the kabobs was lovely as well. Thank you so much!
I made these wonderful kabobs for a summer ladies luncheon with my dear little aunts and my sisters. I used good quality chicken breast from Trader Joes and marinated for 24 hours. We served them with a lovely Greek salad, with fresh hummus and pita on the side, along with grilled vegetables seasoned with kabob spices. Tzatziki sauce complemented the chicken so nicely. Everyone raved about these, and they immediately went into my recipe favorites! This will be my go-to recipe for kabobs, as good as I have had at any Mediterranean restaurant.
This have become my go to chicken recipe when I am having a casual dinner party. I always get great compliments when I serve this! The only change I make is the use of smoked paprika, which adds a wonderful smokiness. I also marinate the chicken in the yogurt sauce before threading it onto the skewers. I find that 8 hours is plenty of time to give the chicken that great flavor and succulent texture. I serve it with a couscous salad(couscous, tomatoes, cukes, feta, fresh herbs, with a quick lemon vinaigrette), roasted veggies and simple green salad. So easy! I especially like that this menu allows me to enjoy my guests!