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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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Why leave the meat in the foil? Please let me know
Hi Julia, the meat only marinates on the foil, but is cooked directly on the grill (and the foil is used just for easy cleanup)!
Hi, I’m very concern on what is the proper way to grill. I don’t want to burn it. Can you give me any tips?
Hi Liezza, I think this article has some great advice for grilling.
Hi, I don’t have metal skewers. Can I marinate the chicken overnight on the wooden skewers in the fridge?
Yes Stefanie, just soak the skewers in water for about 30 minutes first so they don’t burn when you grill them.
This recipe is one of my all time favorites!!! Must make the Basmati rice too!
any suggestions on how to simplify preparing the basmati rice for 40 people?
Cook it in a slow cooker?
Hi Laurie, I’m not familiar enough with a slow cooker to say if that would work. For that number of people, you could either use a giant stock pot to prepare it, or make a few batches. It reheats nicely in the microwave.
Would I just triple/quadruple etc. the ingredients in using a stock pot?
Thanks, Jen!
Exactly! Please let me know if you have any additional questions.
Can I put some of the red onion in the marinade because I don’t have a grill. Going to use the broiler method ?
Hi Salina, you can include the red onion on the skewers even if you’re using your broiler!
I am a decent cook, but this recipe was one
Of the best things I have ever cooked.
Usually the recipes that require more than
5 ingredients scare me off, but for this one
Just about everything I needed I had right
At home. And you can taste every single
One of them, refreshing lemon and a
Little bit of heat, just delightful enough
To get your attention but not really spicy.
I marinated the meat separately and put
It on the scewers before cooking and added some red and yellow peppers.
It was a real taste bud feast.
Recommend to anybody, it doesn’t require
Much work or experience.
Can I use this marinade for leg of lamb to make shish kebabs
Yes Pam, I think the marinade should work nicely with lamb. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you make them!
just curious are you middle eastern?? because it truly doesn’t seem like you are and this recipe is absolutely not . I am Persian from Iran and have been cooking this food for years and that is not the way its done. For future reference cooking ethnic dishes should be kept authentic and the same as the original recipes.
It doesn’t really matter if she is Middle Eastern or not. This is a great recipe that uses Middle Eastern ingredients. If you don’t enjoy it, that is fine. No need to make a big deal out of it.
Get over yourself
That kind of response should not be tolerated. If you don’t like the recipe then keep looking. No need to bring race into it. We are all just human. Light, love, peace.
Uh-oh, I made some Italian meatballs the other day and I’m not Italian! I hope the ARP (Authentic Recipe Police) don’t come after me! ?
Perhaps you could include a link to an “authentic” recipe? There are regional variations within countries on many dishes. I’m not saying you are not correct, but it just seems pointless to offer only criticism. People who visit this site are looking for delicious , perhaps new, recipes to try. This should be an enjoyable experience .
My husband and I really enjoyed it and will be making again. Authentic or not !
I made these kebabs and the basmati rice this weekend! They were SO DELICIOUS, FLAVORFUL AND TENDER. I would totally make these again. The rice was so fragrant. I used raisins instead of currants as they did not have them at my store.