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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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Hi Jenn, First off I have to say thanks for sharing your recipes! I have tried a few so far and let’s say they have become family favorites and now I have to stock up the ingredients so that I can make them whenever I crave for the dish.
This is my second time making the Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs. The first time I made this recipe I marinated for 6-8 hours and followed the exact recipe. It was delicious but I was curious to see how coriander would taste if it was added with the recipe. I’m still new and love exploring on the spices from Middle East. I notice that coriander is one of the few ingredients that comes up a lot. For this second batch I used ½ teaspoon of coriander and instead of skewering them and placing the sauce on the kebabs, I instead marinate the chicken in the sauce for 12+ hours. The following night I skew them in wooden toothpick since I couldn’t find my actual metal skewer and bake them at 350 degree for 30-40 minutes, rotating every 10-15 minutes. I opt in for baking because it was late at night and didn’t want to be in the dark grilling. There were liquids from baking so I had to pour them out from the pan each time I flip them over. I think the next time I’m going to try to grill instead. I had to bake the chicken in two separate batches because my tray was too small. After two hours of baking, I finally get to taste. I have to say I absolutely love the taste of the coriander added, it gave a hint of sweetness which I like! I was actually surprised. I am looking forward to trying it again with the coriander and hopefully grilling it the next time around!
Jen, this recipe specifies metal skewers. Is there any reason I can’t use wooden? That’s all I have.
Hi Jennifer, Yes, you can use wood skewers; just soak them in water for about 30 minutes first so they don’t burn when you grill them.
Can I make these in the oven? Thanks!
Yes, Paj, I would broil them for the same amount of time they should be grilled. Enjoy!
Wow! This reminds me of one of my favorite places! When I would travel to India, there was this amazing grill on the roof of the hotel where I was staying. They made some incredible chicken dishes on the open flame grill. This reminded me so much of those awesome delicacies! Thanks for providing simple, yet wonderfully delicious recipes!
Delicious! I used four of your recipes to create the menu for my husband’s birthday party and these were delicious! I used both chicken breast and thighs, and both were good! I didn’t change anything from the original.
I am having a family party for 10 and would like to make this dish (looks amazing) and add another ‘main’ to the menu…what would you suggest that would be a good fit with this? I just love your site and your recipies!!
Hi Anne, My lamb kofta or Moroccan Meatballs would both go perfectly.
I am wondering about using pork in this recipe. Would it work? I have a lot of cubed pork that I purchased that looks like tenderloin pieces.
Hi Sheila, If what you have is pork tenderloin, I think the kebabs would come out a bit too dry (because the tenderloin has very little fat). Sorry!
What is the rice recipe you serve this with?
Hi Anne, It’s this one. Enjoy!
These kebabs were a winner! Succulent and packed with flavor. Thank you!
loved this recipe! 🙂 marinated the chicken for more than 24 hours and it tasted so good! Thank you Jenn for sharing your recipes!