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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
- 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.
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I made these for my daughters Bday BBQ. They were marinated overnight! They were
FABULOUS & very well received!!!!! I added oregano but otherwise stuck to the recipe. Thank you for sharing this!
so gooodd!! its a must try, will be making again one of my favorite chicken recipes
Marinated these overnight and cooked them on our BBQ – they were AH-MAZING!!!! Thank you!! Your recipes are always fool-proof! xx
How many skewers come in one serving? It suggests 6-8 servings so is that 12-16 skewers?
Thank you
Hi Andrew, It depends on the size of the skewers. I haven’t made these in a while, but I’d guess it makes about 12 skewers and each person would probably eat about 2. Hope that helps!
Just made this today, followed recipe except adding cinnamon- didn’t have any on hand. Marinated for recommended 8 hours. Let me just say me and my boyfriend loved this recipe. This is one of those I’ll keep forever. Thank you!!!
First time ever to write a review for a recipe. Best kabob recipe. This is the only recipe will ever use. My family LOVES this recipe.
Thanks so much!!!!
I am so fussy when it comes to food. I try so many recipes that I don’t cook again. This chicken recipe was delicious! Everyone in my house loved it. I served it with your Basmati Pilaf. Thank you!
Been using this recipe for years now and never fails! Have also portioned up once in marinade then frozen in bags for quick weeknight meals. We never bother with chopping up or the skewers just bbq the thighs whole then slither up just before eating..
Can you omit lemon juice for lemon oil if using chicken breast?
You could, but the chicken may still be a bit dry as the yogurt in the marinade is also acidic. You may want to give this recipe a try if you want to use breasts with a hint of lemon.
Just curious why lemon juice would make chicken breasts tougher? I thought acidity broke down meat to make it more tender. Or is it because they are so lean?
Yes, it’s okay if dark meat chicken has some kind of acid in the marinade, but it will make chicken breasts tough.
Can we bake/broil this chicken as well?
Yes, Nollie, I would broil it – hope you enjoy!
I’ve made these several times and its a major hit every time !! All your recipes are outrageously delicious.
I was wondering if I could make this recipe with pork instead of chicken? Cut up pork tenderloin or pork shoulder?
Thanks!
Hi Alexia, Glad you like these! I wouldn’t recommend using pork here (either the tenderloin or shoulder). I think they would come out tough — sorry!
Hi Jennifer!
My family loves this dish. However, they will only eat chicken breasts and they were just a bit dry. What adjustments would you make if you were using breast meat?
Hi Laurie, I really recommend these with thighs as they are more moist. That said, if you use breasts, I’d omit the lemon juice from the marinade. Hope that helps!
Hello Jenn,
These sound tasty and I am looking for another way to prepare chicken breasts. Kids are tired of the same old dishes. I see on this string that it’s recommended to omit lemon juice if using breasts. What about the lemon zest? Ok to leave in recipe?
Yep – lemon zest is fine. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious! Since I used breasts, I omitted the lemon juice but kept the zest. Marinated for 24+ hours. Served lemon wedges on the side. I may make more marinade to serve on the side. It’s so tasty by itself :). Also made the Basmati Pilaf but only had tart cherries 🍒 so that’s what I went with. Added nice color and flavor. 2 Thumbs Up 👍🏼 👍🏼
Laurie-
Omitting lemon juice won’t help at all. Chicken breasts take far less time to cook than thighs. I would grill them for 5 minutes on 1 side, then 3 minutes on the other, and then let them rest under tented foil so they retain their juices! Good luck 🙂
I use chicken breast tenders. Zero issues. I only did it by mistake, because I didn’t see that it called for thighs, lol. A delicious mistake… these things are delicious. You can also do them in the air fryer for 15 min on 350. Excellent on grill or air fryer.