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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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Very easy, moist and flavorful chicken to make. Whole family loved. Paired with some naan and homemade raita (Indian sliced yogurt) to round out the meal. Definitely a great summer rooftop grill dinner!
I 100% recommend these Kebabs!! My husband is from Afghanistan so Ive always been nervous to make Kebabs at home not wanting to be compared to his family’s amazing cooking. But I decided it was time to be brave and made these last night. He did a little happy dance when he took the first bite off the grill. It only got better when plated it up with the Basmati rice pilaf. So flavorful and delicious thank you for this awesome recipe!!
This looks amazing! I am going to try it this week. Do you think it would also work with shrimp?
btw- love all of your recipes. Just this week, I have made your challah, golden Rice Krispies, Southwestern burgers, and Thai curry. Love your book too!
So glad you like the recipes — sounds like you’ve been busy in the kitchen! I haven’t tried this with shrimp, but I think it would work. You should definitely cut the marinating time down to 30 to 60 minutes. And, be careful not to overcook the shrimp – you’ll need about 1 1/2 minutes per side. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Thanks so much for your reply! The chicken was amazing, and I also tried it with shrimp using your advice and it was also delicious. Thank you!
So glad — thanks for the follow-up!
Can this be baked in the oven? I’ve made on the grill but would like to bake in oven during the winter.
Hi Donna, If you want to use the oven, I’d broil them. Set the broiler to high. The timing should be the same; just be sure to turn the skewers so they brown evenly. Hope you enjoy!
❤️❤️❤️this recipe! 🚫 boring chicken! So flavorful, moist and yet, easy! The fruited rice is exceptional too.
First, I want to thank you for your awesome site. I recommend it all the time. I love your buttermilk chicken tenders, Peruvian roasted chicken and, I just fell in love with your key lime pie recipe!
I was excited to try this chicken recipe but I must say I was disappointed. I personally didn’t care for the overall flavor… I prepared it on a cast iron stovetop grill without the onion (maybe that would have made a big difference). I’ve tried at least 5 recipes from this site. Most of my ratings have been 5 star ratings. With those odds, I’m searching your site looking for my next favorite only minutes after I’ve devoured your key lime pie. Thanks, Jen!
I made this recipe for dinner two nights ago and my husband loved it. I used chicken breasts instead of thighs and it turned out perfect. Very yummy! I served it with grilled eggplant, humous, a bulgur and wild rice salad and, of course, pita. DELICIOUS!
This recipe has become a family favorite. My kids love it! Thank you.
Fabulous recipe! Easy to prepare before guests arrive and just grill. I cut up the chicken thighs, mixed them in a bowl overnight. In the morning I threaded the skewers — chicken only, red onion only and tri-colored pepper only, each on it’s own skewer (because each is cooked at a different rate). Served with the basmati pilaf, greek salad, pita bread and a platter of Trader Joes’s hummus, red pepper spread, pitted kalamata olives and tzatziki sauce.
Try Jen’s hummus recipe. Love it and make it almost every week. I add extra cumin and coriander.
Loved this chicken recipe!! Made it twice as kebabs on the grill, and then as chicken tenders fried, and both came out delicious! Thank you!