Chicken Kebabs

Nothing makes my home-chef heart sing more than when the weather warms up enough to start cooking on the grill. One of my favorite warm-weather grilling recipes is chicken kebabs. 

Not only are these chicken kebabs healthy, but they’re also so easy to prepare and take only a few minutes to cook. Just like all of my favorite recipes, you can customize this to use your favorite veggies and marinades until you find one your family absolutely loves.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Kebabs

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1-2 zucchini (depending on size)
• 8 oz. white mushrooms
• 2 bell peppers
• 1 small red onion

Marinade for Chicken Kebabs

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (or low carb syrup for keto kebabs)
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt

How to Keep Kebabs from Sticking to the Grill

The one issue I’ve had with making these chicken kebabs is that they can sometimes stick to my grill. This makes them hard to flip without tearing the meat or losing some of the veggies.

To prevent kebabs from sticking to your grill, I recommend oiling both your kebab ingredients and your grill grates before you start cooking. When you cut up your ingredients, give them a quick toss in oil before threading them onto the skewers. 

Once your grill has pre-heated, grease the grates by covering a paper towel in cooking oil and using tongs to safely rub the paper towel along all of the grates. This will coat them in oil and make things less likely to stick.

Instructions

Here are all the steps to making perfectly cooked chicken kebabs on the grill. 

Step 1 – Prepare the Marinade

In a mason jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, honey (or low carb syrup), paprika, cumin, parsley, and salt. Close the lid and shake until completely combined.

Step 2 – Marinate the Chicken

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and then place them in a zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. 

You don’t want to let this marinade sit overnight as the acid from the lemon juice can start to affect the texture of the chicken.

Step 3 – Cut the Vegetables

Cut the zucchini, peppers, onion, and mushrooms into the same 1-inch size pieces as the chicken.

I cut mine to 1-inch pieces, but pay attention to your grill grates and cut the ingredients large enough that they won’t fall through the grates. 

Add all of the vegetables to a bowl and coat with the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Set aside until the chicken is done marinating. 

I don’t add the mushrooms to the bowl with the other veggies because salting them will draw out their moisture. I thread them on without oil or seasoning and they cook up perfectly as is!

Step 4 – Thread the Skewers

When your chicken has finished in the marinade, you can start threading all of the ingredients onto your skewers. 

Leave a small amount of space between each ingredient so that everything cooks fully and evenly. If they overlap too much, they could cook unevenly.

Step 5 – Grill the Chicken Kebabs

Get your grill preheated to medium heat, around 350°F (177°C), and coat the grill grates with oil. 

Place the kebabs on the grill and cook, flipping occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). 

Cookware Used

Here are all the tools I used to make this delicious chicken kebab recipe.

Kebab Skewers: I use metal skewers whenever I’m cooking on the grill, but you can also use bamboo or wood skewers as well. See my note below if you’re using bamboo or wood skewers.

Metal Tongs: I use metal tongs to rotate my chicken kebabs while I’m cooking them. I like tongs with longer handles so that my hands never have to get too close to the flame.

Flexible Cutting Board: These cutting boards are perfect for cutting your ingredients and then easily transferring them outside to your grill. They are lightweight and very easy to maneuver to wherever you need them to be.

Gas Grill: I used an outdoor gas grill to cook my chicken kebabs. A charcoal bbq or high heat wok burner would also work. But you can absolutely use an indoor electric or stove grill-top as well. I love the look of grill marks on my kebabs, so if you do use an indoor grill, I recommend one with grill grates.

How to Grill Chicken Kebabs

There are a few helpful tips when you’re grilling up chicken kebabs. Follow them to prevent any burning, sticking, or uneven cooking. 

• Be sure to marinate your meat for at least 30 minutes for the best flavor.
• Coat your ingredients and your grill grates in oil before cooking.
• Cut all of your ingredients uniformly, so they’re all the same size.
• Slightly space your ingredients, about ½ inch, so they cook through evenly.
• If using bamboo or wood skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes before grilling.

Best Skewers for Chicken Kebabs

I use metal skewers when I’m grilling chicken kebabs. However, you can also use bamboo or wood skewers.

If you use wood skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before you thread your ingredients and grill them.

Soaking them in water prevents them from cooking with your ingredients. If you skip the soaking session, you’ll have burnt skewers and risk them catching fire in your grill.

Another Delicious Marinade for Chicken Kebabs

The chicken kebab marinade I use is my family’s favorite, but don’t be afraid to try some other flavor combinations. One that makes its rounds at our house is a ginger soy marinade.

Follow the same directions as above, but for your marinade, you will use 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice instead of lemon juice, omit the paprika, cumin, and parsley, and add ¼ cup soy sauce. 

I also like to add about ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro to this recipe and a 1-inch piece of freshly grated ginger.

Now, It’s Your Turn!

I hope this quick and easy 5-step chicken kebabs recipe has you ready to fire up the grill! This meal is best enjoyed outdoors and can easily be made in bulk for friends and family. 

Play around with different vegetable and marinade combinations until you find the perfect match for your family. Be sure to oil everything well to prevent sticking and enjoy being able to cook a delicious meal outside.

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