Best grilled chicken kebabs

There is one dinner that gets all four of us to the table at the same time without me asking twice, and it is these grilled chicken kabobs.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Like These Grilled Chicken Kabobs
• What You Need to Make Chicken Kabobs
• Grilled Chicken Kabobs
• How to Make Grilled Chicken Kabobs Step by Step
• Storage and Reheating
• My Tips and Variations for Chicken Kabobs
• Common Questions About Grilled Chicken Kabobs
• Recipes You May Like
• A Few Last Thoughts

Something about food on a stick just works. Alex will eat a whole zucchini slice if it is sitting next to a piece of chicken on a skewer, and I have stopped questioning it.

I started making grilled chicken kabobs the summer we finally figured out the rooftop grill situation in our building. You have to sign up on a paper sheet by the elevator, which feels very Manhattan, and I usually forget until Friday afternoon.

That first time was a mess. I skipped the marinade because I was in a hurry, and the chicken came out dry and boring. Donald ate it politely. Sarah did not.

So I tried again the next weekend with honey, soy sauce, olive oil and garlic, and that batch disappeared in about ten minutes flat. Now it is on our summer rotation, and I have made it more times than I can count.

Here is what you can expect: juicy chicken, sweet peppers, soft zucchini and red onion with charred edges, all done in about 30 minutes once the marinating is out of the way.

When I want to make it feel like a real spread, I whip up a bowl of my homemade tzatziki sauce in the morning and let it sit in the fridge. Cool, garlicky, and honestly it takes five minutes. Spoon it over the skewers and you have dinner that tastes like a little restaurant meal on a Tuesday.

Why You Will Like These Grilled Chicken Kabobs

• Simple ingredients you probably already have. Olive oil, soy sauce, honey and garlic make the whole marinade.
• Fast on the grill. Five to seven minutes per side and you are done.
• Kid approved. My kids eat vegetables they normally push around the plate.
• Sweet and savory. The honey caramelizes on the edges and the soy sauce keeps it salty and deep.
• Works indoors too. No grill? A grill pan or the broiler does the job. I use both all winter.
• Almost no cleanup. One bowl, a sheet pan, and some skewers.

What You Need to Make Chicken Kabobs

Everything here is easy to grab. I usually pick up the vegetables at the corner market on my way home.

For the marinade:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the skewers:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 small zucchini, cut into 1 inch slices
• 1 red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

A few notes on swaps:

Chicken thighs work beautifully here and stay juicier than breasts. I use them when I know dinner might get pushed back an hour.

Out of honey? Maple syrup does the same thing. Low sodium soy sauce is my pick when I am serving the kids, since the regular kind can get salty fast.

Mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and yellow squash are all good here. Skip anything that cooks much slower than chicken, like raw potato or carrot.

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How to Make Grilled Chicken Kabobs Step by Step

I broke this into small pieces so you can follow along without scrolling back up.

Mix the Marinade

Put the olive oil, soy sauce, honey, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Whisk it until the honey stops sitting at the bottom. It takes about 20 seconds.

Soak the Chicken and Vegetables

Add the chicken, both bell peppers, zucchini and red onion right into the same bowl. Toss everything until it is coated.

Cover it and put it in the fridge for at least 1 hour. You can leave it up to 8 hours, and I often mix it before school drop off and forget about it until dinner.

Get Your Skewers Ready

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes. I learned this the hard way when one caught fire on the rooftop and Donald had to fan the smoke away from the sensor. Not my finest moment.

Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium high heat.

Thread and Grill

Slide the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers. I alternate as I go so every bite has a little of everything.

Do not pack the pieces too tightly. Leave a small gap so the heat can get in around each piece.

Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle. An instant read thermometer should say 165 degrees.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve right away.

Bake Them in the Oven Instead

This is my winter method. Preheat the broiler and coat a sheet pan with cooking spray.

Lay the skewers out in a single layer. Broil for 5 minutes, flip them, then broil 5 more minutes.

Watch them closely near the end. The honey browns quickly under a broiler.

Prep time: 20 minutes | Marinating: 1 hour | Cook time: 10 minutes | Serves: 4

Per serving: 278 calories, 27g protein, 26g carbs, 12g fat

Storage and Reheating

Let the skewers cool, then slide everything off into an airtight container. I do this because whole skewers never fit in my fridge without knocking something over.

They keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. The chicken soaks up a little more of the marinade overnight, and I actually like it better on day two in a wrap.

For the freezer, use a zip top bag and press the air out. It holds for about 2 months.

To reheat, warm them in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes with a splash of water. The microwave works, but it makes the zucchini soft and sad.

Cold leftovers chopped over greens make a really good lunch. That is what I do with mine most weeks.

My Tips and Variations for Chicken Kabobs

Want to know the one thing that changed these for me? Cutting the chicken pieces the same size as the vegetables. Even 1 inch cubes across the board means everything finishes cooking at the same moment.

Here is what else I have picked up:

• Do not skip the hour in the fridge. Thirty minutes is fine in a pinch, but the full hour makes a real difference in how juicy the chicken stays.
• Use two skewers side by side for wobbly pieces like onion. They stop spinning when you flip them.
• Save a little marinade before it touches the chicken and brush it on at the end for extra shine.
• Try a teriyaki version. I swap the marinade for my homemade teriyaki sauce when Sarah asks for something sweeter.
• Make it a full plate. These are so good next to crispy home fries or a pile of rice.

The pitfall to watch: overcooking. Chicken breast goes from juicy to chalky in about 90 seconds. Pull it the moment it is done.

Common Questions About Grilled Chicken Kabobs

How Long Should Chicken Kabobs Marinate Before Grilling?

One hour is my minimum, and 4 hours is my sweet spot. Anything past 8 hours and the soy sauce starts to change the texture of the chicken, making it a little mushy on the outside. I set a phone timer so I do not forget.

What Vegetables Are Best for Grilled Chicken Kabobs?

Bell peppers, zucchini and red onion are what I use almost every time because they cook in the same window as the chicken. Mushrooms and cherry tomatoes are great additions. Steer clear of dense vegetables like raw potato or carrot unless you parboil them first, since they will still be crunchy when the chicken is done.

How Do You Keep Chicken Kabobs From Drying Out?

Three things. Marinate for the full hour, cut your chicken into even 1 inch pieces, and pull them off the heat at 165 degrees. I keep a small thermometer in my kitchen drawer for exactly this. Chicken thighs are also more forgiving if you tend to lose track of time like I do.

Can Grilled Chicken Kabobs Be Cooked in the Oven?

Yes, and they turn out great. Broil them on a greased sheet pan for 5 minutes per side. I do this all winter when the rooftop is covered in snow, and nobody at my table has ever complained about the difference.

Recipes You May Like

• Easy Grilled Chicken Dinner With Marinade is the one I make when I want the same flavors without threading anything onto sticks.
• Healthy Grilled Steak With Chimichurri is what Donald requests the second the weather turns warm.
• Grilled Ground Beef Smash Burgers are our go to when the kids have friends over and I need to feed a crowd fast.

A Few Last Thoughts

So here is the short version: whisk the marinade, let the chicken and vegetables sit for an hour, thread them on skewers, and grill about 6 minutes a side.

That is really it. No special equipment, no hard technique, just real food that tastes like summer.

I love these grilled chicken kabobs because they make a regular weeknight feel like something. My kitchen is small, my time is short, and this recipe still delivers every single time.

Give them a try this week and let me know how they turn out for you. Save this one to your Pinterest board so you have it ready when grilling season hits.