Grilled Chicken Kabobs
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Published Jul 17, 2024, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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These easy grilled chicken kabobs pair marinated chicken with colorful vegetables on skewers that are then grilled to perfection. Serve them at your next summer cookout or for a simple dinner.
With summer in full swing we’ve been using our grill constantly to make turkey burgers, grilled chicken and these grilled chicken kabobs!
These kabobs are such a summer staple and so easy to make! While your chicken is marinating, prep your veggies then thread everything onto a skewer, grill and enjoy!
They’re perfect for summer cookouts or a simple weeknight dinner. I love serving them with rice or these grilled sweet potatoes for a full meal!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Simple – This recipe comes together quick with minimal prep time and easy grilling instructions. It’s perfect for when you want a delicious meal without the fuss.
- Flavorful – These grilled chicken kabobs are packed with flavor thanks to the tender veggies and juicy, marinated chicken.
- Healthy – Can’t get much healthier than the combo of chicken + veggies!
- Crowd-Pleaser – Everyone loves a good kabob! This recipe is ideal for summer cookouts or BBQ’s and is sure to impress your guests. Serve them with my classic broccoli salad or healthy pasta salad for a full spread!
Ingredients Needed
- boneless skinless chicken breast – you’ll need about 1.5 lbs for this recipe, chopped into large chunks.
- yellow squash and zucchini – two of my favorite summer veggies! You’ll slice these into rounds and there’s no need to peel them first.
- bell pepper – I typically use red bell pepper, but any color variety of bell peppers will work. You’ll want to de-seed and cut it into 1-inch chunks.
- red onion – adds a mild, sweet flavor when grilled. You’ll want to cut into 1-inch chunks.
- marinade – we’re making a homemade marinade with red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, dried oregano or Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Recipe Substitutions
- Want to use different veggies? Go for it! I just recommend picking vegetables that will cook in the same amount of time and are easy to grill like cherry tomatoes, mushrooms or eggplant. Potatoes would also be another good option, but make sure to cut them into small enough chunks to properly cook in the amount of time it takes for the chicken and other veggies to cook.
- Looking for a different protein? Try my grilled shrimp skewers instead!
How to Make Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Step 1: Whisk together the marinade in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the chicken to the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Step 3: Add the chopped veggies, olive oil and sea salt into a medium sized mixing bowl and toss to coat.
Step 4: Thread the chicken and veggies onto skewers and cook on the preheated grill until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes on each side.
Brittany’s Tips!
- Marinate! For maximum flavor, marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible. This allows the flavors to penetrate deeply into the meat.
- Use proper skewers: Use metal skewers or if using wooden skewers be sure to soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes to keep them from catching fire while grilling. If using metal skewers be sure to tongs or an oven mitt to remove them from the grill as they’ll be hot!
- Cut chicken evenly: Try to cut the chicken into similar sized pieces, around 1-1 ½ inch chunks so it cooks evenly.
- Don’t crowd the skewers: You don’t want to crowd the vegetables and chicken too tightly on the skewers otherwise the heat won’t be able to circulate around everything evenly.
What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Kabobs
I love serving a light salad with these chicken kabobs. It’s the perfect addition that is refreshing and still lets the chicken shine as the star of the show. You could also add some dips and spread for some extra sides! Here’s some options to try out:
- My Mediterranean orzo salad or this Mediterranean brown rice salad would pair so well with these chicken kabobs. Both salads add a fresh touch that complements the grilled chicken perfectly. The orzo salad is light and lemony, while the brown rice salad brings a hearty, nutty flavor.
- Some other great salads to pair with these chicken kabobs would be my easy kale salad, a watermelon salad for something sweet and refreshing, or this classic Caprese salad.
- You could also add some delicious dips or spreads as a side! A creamy hummus is always a hit at my house. Other great options are a whipped feta dip, my black bean dip, or even this spinach artichoke dip.
How to Store Leftovers
- In the fridge: Remove any leftover chicken and veggies from the skewers store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: Reheat leftovers over the stovetop or in the oven on a baking sheet at 350F until warmed throughout. You can also reheat the chicken and vegetables in the microwave if you’re short on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the best flavor, marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, but if you have the time, marinate it for 2 hours or overnight for maximum flavor absorption.
Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the chicken and vegetables. This helps prevent them from burning on the grill.
The best way to ensure that the chicken is done cooking is to use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken. Once it registers 165°F the chicken is safe to eat.
Yes! If you don’t have a grill you can cook the kabobs in the oven. Preheat your oven broiler to high and coat a sheet pan with cooking spray. Place the skewers on the baking sheet in a single layer and broil for about 10 minutes, flipping the skewers halfway.
More Grilling Recipes
- Grilled Shrimp
- Grilled Sweet Potatoes
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Burgers
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Grilled BBQ Tempeh Skewers
- Grilled Salmon
- Yogurt Marinated Chicken
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- juice of 1 lemon, 3 Tablespoons
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Kabobs
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into 1-1 ½ inch chunks
- 1 medium squash, sliced into 1/2" rounds
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2" rounds
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1" chunks
- ½ medium red onion, chopped into 1" chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Whisk together marinade in a large bowl.
- Add chicken chunks and toss to combine. Let chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, can go up to overnight.
- Add chopped veggies, olive oil and sea salt into a medium sized mixing bowl and toss.
- Thread chicken and veggies onto metal or soaked wooden skewers and discard marinade.
- Fire up your grill with heat set to medium-high. Place chicken skewers on grill and cook until chicken is cooked through and golden in color with some grill marks, about 8 minutes on each side.
- Remove from grill and serve hot.
Notes
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.
- To make in the oven: If you don’t have a grill you can cook the kabobs in the oven. Preheat your oven broiler to high and coat a sheet pan with cooking spray. Place the skewers on the baking sheet in a single layer and broil for about 10 minutes, flipping the skewers halfway.
- To store leftovers: Remove any leftover chicken and veggies from the skewers store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I don’t see Rosemary in this recipe. Am I missing something. I have T done kabobs for awhile. Will have to try this.
Hi Kathy – There is no rosemary in this recipe, only dried oregano or Italian seasoning. Are you asking if you can use rosemary? Let me know if you give this recipe a try!
Oh wow these look absolutely delicious! I love kebabs!
I love using rosemary to season my salmon and now I’m definitely going to try it on my chicken!
Love the flavor and aroma of rosemary! Such a great idea to use them as skewers!
Now that’s the best kinda skewer 😉
Brittany this is brilliant! I love the Rosemary skewers idea