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These Chicken Kabobs are a fun and flavorful dinner idea that the whole family will love! In this easy recipe, marinated bites of chicken and colorful vegetables are cooked on skewers.

Grilled chicken kabobs on a plate.

These chicken kabobs are one of the first recipes I make every spring when the weather warms up enough to kick off grilling season. I love grilling chicken on skewers because the bite-size pieces of chicken have more surface area to soak up extra flavor from the marinade. This means that every bite is intensely flavorful and satisfying. When you pop the skewered meat and veggies on the grill, all that surface area is ready for delicious caramelization on the hot grill grates.

The secret to the best chicken kabobs is in the marinade. In this recipe, I use my very favorite chicken marinade, a savory combination of soy sauce, lemon juice, fresh garlic and seasonings. While I’ve tried coating the veggies in the marinade as well, I prefer to toss them with a simple mix of olive oil, salt and pepper to let the flavor of the grilled vegetables shine. If you don’t have a grill or it’s not grilling season, you can bake the kabobs in the oven. You’ll find all the details below!

Just made this tonight and this is now our go-to chicken kabab recipe! Love the flavors and the Italian seasoning! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe 🙂

Mike
Chicken kabobs stacked on an oval plate.

What You’ll Need

For this recipe you’ll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts and vegetables, plus a few ingredients for the homemade marinade. You’ll also need metal or wooden skewers.

Ingredients for chicken kabobs recipe.

For the vegetables, I used zucchini, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper and red onion. Other vegetables that work well on kabobs are mushrooms, green bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. Cut the vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Mushrooms and cherry tomatoes can be left whole.

The Chicken Marinade

You are going to love the chicken marinade that I use in this recipe! It’s my favorite marinade for grilled chicken and it brings incredible flavor to these chicken kabobs.

For the marinade you’ll need:

  • Olive Oil: Helps to infuse the flavor of the other marinade ingredients into the chicken.
  • Soy Sauce: Look for a low sodium soy sauce for less salt.
  • Lemon Juice: Adds flavor and helps to tenderize the meat.
  • Worcestershire Sauce: Adds umami flavor.
  • Brown Sugar: Adds a hint of sweetness. You can substitute honey or omit the sugar if you prefer.
  • Garlic, Italian Seasoning and Black Pepper: For seasoning. In place of Italian seasoning, you could also use dried oregano.

Before You Start: Soak the Skewers

If you’re using wooden skewers you need to soak them in a dish of warm water for about 20 minutes before threading on the meat and veggies. This prevents them from catching fire on the grill. If you’re using metal skewers you do not need to soak them.

How to Make Chicken Kabobs

Here’s a quick overview of how to make this recipe. See the printable recipe card below for the full recipe with measurements.

Mix together the marinade ingredients, either in a zip-top plastic bag or bowl. Optional: reserve a few tablespoons of the marinade to brush over the chicken kabobs near the end of the cooking time.

Marinate the chicken. First cut it into 1-inch pieces. Then add the chicken to the marinade and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Pouring marinade onto chicken pieces in bowl.

Soak wooden skewers in warm water for at least 20 minutes. 

Season the veggies. Drizzle olive oil over the zucchini, bell peppers and red onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to distribute the oil, salt and pepper. Keep a few layers of onion together so that the onion doesn’t burn on the grill.

Zucchini, bell pepper and red onion tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper in mixing bowl.

Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers. Discard any used marinade that came in contact with the raw chicken.

Uncooked chicken and vegetable skewers on wood cutting board.

Then cook the kabobs, either on the grill or in the oven.

How Long to Grill Chicken Kabobs

Grill chicken kabobs over medium heat for 12-18 minutes total. Turn the kabobs every few minutes as they cook to help them cook evenly on all sides. They are done when the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165° F as measured with an instant read thermometer.

How to Cook Kabobs in the Oven

When it’s not grilling weather, I like to cook these chicken kabobs in the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake chicken kabobs on the baking sheet at 425° F for 24-30 minutes, turning them occasionally, until chicken is cooked to 165° F. I use kitchen tongs to turn the kabobs, since the skewers are hot.

Chicken kabobs can be served on the skewers or you can remove the chicken and vegetables from the skewers before plating. Just be sure to slide the chicken and veggies off the skewers before eating. And be careful if you use metal skewers, as they will get very hot while cooking.

Serving Ideas

Chicken skewers on a plate.

More Tasty Grilling Recipes

I think you’ll also love these grilling recipes:

Grilled chicken kabobs on a plate.
5 from 11 ratings

Chicken Kabobs

Servings: 4 servings (8 skewers)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinate: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
These Chicken Kabobs are made with chicken breasts, a flavorful chicken kabob marinade and vegetables. This colorful meal is easy to make on the grill or in the oven.
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Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, or honey
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the Vegetables

  • 2 small or 1 medium zucchini, sliced into ½-inch thick rounds
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 small red or yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks with a few layers still together
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • 8 wood or metal skewers

Instructions
 

  • Combine the chicken marinade ingredients in a zip-top bag or dish: olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning and black pepper. Squish to mix in the bag or whisk if using a dish.
  • Add the chicken pieces to the marinade. Make sure that all of the chicken is coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
  • If using wooden skewers, soak them in a dish of warm water for at least 20 minutes.
  • Place the zucchini rounds and chopped bell peppers in a baking dish or bowl. Drizzle with the 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Add the onion to the bowl last and mix in very gently so that the onion layers stay together as best as possible.
  • Put the chicken and vegetables on the skewers, dividing evenly between the 8 skewers and arranging the vegetable pieces in between the chicken pieces. Aim to put about 3 chicken pieces and 2-3 pieces of each vegetable per skewer. Discard all of the used marinade that held the chicken.
  • Grill over medium heat for 12-18 minutes, turning every few minutes to cook all sides evenly. Kabobs are done when chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165° F.

Notes

  • To cook in the oven: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place kabobs on the baking sheet and bake at 425° F for 24-30 minutes, turning them occasionally, until chicken is cooked to 165° F. I use kitchen tongs to turn the kabobs, as the skewers are hot.
Serving: 2skewers, Calories: 407kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 91mg, Sodium: 747mg, Potassium: 941mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 1165IU, Vitamin C: 112mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
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