Valentina's Corner
Made with marinated chicken, these grilled chicken kabobs are the perfect summer grilling recipe. They’re juicy, flavorful, and great for all summer events like a party or cookout, especially for the 4th of July!
If you want to add vegetables to your grilled chicken kabobs, be sure to try our juicy chicken and vegetable kebabs!
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
These chicken kabobs are bursting with flavor yet made with the easiest marinade. Mayo, herbs, spices, and lemon juice help tenderize the chicken before it’s grilled for an irresistible, juicy result. They’re healthy, filled with protein, and filled with bright, fresh flavors, perfect for summer night dinners.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Kid-friendly meal. There’s nothing better than a meal that the whole family loves! This is a simple that’s a favorite with kids and adults alike!
- Repurpose leftovers. The chicken marinade is simple so that you can use any leftover chicken from kebabs in wraps, shred or cut to use on pizza or flatbreads, or use in quesadillas!
- Great for big groups. The recipe can be scaled up to serve a large group of people during a summer barbecue or potluck.
- Prepped in advance. The chicken can be marinated overnight so the chicken will be ready to grill, making dinner prep hassle-free.
Grilled Chicken Kabob Ingredients
Grilled chicken kababs require simple ingredients yet result in tons of flavor!
- Chicken- you can use boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs for the kabab.
- Mayonnaise- works in the marinade to tenderize the chicken.
- Herbs and spices- a combination of fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper will flavor the chicken.
- Lemon juice and olive oil- add acidity and moisture to the marinade to prevent dry chicken.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Chicken Kabobs
Mix, marinade, and grill! This recipe really is that easy!
- Prepare marinade: In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the marinade.
- Prep chicken: Cut the chicken into 1” pieces and add to a large bowl. Add the marinade to the chicken and mix to evenly coat all chicken pieces. Tip: Cut chicken into even pieces to ensure they grill evenly.
- Marinade: Set the chicken in the refrigerator and marinade for at least 30 minutes, or as long as overnight.
- Thread onto skewers: Thread the chicken onto the sticks or skewers.
- Grill: Add the chicken skewers over medium heat on the grill. Grill the chicken until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 F, turning as needed.
- Serve and enjoy, friends!
| Pro Tip: To prevent the skewers from burning when grilled, soak them in water for 30 minutes before threading the chicken onto the skewers. |
Substitutions and Variations
Need to make a substitution? Here are some ideas for what you can swap out:
- Add vegetables: For more color, thread some veggies in between the chicken pieces before grilling. Bell peppers, red onions, mushrooms, zucchini, or even cherry tomatoes are fantastic options.
- Add spice: If you like a spicier chicken marinade, add some hot sauce to the marinade to give the chicken a kick.
- Add yogurt: Whole-milk yogurt can be used in place of mayonnaise in the marinade.
Serving Suggestions
These skewers pair well with so many foods, making them a great party idea.
- Salad: Fresh marinated tomatoes, a classic caesar salad, crunchy korean carrot salad, or tomato burrata cheese salad all complement the skewers well.
- Side: With baked rice, smooth and creamy mashed potatoes, and potato wedges will complete the meal.
- Sauce: To dip the chicken, make homemade chick-fil-a sauce, tangy honey mustard sauce, or even spicy mayo to add some heat to the chicken.
- Pita bread and tzatziki: For a Mediterranean-style dinner, serve the chicken up with some fresh pita or naan bread and tzatziki sauce.
REcipe FAQs
You can bake the chicken in the oven at 425°F for 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. You can also cook the chicken on an indoor grill or on a cast iron grill pan.
For best results, marinade the chicken for at least 4 hours to achieve the most flavor. If you don’t have that time, aim for at least a few hours. You can make it the night before.
You can use wooden skewers, soaked for 30 minutes before adding the chicken, or metal skewers which won’t burn over the grill.
You will not taste the mayo at all. The mayo acts as a tenderizer for the chicken.
Store & Freeze
- Storage. Store the leftover kebabs refrigerated for up to 4 days. For easy storage, disassemble and then store in an airtight container.
- Freeze. To prep the chicken in advance, prepare the marinade, chop the chicken, and add to a freezer-safe bag. Zip it up, removing as much air as possible. Thaw in the fridge overnight the day before you cook the kebabs, then thread onto skewers and cook per instructions.
- Reheat. Reheat the kebabs in a 350°F preheated oven until reheated. Or, microwave for a few minutes.
More Grilling Recipes
Looking for another grilled recipe? Try these highly-rated grilled recipes!
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken breast (or thighs)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 1/3 cup real mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup olive oil or canola oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tsp ground pepper
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1” pieces.
- Finely chop the parsley and cilantro. In a small bowl, combine the mayo, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic cloves, and herbs for the marinade.
- Add the chicken to a large bowl and add in the marinade. Stir together to evenly coat the chicken in the marinade. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, soak the skewers in water to prevent burning over the grill.
- Once marinated, thread the chicken pieces onto the wooden skewers.
- Grill over medium heat, turning as needed until chicken is through.
- Serve and enjoy, friends.
Notes
Chicken thighs: You can substitute chicken thighs for the breast for even juicier kebabs.
Freezing: The chicken can be frozen in the marinade prior to cooking in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw overnight before grilling per instructions.
Add veggies: For more color, thread chopped vegetables like onions, peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini in between chicken pieces.