You'll be making these classic chicken kabobs all summer long. These kabobs are made with everyday ingredients, light and healthy, and made with everyday pantry ingredients.
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Why You'll Love These Chicken Kabobs
- Made with everyday ingredients. No need to buy any expensive, special ingredients - these kabobs use what you already have in your pantry/fridge.
- Light and nutritious. This home-style recipe doesn't use any thick, salty marinades or sugar. The focus is on shining the flavours of simple, fresh veggies and chicken that's subtly seasoned.
- Beautiful at dinner. Show up to the BBQ with a platter of these GORGEOUS colourful kabobs, perfectly kissed with grill marks. These are a real crowd-pleaser.
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Grilled Chicken Kabob With Vegetables
Equipment
- 10-15 wooden kabob sticks soaked in water for 20-30 mins
Ingredients
- ~8 medium-sized bonless skinless chicken thighs or 3-4 chicken breasts
- 1 large red onion
- 2 zucchinis
- 2 bell peppers
Seasonings
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon minced, fresh garlic or dried
- ½ teaspoon sea salt to taste
Garnish (optional)
- 1 lemon or lime to squeeze on top
- 3 tablespoon crumbled Feta cheese
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs parsley, cilantro, dill
Instructions
- Prepare Kabob Ingredients
- Soak wooden kabob sticks in water (~20 mins). This is to prevent burning when kabobs are grilling.
- Prep: Chop chicken thighs into similar sized chunks. Place in a bowl with all seasonigs, using your hands to marinate well for ~10 mins. Wash and chop vegetables into simlar sized chunks. Optiona: coat vegetables in ½ teaspoon olive oil.
Assemble and Grill
- Pre-heat grill by setting heat to medium high heat (~375 F/184 C). Optional: brush grills with canola oil to prevent kabobs from sticking.
- Thread kabobs: Pierce vegetable/chicken chunks with the kabob sticks. To make them pretty, use a consisent pattern . e.g. purple, red, green, white...
- Grill: Place kabobs onto grill ensuring none are overlapping. Grill for ~15 mins with lid covered. Open lid and flip each kabob. Kabobs are fully cooked when chicken juices run clear and are white in the center. Move to a platter, squeeze lemon juice on top and add garnish.
Notes
- Chicken thigh is superior to breast. If using breast, take precaution not to overgrill the meat since breast tends to get dry easily when cooking.
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Ingredients to Make Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Skinless, boneless chicken thigh
- Zucchini
- Bell pepper
- Red onion
- Olive oil, salt, paprika, oregano, lemon juice
- Optional: crumbled feta cheese, chopped fresh herbs
Should I Use Chicken Thighs or Breast?
THIGHS! Bonesless, skinless thighs are superior to chicken breast. Chicken thighs are dark meat, which means it has a richer flavour. You're also going to get a juicer bite with thighs since it's a fattier cut of meat.
If you can't use thighs, chicken breast works fine too. However, you have to be extra careful not to over-grill it or else it'll be grainy and dry.
A benefit of using breasts over thighs is that it's usually more affordable and easier to cut into chunks. Breast also has a lower fat content if that's something you're conscious about. However, remember you can always take the skin off thighs to compromise on fat vs flavour.
What Other Vegetables Can I Use?
Bell pepper, onions, and zucchini are classic vegetables to use in grilled kabobs. However, use whatever vegetables you have on hand! I recommend to use vegetables that aren't too delicate because it'll fall off the kabob too easily (e.g. tomatoes). On the flip side, avoid using vegetables that take too long to grill kabob-style (e.g. potatoes).
Here's what you can try:
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Pineapple
- Corn on the cobs (cut into chunks)
FAQ
Yes, you can use a grill pan or broil them in the oven. Make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly and flip the kabobs halfway through.
Make sure to oil the grill grates before cooking, or you can brush a bit of oil directly onto the kabobs.
es, metal skewers are a great option. If you're using wooden skewers, remember to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the chicken to prevent them from burning during grilling.
Yes, you can freeze the chicken in the marinade for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before grilling.
