Try these juicy, chargrilled, and flavorful chicken kabobs for your next barbecue or even meal prep! Learn how to make these Middle Eastern-inspired kebabs with a marinade packed with spices and seasonings.
Chicken kebabs found around the world
While the generic term kebab can be found worldwide, certain regions and varieties come to mind whenever you see it on a menu. You’ll also notice that it’s spelled differently depending on where you are: kebab, kabob, kebap, or kabab.
The term kebab originated in the Middle East and is basically skewered meats (cut up or ground) cooked over a fire. You can also find them roasted in an oven or sometimes prepared in a stew.
We eat lots of chicken kebabs in this house and are familiar customers of spots like Panini Kabob Grill, Zankou Chicken, Chicken Maison, and Mediterranean Guys. Some popular chicken kebab varieties are jujeh kabab (from Iran) and döner kebab (from Turkey). While this recipe is influenced by jujeh kababs, it’s not strictly traditional and reflects our tastes and preferences.
Type of chicken to use
The best type of chicken for chicken kabobs is boneless, skinless chicken thighs. This darker meat cut holds moisture, so it will prevent the chicken from drying out on the grill. You can use chicken breasts for a healthier option, but watch the internal temperature with a thermometer to avoid overcooking them.
You can buy bone-in chicken thighs at the store, but you’ll have to remove the bones and skin at home before grilling. Remove as much fat on the chicken as possible; otherwise, you’ll be prone to fat catching fire over the grill.
Chicken kebab marinade ingredients
To make flavorful chicken kebabs, it is necessary to marinate the chicken thighs before grilling. This chicken kebab recipe is based on a popular Persian variety called joojeh kabab (or jujeh kabab) that features a deep yellow tinted hue produced from saffron water and turmeric powder in the marinade.
This marinade is full of seasonings and flavor:
- Saffron gives the chicken kebabs their rich yellow-orange coloring. It has a fairly light floral and earthy flavor profile.
- Turmeric provides an earthy and peppery flavor to the chicken. It also has tons of anti-inflammatory health benefits.
- Pureed onions and garlic add savory flavor to the chicken but also help soften the chicken during the marinade.
- Fresh lemon juice gives the meat a tangy citrus flavor and tenderizes it to create juicy pieces. You can also use bottled lemon juice if you don’t have fresh lemons.
- Extra virgin olive oil keeps the chicken moist and balances the acidic ingredients.
- Greek yogurt offers tanginess and helps tenderize the chicken.
- Spices and herbs of smoked paprika, cumin, dried oregano, and cayenne offer lots of flavor and a pinch of heat. You can also use other seasonings at home, like fenugreek, curry powder, cinnamon, or Aleppo pepper.
Types of skewers to use
I like using metal skewers for chicken kebabs because they’re reusable, and the tips are strong enough to puncture chicken and vegetables easily. While most kebab shops use wide, flattened metal kebabs that help stabilize the chicken while turning, I have thinner and rounder rods. To prevent the meat pieces from turning, I use two skewers for each kabob and leave ¼ of an inch of space in between–however, this isn’t necessary.
You can also use bamboo skewers, but you NEED to soak them in water for at least 20-30 minutes before skewering. Soaking them in water prevents the skewers from burning too quickly over the coals.
How to cut the chicken & veggies for skewering
These chicken kebabs don’t have any skin on them. Remove any fat and skin from the chicken thighs to prevent fat from dripping onto the grill and causing flare-ups. Then, I like to turn the chicken thigh upside down so that the smooth side faces the cutting board and see how many equal segments I can cut.
If you’ve ever cut chicken thighs into similar pieces, you know it’s a little tricky. I buy boneless chicken thighs to speed up the process. However, I have noticed that sometimes the meat is cut a little haphazardly, contributing to uneven pieces. Try your best to cut them into pieces that are 1 inch long and 2 inches wide. You will end up with some smaller pieces, and that’s okay! Just make sure to skewer the small ones together to match the larger pieces so they finish grilling at about the same time.
How to grill the kebabs
Grilling kebabs is a similar process to other skewered dishes like Filipino bbq pork skewers and yakitori. I prefer to use a charcoal grill because it creates an appealing smoky flavor that goes great with the kebabs, compared to grilling over gas.
However, lighting up charcoal can be quite difficult if you’re new to it. Use my guide on how to start a charcoal grill to make things easier. I love to grill and have really started narrowing the process down to be able to get coals going with less and less supervision on my part.
After pouring the coals onto the grill, you want to make sure it’s not too hot. I estimate the heat by putting my hand over the grill about 4” and if I can’t keep it there for a full 1-2 seconds, it is too hot and will burn the chicken.
After it cools enough you can put the skewers on but watch it at this phase. If it starts to brown too quickly, you will need to keep rotating the skewers more often, making sure to brown all sides evenly. Keep rotating the skewers every 1-3 minutes depending on the coal temperature and use a thermometer to check doneness of the thickest pieces on each skewer to determine doneness about 165 °F for chicken. It takes me about 15 minutes of time on the grill to finish cooking a batch. Then remove and start your next batch of skewers.
How to serve chicken kebabs
Traditionally, jujeh kababs are served with rice and roasted vegetables like tomatoes, raw onions, and lemon. And don’t forget dipping sides, like toum (garlic paste) and hummus.
Here are other options you can also pair with these chicken kebabs that would also make delicious meal prep sides:
- Turmeric rice
- How to Cook Basmati Rice (On the Stovetop!)
- Easy, Buttery Seasoned Rice Recipe
- Vietnamese Pickled Mustard Greens
- Veggie Kabobs (Grilled Vegetable Skewers)
- Quinoa with Black Beans and Corn
Can you make these ahead or reheat them?
The best thing about chicken kebabs is that you can make them ahead of time and reheat them in the microwave or toaster oven. Since we use chicken thighs, they should stay juicy and tender even after reheating. Cooked chicken lasts up to three to four days in the fridge. Chicken kebabs are a good protein for meal prep because you can make a bunch for the week ahead.
Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 lb chicken thighs boneless and skinless
Saffron water
- 8 threads saffron
- ½ tsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal preferred
- 1 tbsp hot water
Marinade
- 4 c quartered yellow onions
- ⅓ c fresh garlic
- 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- saffron water from above
- ¾ c Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp dried smoked paprika
- 2 tsp dried turmeric
- 2 tsp dried cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp dried cayenne
- 2 tbsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal preferred
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Assembly
- 2-3 large bell peppers cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large purple onion cut into 1-inch pieces
Equipment Used
- knife and cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- large mixing bowl
- spatula
- citrus juicer
- food processor blender
- food storage container with lid
- metal or wooden skewers (double this if you want to use two skewers per kebab to stabilize the kebab during cooking)
- grill (gas or charcoal)
- charcoal optional
- tongs
- sheet pan(s) or plates
Instructions
Marinade
- Prep the 3 lb chicken thighs by removing any excess fat. Try your best to cut the thighs into even pieces, about two by one inch in size. Set aside.
- In a mortar and pestle, grind the 8 threads saffron with the ½ tsp kosher salt until it’s finely ground. Add the 1 tbsp hot water and let steep. Set aside.
- In a food processor, add the 4 c quartered yellow onions, ⅓ c fresh garlic, 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice, and 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Blend until finely minced.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the onion mixture, saffron water, ¾ c Greek yogurt, 2 tsp dried smoked paprika, 2 tsp dried turmeric, 2 tsp dried cumin, 2 tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp dried cayenne, 2 tbsp kosher salt, and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the chicken pieces into the bowl and mix again.
- Transfer the chicken into a food storage container for at least 4 hours to marinade in the fridge. Remove the marinade at least 1 hour from the fridge to come to room temperature.
Grilling
- Cut the 2-3 large bell peppers and 1 large purple onion into 1-inch pieces.
- If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes.
- Skewer the chicken onto the kebab and alternatively with vegetables. Continue until you’ve skewered all the pieces. If you have extra vegetables, skewer them to make veggie kebabs.
- Grill the skewers for 15 minutes on each side, turning the skewers every 1-3 minutes.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to read the internal temperature of the chicken. Once it hits 165°F, remove them from the grill. You will likely need to cook them in multiple batches. Serve.
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