Greek Chicken Kabobs
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Super juicy, tender Greek chicken kabobs made with the most flavor-packed marinade! Prep and make ahead of time for an easy weeknight dinner!
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why you’ll love these Greek Chicken Kabobs
- Make-ahead recipe. These chicken kabobs is one of those recipes that you can easily make ahead of time, marinating overnight and cooking (or grilling) right before serving.
- Go-to easy weeknight dinner. With it’s easy prep, you can skip the takeout and drive-thru lines! This recipe is here to save your hectic weeknights and lazy weekends. It’s a simple no-fuss dish, yet so so good.
- Best marinade. Olive oil, lemon juice + zest, paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, and shallot come together for the most flavorful marinade for the chicken.
- Perfect on the grill. Throw these bad boys on a hot grill for extra, smoky charred flavors during the warmer months.
- Great for entertaining. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled as needed, dressing it up as a platter. The platter is also incredibly easy to whip up, and so darn impressive.
What are Greek chicken kabobs?
These kabobs feature bite-sized pieces of marinated chicken, threaded onto skewers and then charred and grilled, typically served with tzatziki sauce and warm pita. The marinade consists of classic Mediterranean staples such as olive oil, lemon, garlic, and oregano.
Key Ingredients
- Marinade: olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, shallot, salt, and pepper
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into 1-inch chunks
- Vegetables (optional): bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, or mushrooms
- Sauce: tzatziki sauce
How to make greek chicken kabobs
- Marinate. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, shallot, salt, and pepper. Stir in the chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Thread. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, discarding the leftover marinade. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Prep the grill. Preheat the grill to medium heat (325-375°F) and scrape the grill grates clean to prevent sticking and to guarantee those perfect sear marks on the kabobs.
- Grill. Grill the skewers (or cook on a cast iron grill pan indoors) until charred and fully cooked through (165°F), about 10 minutes.
- Serve. Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving warm with tzatziki sauce.
how to serve greek chicken kabobs
- Platter: serve the kabobs on a platter with warmed (or grilled) pita bread, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and homemade tzatziki sauce for dipping
- Pita sandwiches: fill warmed pitas with chicken (removed from the skewers), romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, feta, and tzatziki sauce
- Grain bowls: place the skewers over cooked grains (ex. lemon rice, quinoa, farro, or couscous) topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, and tzatziki sauce
more favorited kabob recipes
Tools For This Recipe
Greek Chicken Kabobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content, which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken when thrown on the grill.
Metal skewers are sturdy and reusable but note that they will retain heat so please be careful when serving. Wooden skewers can also be used but can burn over a hot grill. I recommend soaking them overnight in water (or at least 30 minutes) prior to using.
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out!
To ensure juicy, moist chicken, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, avoid overcooking (use an instant-read thermometer) and let it rest prior to serving.
Yes! The chicken can be marinated overnight and placed in the fridge.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, reheating in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
Greek Chicken Kabobs
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, shallot, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1 1/4 teaspoons pepper.
- Stir in chicken until well combined; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
- Thread chicken onto skewers. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Add skewers to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- An outdoor grill is not necessary. Too cold to grill outside? A cast iron grill pan can be used to get those favorited grill marks and charred flavor.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. While bottled lemon juice can work in a pinch, freshly squeezed is ideal here for its vibrant, stronger flavors.
- Mix it up. Thread bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes or mushrooms to the kabobs for added veggies.
- Work in batches. An overcrowded grill or pan can lead to uneven cooking and poor browning. Work in batches to maintain high heat for a good sear and crispy crust on each chicken skewer.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Let your meat rest. Let your chicken kabob rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover chicken can be rubbery when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
Did you make this recipe?
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Not a chicken thigh fan so used chicken breasts. WOW my new favorite greek kabob recipe. Absolutely damn delicious.
Best ever chicken recipe made with chicken breast. Will use recipe regularly Thanks so much. Just had to comment
Wow! Delicious! I let the chicken thigh marinate overnight and bbq’d them. Best chicken I’ve ever made! I was so proud and my family loved it. Great recipe
I used chicken breast and it was so tender and damndelicious.
Best marinade ever chicken skewers paired with tzatziki and pita bread perfect! I love your recipes I often use them for their simplicity and delicious taste.
This is absolutely the best marinade I have ever tasted. .Just the right amount of spices, heat and flavor. Just perfect! A huge hit! Thank you!!
Wow! Delicious! I let the chicken thigh marinate overnight and bbq’d them. Best chicken I’ve ever made! I was so proud and my family loved it. Great recipe
I used chicken breast and it was so tender and damndelicious.
How do i make that platter?
What a disappointment. I marinated for 3.5 hours and it must need much more, and possibly another acid like white vinegar or wine. We regrettably found the flavor – flat. I’m glad I grilled a few test skewers, which allowed me to add much more seasoning to the remainder. The look and tenderness was there, but not a depth of flavor.
My new favorite marinade for chicken – loved it on both grilled and baked chicken. Thanks!
I just made and finished eating this and it is absolutely going to become one of my staple summer meals! The chicken was tender and that marinade!!!!!! My husband couldn’t get enough! Thank you – so yummy!
Absolutely fantastic – I ate a couple hours ago, yet thinking about them for this review is making my mouth water!
OMG! This was SO GOOD! Will be a staple in our rotation of meals!!!!
I had this chicken at my son’s home. My daughter in law did the marinade, he did the grilling. I have a new grill and can’t wait to try it. She sent me the link to your recipe. It was soooo good, very tender.
Omg! The marinade for the chicken is BOMB! This turned out amazing for a summer dinner. My husband and I will be making it again soon.
SUPERB. IM IMPRESSED. VERY EASY. LOTS OF FLAVOR. AMZING! THANKS FOR SHARING. =)
Thank you! This was a beautiful summer dinner. I did the full platter and it was impressive and delicious!
As I was mixing the marinade up I was worried it was going to be too strong but it was perfect!! The chicken had the perfect amount of flavor and I don’t have a grill so I pan fried and they turned out great! Thanks for another great recipe!!
I would have liked to see the calorie and fat count.
If you were to invent a recipe, how would you go about determining the fat and calorie count?
Made this with boneless skinless chicken breast not skewered Delicious! We are making this again tonight using skewers .My 10 year old loved it( that is saying something) This is the best marinade ! He even wanted to share it with his friends( kids) who also agreed. They loved it!! Tons of flavor and so tender .
Restaurants in SC are slowly starting to reopen post quarantine, and my husband asked if I wanted to dine out. My response…why? I made this for dinner tonight and he agreed. This chicken was so flavorful and better than anything I could have ordered off a menu! The way you photographed it made easy for me to recreate deconstructed gyros. I have also made a couple of your other recipes and have loved everything. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. I cannot wait to get your book and continue making our dinners darn delicious!