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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Absolutely delicious! My ENTIRE family, including my picky 13 yr old and his friend loved it! I will make this again and again.
I’m not a huge chicken fan, but wanted something lighter for our grilled meal this weekend. So glad I chose this! I pulled this marinade up literally a half hour before we were to grill and realized it says to marinade for a few hours, but even with just 15 minutes in the marinade the chicken had a light, fresh flavor. Very Greek! The reconstructed gyro platter was phenomenal and filling. We used cucumbers, red bell, red onion, chunks of feta, tzatziki and fries on the side.
These turned out great! I used boneless skinless chicken breast, marinated it overnight, and cooked them on the grill for about 15 minutes. I used more olive oil than the recipe called for when marinating. Put it in pita bread with diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce.
Hey, The picture looks so yummy.. i must try this for the weekend.
Excellent a real Greek treat, tasted and looked just as good as the photo. I cooked my on a charcoal BBQ.
Paired with Pita bread, tzatziki, salad and charred green chilli. Brilliant.
One of my go-to meals. Tziazki sauce is a must. The feta cheese is neat touch.
The chicken came out flavorful and juicy! It smelled amazing and tasted just as good as it smelled. Next time I’m making tzatziki sauce to go with it!
Is this Greek yoghurt in the pot with the olive oil on top
Sorry haven’t made it but I couldn’t post without putting a rating. I actually have a question…what do you suggest to make a variation of this in an instant pot? Should I just add some chicken broth? Or would it be better to bake the chicken? Not able to grill at the moment. Thanks for your input.
Oven roast this at preheated 425º for 12 minutes, then broil for a few minutes, turning once or twice.
This was so so good. Will be my new go-to for chicken kebabs and we don’t have to pay $60/meal for Me Va Me takeout anymore!
Fantastic recipe! Too cold / rainy to grill, so I put the chicken pieces on a sheet pan under the broiler, which worked out great.
How long did you leave in for?
We used chicken breast because we had it on hand. Absolutely delicious-now in our “Favorites” file. Paired it with Jasmine rice.
This recipe was absolutely delicious! We put the chicken in the marinade only for three hours and it was still very
tender. The best flavor ever! We are fans! It is a keeper.
We are so glad this was a winner for you, Frances!
I absolutely love getting your emails with gorgeous pictures of food, and I save almost every one of them. This recipe is no exception. I used to get turkey kabobs years ago from a place in Torrance, at the Del Amo Mall of all places. All they sold were these delicious turkey kabobs and I am just sure that your recipe will be as good as theirs. Can’t wait to try it with either turkey or chicken. We must be soul-sisters as to food, as we have the same taste. Thanks, Sister!
Made this recipe last night using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Absolutely delicious! Because I used chicken breasts, I used a little more olive oil, but I think that helped infuse the flavor of the spices.
Great way to do it, Kim! Thanks for sharing with us!
I just found this site and im soooo happy i did! I’m making this tomoro nite! It looks simple, healthy and super easy!!
We are so happy to see you found us! We hope you’ll enjoy our recipes, Blossom! 🙂
I’m getting ready to marinate my chicken now for tonight’s dinner. We are not grill people. Can I bake the kabobs in the oven? Thank you.
Absolutely!
425º for 12 minute, then broil to brown if desired.
These chicken kabobs are amazing! I usually bought my Greek kabobs from my favorite supermarket(pricey), since I didn’t have a good recipe! You have not only saved me money, but provided a great recipe for my guests! I so enjoy your recipes and the beautiful and appetizing photos to go along with it! Always look forward to getting your email!
Looks amazing! Do you make your own Greek salad dressing. If so can you share the recipe? Thanks!!
Missy, I used store-bought dressing for this to save on time. The true star here is the chicken kabobs! 🙂
This looks really TASTY! My husband especially would love it.
Looks delicious! I’m ready to make it! How do you think chicken breast will work?
Thank you!
Luis
Absolutely!