Fire up the grill and get ready to make the absolute BEST Greek Chicken Kabobs! A homemade Greek seasoning blend gives the chicken thighs, bell peppers, and onions a ton of flavor. You’ll also learn a few simple tricks to get that gorgeous char without overcooking the meat. Easily prep these ahead of time and then pop them on the grill when you’re ready to dig into your Mediterranean feast!
Table of Contents
- Flavor-Packed Grilled Greek Chicken Kabobs
- Why We Love These Chicken Kabobs
- Ingredients for Greek Chicken Kebabs
- How to Make Grilled Greek Chicken Kabobs
- Tip for Perfectly Cooked Kabobs
- Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs for kabobs?
- How long should I soak the wooden skewers before grilling?
- FAQs
- What Should I Serve with Greek Kabobs?
- Grilled Greek Chicken Kabobs
Flavor-Packed Grilled Greek Chicken Kabobs
We’ve started this weekly habit of going all-out on our Sunday night dinners. Our most recent meal was a HUGE Mediterranean Feast complete with Greek Lemon Rice, Homemade Tzatziki Sauce, Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, and the star of the show… these Grilled Greek Chicken Kebabs.
But unlike many of the other popular dishes at Mediterranean restaurants, my history with chicken kebobs has always been that they’re a bit bland and/or overcooked and super dry. (Which leads me to ordering beef or Lamb Koftas almost every time!)
So when we were assembling ours at home, I made sure they were LOADED with herb and spice goodness. The secret? A good bit of this Greek Seasoning! If there’s one thing you don’t skip out on for this recipe, it’s this homemade spice blend. It goes in both the chicken marinade AND on the veggies — giving every inch of these kabobs a ton of flavor.
Why We Love These Chicken Kabobs
- They’re bursting with flavor. Simply whisk up the homemade Greek seasoning for the BEST tasting kabobs.
- Ultra juicy and tender. Choosing thighs instead of breasts will ensure the chicken is the perfect texture.
- Super fun to make. It does take a little time to skewer all of the meat and veggies, but it makes a great activity to do with your kiddos or friends!
- Charred to perfection. Pay close attention to my notes about when and how often to flip these so you get that gorgeous sear without overcooking. You’ll also learn how to know exactly when to pull them off the grill!
- Can easily be prepped ahead of time. You can prep the chicken and veggies up to 24 hours ahead of time and just pop them on the grill when you’re ready to eat! (Read more about this below as there IS somewhat of a limit on this.)
Ingredients for Greek Chicken Kebabs
- Chicken. Chicken thighs add the most flavor while being super moist. However, you can also opt for boneless skinless chicken breasts, as well.
- Vegetables. For this shish kabob recipe we will be using both red and green bell peppers with red onion. You can use whatever color bell pepper you like, or go for a variety of colors. Feel free to change it up with a sweet onion or yellow and orange bell peppers.
- Greek seasoning. Made from a simple blend of dried oregano, basil, parsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, and cinnamon. Grab a bottle from the store if needed. You can always opt for fresh herbs for garnish or a pop of flavor. Check out How to Chop Parsley and How to Store Parsley!
- Tzatziki sauce. This is the perfect dipping sauce for the kabobs! Make up some a day or two early to save time, or buy the Cedar’s brand at your store. (It’s delish!)
How to Make Grilled Greek Chicken Kabobs
Please see the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and more detailed instructions.
1. Soak Skewers, Prep Chicken and Veggies
There are a few steps to do before starting to grill the kabobs.
First, if using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in a shallow dish for at least 10 to 15 minutes or they’ll catch fire. You can also go with metal skewers.
Cut the chicken thighs into 1- to 1 ½-inch pieces so they cook consistently. Marinate the chicken by stirring together 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the Greek seasoning mix in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss until everything is coasted. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Be sure not to over-marinade your chicken or it will start to cook in the lemon juice and take on a rather mealy texture.
Finally, slice the onion and bell peppers into to 1 ½-inch pieces, as well.
Tip for Perfectly Cooked Kabobs
In addition to getting ingredients that all cook at a similar rate, you also want to cut them as close to the same size as possible. This way, the veggies, meat, and fruit (if using) all contact the heat at the same time to get that gorgeous char!
2. Skewer the Kabobs
After the skewers have soaked, it’s time to load them up. Start by sliding a piece of marinated chicken all the way onto the skewer, then follow with a piece of bell pepper or onion.
It’s important to alternate the veggies and chicken so the meat stays tender. You should end up with about 8 filled skewers.
3. Cook Kabobs on a Medium-High Heat Grill
Heat your grill to medium-high. Then, add the skewers, and grill the kabobs for 12 to 15 minutes. Be sure to rotate the skewers every 2 to 3 minutes.
While grilling, move the skewers from the front to the back so all the pieces get cooked evenly. The kabobs are done when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉ on a meat thermometer. Make sure to test the thickest part of the chicken for accurate results.
(You can also cook these on a stovetop grill plate if you do not have a gas or propane grill!)
4. Serve the Kabobs
When you’re ready to dig in, serve these Greek chicken kabobs with fresh chopped parsley along with some tzatziki sauce.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs for kabobs?
Yes! You can definitely use chicken breasts when making kabobs. However, note they won’t be quite as tender or have as much flavor.
How long should I soak the wooden skewers before grilling?
If you’re using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them for at least 15 minutes. Otherwise, the skewers might catch fire.
FAQs
You can definitely prepare kebabs ahead of time. Simply place all the veggies and meat on the skewers and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
The chicken is cooked through when an internal thermometer in the thickest part of the meat reads 165℉.
Allowing the grill to fully heat before placing the kabobs on will reduce the chance of sticking. You can also lightly spritz the grates with olive oil.
You can either use an indoor smokeless grill inside, or you can use a cast iron pan on the stove if needed. You might need to adjust the cooking time, however.
What Should I Serve with Greek Kabobs?
Greek kabobs have both meat and veggies, but you can always add something else to round out the meal.
Serve a Greek Cucumber Salad or a Greek Pasta Salad on the side. Or, whip up a side salad with some Greek Salad Dressing.
You can also go with some Mediterranean Yellow Rice, Greek Lemon Rice, Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, or some Mediterranean Couscous Salad.
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Grilled Greek Chicken Kabobs
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Ingredients
Chicken Kebabs:
- 1 ½ lbs. chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 3 Tbsp. oil olive or avocado, divided (2 chicken, 1-2 veggies)
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 bell peppers red, green, or a mix
- 1 red onion or sweet onion
Homemade Greek Seasoning:
- 2 tsp. oregano dried
- 2 tsp. basil dried
- 1 tsp. parsley dried
- 1 tsp. dill dried
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. rosemary dried
- ½ tsp. thyme dried
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. salt
- Wooden or Metal Skewers
To Serve:
- Fresh parsley finely chopped
- Tzatziki Sauce optional
Instructions
- Soak wooden skewers in a shallow dish that is filled with 1-inch of water for at least 10-15 minutes.Wooden or Metal Skewers
- Cut chicken thighs, or breasts, into 1 to 1-½ inch pieces.1 ½ lbs. chicken thighs
- Whisk together Greek seasoning in a small bowl.2 tsp. oregano, 2 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. parsley, 1 tsp. dill, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. rosemary, ½ tsp. thyme, ½ tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. black pepper, 2 tsp. salt
- Marinate chicken by adding 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons Greek seasoning mix to a large bowl. Whisk together until well combined. Add the chicken and toss until it’s well coated. Let marinade for 15 minutes while preparing the vegetables.3 Tbsp. oil, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- Cut the bell peppers and onion into 1 to 1-½ inch pieces. Add to a large bowl and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with the remaining Greek seasoning mix. Toss until well coated.2 bell peppers, 1 red onion
- Thread the vegetables and chicken on the skewers in an alternating fashion. You should end up with roughly 8 skewers filled.
- Add skewers to a grill over medium to medium-high heat. Grill kabobs for 12-15 minutes, rotating the skewers every 2-3 minutes. Make sure to move the skewers from the front to the back so each one has a chance to be on the hot spot of the grill. You’ll know they’re done when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. (You can check this using a meat thermometer.)
- Serve these Greek Chicken Kabobs with chopped fresh parsley and some homemade or store-bought Tzatziki Sauce.Fresh parsley, Tzatziki Sauce
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Notes
- Nutritional information is for one skewer without any tzatziki sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made recipe with chunks of swordfish, added cherry tomatoes. Used warmed zero carb tortillas as pitas with veggies, tatziki and some of the cucumber salad… what a treat!!! Thank you so much. Marinade took it from good to great!! Have made up more of dry mix to use for other marinades for other proteins… maybe shrimp, turkey breast, or what do you know, maybe chicken thighs!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Mary! That sounds delicious. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!