Grilled Chicken Vegetable Kabobs
Grilling things on sticks is one of the most primal and satisfying ways to cooking dinner during the summer months, and frankly during any month you can stand to be outside for the 10 minutes it takes to get ‘er done. And grilled chicken and vegetable kabobs are probably my number one go-to kebob of summer.
The reason it’s so quick, of course, is because the food you’re cooking has been cut into small pieces. The only real consideration is whether the food you’re kebabing or kebobing (yes, it’s a verb) is the kind of food that does well with a fast sear. The choices are vast.
Substitutions for Chicken Kabobs
This recipe is for chicken but you can also use shrimp, scallops, or cubes of firm fish (like swordfish) or turkey or tender cuts of meat. In the red meat category, just be sure you don’t grab a package of stewing meat, such as chuck or brisket, because those meats need long, slow cooking to reach tenderness. For pork you’ll want to use pork chop meat, not shoulder or butt or any of the longer cooking tougher cuts.
Marinades for Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs
You can use another marinade if you prefer and follow the recipe instructions. Try Indian Curry Yogurt Marinade, Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade, or Ginger, Mint, and Lime Marinade. Or you can simply use olive oil and salt. You might also think about a dipping sauce for the kebabs, such as Arugula-Basil Dipping Sauce, Harissa Dipping Sauce, or Herb Dipping Sauce. Also, offer lemon wedges or even better grilled lemon halves, to squeeze over them after they are cooked.
Best Vegetables for Chicken Vegetable Kebabs:
You can use any vegetables, such as red onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, whole cherry tomatoes, or lightly cooked cauliflower or broccoli.
How to Make Chicken Vegetable Kebobs:
Soak about 20 6-inch wooden skewers, or 10 12-inch skewers, in water to cover for 30 minutes. You can also use metal skewers, which do not need soaking.
Combine the orange juice, lemon or lime juice, garlic, olive oil, and basil in a small bowl or plastic container and mix well. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the vegetables, then pour over the citrus-basil marinade and mix well. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours and up to a day.
Thread the skewers with chicken and veggies, creating appealing patterns. The 6-inch skewers will take about 5 pieces of chicken, alternated with veggies, the 12-inch double that amount). Lightly salt and pepper the skewers.
Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the kebabs 4 inches from the heat sauce, until the meat or seafood is cooked through and everything has a nice grill-marked exterior. This will take 4 to 6 minutes on each side (longer for dark chicken meat, shorter for white chicken meat), 8 to 12 minutes total.
Brush the kebabs with some of the marinade left behind in the bowl as they cook. Serve hot.
Make Ahead Note:
If you’re using wooden skewers and want to skewer things ahead of time, you might end up with sticks that catch on fire since they will have dried out while you are waiting to grill the kebabs. If you want to make them ahead, cook them within the hour, or use metal skewers, which don’t need to be soaked and won’t burn.
You can marinate the chicken and vegetables for up to one day before kebabbing them. If time is a factor you can just toss everything with the sauce before grilling, but marinating definitely deepens the flavor. Leftover cooked skewers can be eaten cold, room temperature, or gently rewarmed in the oven.
Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs: Flexible and fun to make and eat. These colorful kebabs are one of the quintessential grilled dishes of summer.
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Chicken Kabobs in the Oven
Broiling is also an excellent option. Place the kabobs on a rimmed baking sheet (spray the sheet with nonstick cooking spray, and/or line with foil or parchment for easier clean up). Broil 4 to 6 inches away from the heat source for the same amount of time, 4 to 6 minutes per side (longer for thighs, shorter for breast meat), until the chicken is cooked through.
What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Kabobs:
- Rice (try adding a spoonful of pesto or jalapeño compound butter — as I did here — to the hot rice and tossing to blend).
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Mayonnaise-Free Potato Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- French Potato Salad
- Mixed Lettuce Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
- Creamy Corn and Potato Salad with Bacon and Lemon Buttermilk Dressing
Other Grilled Chicken Recipes:
- Orange, Chili and Thyme Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Breasts
- Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps
- Simple Herbed Grilled Chicken
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Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Vegetables
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken (breasts or thighs) , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 cups vegetables cut into 1 ½-inch pieces, such as red onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, whole cherry tomatoes, or lightly cooked cauliflower or broccoli
For the Citrus-Basil Marinade:
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh orange zest (optional)
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
- Soak about 20 6-inch wooden skewers, or 10 12-inch skewers, in water to cover for 30 minutes. You can also use metal skewers, which do not need soaking.
- Combine the orange juice, lemon or lime juice, garlic, olive oil, and basil in a small bowl or plastic container and mix well.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the vegetables, then pour over the citrus-basil marinade and mix well. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours and up to a day.
- Thread the skewers with chicken and veggies, creating appealing patterns (the 6-inch skewers will take about 5 pieces of chicken, alternated with veggies, the 12-inch double that amount). Lightly salt and pepper the skewers.
- Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the kebabs 4 inches from the heat sauce, until the meat or seafood is cooked through and everything has a nice grill-marked exterior, 4 to 6 minutes on each side (longer for dark chicken meat, shorter for white chicken meat), 8 to 12 minutes total. Brush the kebobs with some of the marinade left behind in the bowl as they cook. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition values are provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.
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