Juicy chicken thighs marinated in classic Greek flavors such as lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and thick yogurt make this Chicken Shish Kabob Recipe one of the very best, and easiest, anytime family dinner. Enjoy these easy Shish Kabobs with fluffy flatbread, creamy tzatziki, and a light salad for a healthy dinner the whole family will love.
What is a Shish Kabob?
Shish kabob (or shish kebab) comes from the Turkish words şiş kebap which, when translated, mean “skewer” and “roast meat”.
Traditionally, shish kabobs were made with lamb, but these days chicken, beef, and fish are all popular versions. Shish kabobs are just one of the many types of Kabob (or Kebab).
In Engish kabob and shish kabob are often used interchangeably to simply mean “shish kabob”. Outside North America, however, kabob may also refer to the popular doner kebab.
The important takeaway from all of this? A shish kabob typically consists of meat threaded onto wooden or metal skewers and grilled.
Delicious, right?
Sometimes, you may find shish kabobs made with alternating meat and vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, mushroom, or zucchini. This variation of the shish kabob, where the vegetables are grilled on the same skewer as the meat is somewhat unique to the United States, and far less common outside of North America.
Typically, meats are marinated prior to cooking. Shish kabob marinades may range from a simple olive oil and lemon combination to citrus and herbs, or yogurt, as in this recipe.
Chicken Shish Kabob Ingredients
The ingredients needed to make this easy and delicious shish kabob recipe are about as uncomplicated as it gets. Feel free to add some sliced onions, bell pepper, or cherry tomatoes for extra color.
- Chicken – In this particular recipe I’ve chosen to use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Naturally higher in fat and flavor when compared to chicken breasts, my husband and son much prefer chicken thighs. If you prefer white meat, chicken breasts work just as well and taste (in my opinion) just as delicious.
- Olive oil – Even when it’s a yogurt marinade I always add a little olive oil to help keep things moist. A little olive oil is especially important when cooking chicken breasts.
- Lemons – You will need both lemon juice and lemon zest. Fresh lemon juice is best.
- Garlic – Garlic is such an easy way to give flavor to any marinade or recipe. Fresh garlic only as garlic powder has completely different taste.
- Fresh herbs – This marinade is filled with all the fresh flavors of rosemary, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Use all four, or just a couple of your favorites. There’s also basil, mint, and dill which would also be fantastic additions. Dried herbs may be substituted if needed (simply add half of what the recipe calls for).
- Salt and Pepper – I suggested 1.5 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Remember, not all the marinade will actually be cooked. Much of it will be left behind and discarded. That said, use as much or as little as you prefer and remember that you can always add more at the end of cooking.
- Yogurt – In this particular recipe I added plain Greek yogurt, however, plain unstrained yogurt would also work just as well, if not better. Simply keep in mind that flavored yogurt of any kind will destroy the taste of your chicken. So read the label and save it for breakfast.
Why yogurt makes the best marinade
A long time ago my dear husband told me that I should start marinating my chicken and beef in yogurt. When I asked him “why?”, he didn’t really have an explanation. At least not on the scientific level. He simply explained that’s how his Indian born and raised mother did things.
Many years later and countless yogurt marinades later I not only have the answer to my own question, but I can honestly say that yes, yogurt makes the very best marinade.
So what is it about yogurt that makes it such a great marinade?
Yogurt, as most of us know, is filled with microbes and lactic acid. Both microbes and lactic acid each work to break down the protein, but the lactic acid plays an especially important part. Lactic acid, milder than the citric acid found in lemon or citrus-based marinades, works slower and in a much gentler way. Whenever you use yogurt, the overall pH of the chicken and marinade isn’t going as low, which means that it isn’t doing as much to change the protein’s structure.
This means less rubbery or mushy meats and more tender, fall off the bone meat.
What is the best yogurt to use in marinades?
First and foremost, leave the flavors (ahem vanilla) out of it. Plain, unstrained yogurt or Greek yogurt work best. If, however, you do use Greek yogurt, it is recommended to add a bit of lemon juice or vinegar to help properly coat your protein.
In this recipe, I used plain full-fat Greek yogurt and added lemon juice.
How to make Chicken Shish Kabobs
These juicy chicken shish kabobs take less than 30 minutes to prepare and just 15 minutes to grill. Learn how to make your very own shish kabobs right at home!
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Prepare the chicken. Carefully remove any excess fat from each chicken thigh and slice into cubes of approximately equal size and shape. If preferred, you may also use chicken breasts. Transfer chicken pieces to a large bowl and set aside.
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Prepare the marinade. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine, then add the Greek yogurt. Mix thoroughly.
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Marinate the chicken. Pour the marinade into the bowl with the chicken and mix well to coat each piece of chicken with the marinade. It typically works best to use your hands to evenly distribute marinade over each piece of chicken. Transfer chicken to the refrigerator and allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours (or even more), time allowing.
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Prepare shish kabobs for the grill. Remove chicken from the refrigerator. If using wooden skewers, prepare them by soaking in warm water for at least 10-15 minutes before using (because they will burn). If you are using metal skewers, no additional steps are necessary. Meanwhile, prepare your grill by cleaning the grates and lightly oiling with vegetable oil or cooking spray (this is especially important if using chicken breasts) and setting to medium-high heat.
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Thread chicken onto skewers. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers one at a time, leaving approximately 1½ inches of space free at each end of the skewer. Repeat until all the chicken has been threaded onto skewers. Discard any leftover marinade as it is not safe to eat.
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Grill. Carefully transfer each chicken kabob to the grill. Grill your chicken until golden brown with light grill marks and cooked through (165° as read with a digital meat thermometer) turning occasionally. Total time approximately 15 minutes.
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Serve. Remove from the grill and serve warm with your favorite sides or sauces.
Tips and Tricks
- Fresh is best. As in, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, and always always ALWAYS fresh lemon.
- If you marinate the chicken in the refrigerator overnight, allow it to come to room temperature for at least 15 minutes before adding to your hot pan or skillet. This is especially important if you chose to use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs.
- Not a fan of chicken? No problem! Give it a try with lamb, beef, mutton, or cauliflower.
- Are these Chicken Shish Kabobs gluten-free? Yes! (unless you add the pita bread)
- The leftovers are fantastic so definitely hold on to those and enjoy all week long!
- Never consume used marinade that has not been cooked first.
- Try to cut your meat into pieces that are roughly the same size – not too big and not too small.
- Don’t forget to soak wooden bamboo skewers in warm water for at least 15 minutes prior to adding any meats or vegetables.
What to serve with shish kabobs
- Grilled Veggies. This should go without saying, but aside from a fresh bed of greens, grilled veggies are the best side with some shish kebobs. Add the veggies to the same skewers, or grill them separately. Entirely up to you. Readers love my Easy Grilled Veggie Skewers.
- Serve it with a dipping sauce. Delicious sauce ideas include tzatziki, Tahini Sauce, Mutabbal (Baba Ganoush), or White Bean Hummus with Za’atar.
- Add salsa or relish. Not a pickle relish and not a Mexican salsa (let’s just get that out of the way). Rather, any kind of fresh mix of finely chopped vegetables or fruits. This is my favorite way to complete any meal. Any combination of the following would taste delicious,
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Onion
- Avocado
- Fresh greens
- Don’t forget the fresh citrus. A little squeeze of fresh lemon goes a long way.
- Wrap it up. May it be pita bread, flatbread, naan, or tortillas, this shish kabob recipe really loves being served with a side of carbs. Specifically bread.
Other delicious sides not shown in this recipe may include a simple side of rice, cucumber salad, Tomato Salad, or Fresh Fruit Salad.
Love this Chicken Shish Kabob Recipe? Check out,
- Roasted Asparagus Recipe
- Grilled Greek Chicken Salad Recipe
- Tandoori Chicken Gyros
- Chimichurri Chicken Recipe
- Easy Chicken Stir Fry Recipe with Bok Choy
- How to Cook Chicken Breasts
- Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
If you try making this Chicken Shish Kabob Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
RECIPE CARD
Chicken Shish Kabob Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs - trimmed of extra fat and cut into large 1½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 large lemons - juiced, plus more for serving
- 1 large lemon - zested
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary - minced
- 3 tablespoon fresh parsley - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme - minced
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1½ cups plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Carefully remove any excess fat from each chicken thigh and slice into cubes of approximately equal size and shape. If preferred, you may also use chicken breasts. Transfer chicken pieces to a large bowl and set aside.
- Prepare the marinade. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix to combine, then add the Greek yogurt. Mix thoroughly.
- Marinate the chicken. Pour the marinade into the bowl with the chicken and mix well to coat each piece of chicken with the marinade. Transfer chicken to the refrigerator and allow chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours, time allowing.
- Prepare shish kabobs for the grill. Remove chicken from the refrigerator. If using wooden skewers, prepare them by soaking in warm water for at least 10-15 minutes before using. If you are using metal skewers, no additional steps are necessary. Meanwhile, prepare your grill by cleaning the grates and lightly oiling with vegetable oil or cooking spray (this is especially important if using chicken breasts) and setting to medium-high heat.
- Thread chicken onto skewers. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers one at a time, leaving approximately 1½ inches of space free at each end of the skewer. Repeat until all the chicken has been threaded onto skewers. Discard any leftover marinade as it is not safe to eat.
- Grill. Carefully transfer each chicken kabob to the grill. Grill your chicken until golden brown with light grill marks and cooked through (165° as read with a digital meat thermometer) turning occasionally. Total time approximately 15 minutes.
- Serve. Remove from the grill and serve warm with your favorite sides or sauces. Enjoy!
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Looks amazing! Can I substitute sour cream for the yogurt?
absolutely 🙂
I love it! Delicious. I didn´t use garlic because of my allergy, it was great !
Have you tried it without yogurt in the marinade or using a dairy free yogurt? We are dairy free and this looks so yummy!!
While I have not tried it, it should be fine without the yogurt 🙂
Great marinade!
Made this tonight for Father’s Cay dinner – compliments all around. You made me look like a Food Channel Rock Star. So moist and flavorful. Thank you!
Thanks for the Rock Star feedback Kari 😀
Delicious!!!
This looks great! Could I use dried herbs instead? If so, what are the measurements.
Thank you!