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The Juiciest Grilled Chicken Kabobs

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Learn how to make the juiciest grilled chicken kabobs with this easy chicken recipe. Multiple seasoning options included!

The Juiciest Grilled Chicken Kabobs

Cheers to the long weekend ahead everyone! ♡

I hope that lots of warm summery sunshine, ice cold drinks, flowy sundresses and flip flops, maybe some splashes in the pool, long evenings outdoors, and easy hangs with the people you love most are on the agenda wherever life may find you this weekend.

I’ve been counting down the days until this weekend for months myself because — you guys — Barclay and I are finally headed home to Kansas City together for the first time since moving to Barcelona!! Last year, we both ended up having to take separate trips back for different commitments that we both had on the calendar. But this will be the first time that we’ve returned to KC in nearly two years as a couple, and I absolutely cannot wait. We’re so ready to be back in the Midwest, see the friends and family we adore, eat all of the Mexican food and drink all of the iced coffees we can find, make a much-anticipated (and long overdue) Target run, celebrate one of my best friend’s wedding, and leave behind the European double-kiss for awhile to give out so many hugs. Oh man, I’m so excited. Can’t wait to be back home.

I’m planning to take some time off while we’re away, so the blog may be quieter for a bit these next two weeks. But in honor of grills firing up everywhere this weekend, I wanted to leave you with a summertime recipe that never lets me down — how to cook the absolute juiciest grilled chicken kabobs! If you’ve followed this blog for any amount of time, you know that I have a thing for perfectly cooked (i.e. not dried out) chicken. And when it comes to grilling, this simple method will ensure that your chicken kabobs are extra-juicy and tender and full of the best flavors. I’ve included my everyday chicken seasoning in the recipe below, which is my easy go-to and seriously goes with just about everything. But feel free to get creative and use whatever dry seasonings you happen to be craving. And I promise these chicken kabobs will not disappoint.

So for those of you in the States, I hope that you have a happy and meaningful Memorial Day weekend ahead. And know that we’re so excited to be back in your part of the world soon! ♡♡♡

The Juiciest Grilled Chicken Kabobs Recipe | 1-Minute Video

Chicken Kabob Ingredients

Grilled Chicken Kabob Ingredients:

To make these grilled chicken kabobs, you will need:

  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts (or boneless thighs): You can either purchased fresh (my preference) or frozen chicken (which you will need to completely thaw before using). Also, note that some chicken also comes pre-brined nowadays! So check the label, and if your chicken has already been brined, skip that step below.
  • Oil: Since we will be grilling over high-heat, I recommend any olive with a higher smoking point such as avocado oil, safflower oil, grapeseed oil, or just a regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil.
  • Kosher Salt: An essential ingredient in our brine, which we will also use to season the chicken.
  • Seasonings: I included an all-purpose blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and black pepper in the recipe below, which is super-delicious and goes with pretty much anything. But feel free to sub in any dry seasoning blend that you prefer.

You will also need:

  • Skewers: Either reusable metal skewers (my preference) or wooden skewers (be sure to soak those in water 15 minutes before using to prevent burning)
  • Grill: Time to fire up the charcoal or gas grill! Or if you prefer to cook the chicken indoors, you can use a grill pan instead.

Chicken Kabobs Recipe

How To Cook Chicken Kabobs:

As we discuss in my post on how to bake chicken breasts, the first step here is the game-changer when it comes to how to cook chicken so that it’s perfectly juicy and tender — brining the chicken. Also known as giving the chicken a lil’ saltwater bath. It’s a super-simple extra step that just takes 15 minutes. But I’m telling you — it will makes a world of a difference when it comes to locking in those juices to prevent the chicken from drying out. Beyond that, the instructions for how to grill chicken kabobs are pretty standard here! Simply…

  1. Brine the chicken. Soak the (whole) chicken breasts in a mixture of lukewarm water and salt for at least 15 minutes. Then rinse the chicken off with some cold water, pat the breasts dry with paper towels, and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Season the chicken. Drizzle the chicken bites with olive oil, sprinkle with your desired seasonings, and toss well until the chicken is evenly coated. (I recommend doing this with your hands — it’s easier!)
  3. Prep the grill and skewers. Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Thread the chicken evenly onto your skewers.
  4. Grill. Then grill, baby, grill! Cook the chicken for about 10-14 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. (Definitely avoid undercooking the chicken, but try to avoid overcooking as well so that it doesn’t dry out!)
  5. Serve warm. Transfer the kabobs to a clean plate, and loosely tent with aluminum foil for about 5 minutes. Then serve while they’re still nice and warm and juicy!

Grilled Chicken Kabobs Recipe

Different Seasoning Options:

If you would like to mix things up from the garlic-paprika-pepper seasoning listed below, feel free to sub in any of your favorite dry seasoning blends such as:

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

What To Serve With Grilled Chicken:

There are so many ways that you can serve these grilled chicken kebabs! Feel free to serve them up with any of your favorite sauces. And if you happen to be grilling outside this weekend, here are a few summery faves that would go well with this chicken:

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Grilled Chicken Kabobs Recipe

The Juiciest Grilled Chicken Kabobs

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 39 reviews
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 -6 servings 1x

Description

Learn how to make the juiciest grilled chicken kabobs with this classic recipe.  See notes above for different seasoning options too.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness and brined in saltwater (*see easy instructions below)
  • 1 Tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika (I prefer smoked paprika)
  • optional: fresh lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. To brine the chicken breasts, fill a large bowl with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup kosher salt.  Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed.  Add the whole chicken breasts and let them sit in the mixture to brine for 15 minutes.  Or you can also also cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.  Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse them with cold water, then pat them dry with some paper towels.  (If the chicken breasts you purchased have already been pre-brined in a sodium solution, skip this brining step completely.)
  2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.  If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 15 minutes before using.
  3. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces.  Add them to a large mixing bowl and drizzle evenly with the olive oil.  Toss to combine.
  4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika until combined.  Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the chicken.  Then toss for 1 minute, or until the chicken is evenly coated with the seasoning.  Thread the chicken evenly onto the skewers.
  5. Once the grill is hot, place the chicken kabobs evenly on the grill.  Cook for 10-14 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (no longer pink on the inside).
  6. Transfer the kabobs to a clean plate, and loosely tent with aluminum foil.  Let the chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes.
  7. Then serve warm while the chicken is hot and juicy, drizzled with freshly-squeezed lemon juice if desired.  Or, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Adapted from my Baked Chicken Breasts recipe.

This post includes affiliate links.

Juicy Grilled Chicken Kabobs Recipe

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65 comments on “The Juiciest Grilled Chicken Kabobs”

  1. Have a wonderful visit with your family and friends! I look forward to hearing about your adventures when you return!

    • Brilliant recipe. It’s looks so yummy. I assure you that i will try it. It’s a complete dinner. Also add some salad. Can’t wait for tomorrow dinner. Hope that i will satisfy my Children by trying your recipe.

  2. I live in central NY and we call these Spiedies. Marinate(overnight is best) the chicken cubes in olive oil, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, s&p, oregano. Barbecue! Tender, yummy.

  3. This was the perfect recipe for a mild Denver night. Had chicken breasts in the fridge and brined for 4 hours. I followed the rest of the recipe and it turned out great! A simple salad on the side made for a great accompaniment! Thanks for an easy brine recipe!






  4. Thank you so much for the recipe ?
    Keep up the good work






    • Made these for a birthday cookout celebration. I brined, seasoned and skewered ahead of time, everyone loved them, including me! It was a tasty addition to the traditional barbecue fare, and the veggie skewers I made were a wonderful accompaniment. Great recipe as is or scaled up and to feed a crowd.






  5. Just made the taco version to top off my low carb taco salad. Added a few pieces of red pepper and red onion to the skewers. I’ll post photos. The taste is excellent and it’s juicy. Can’t wait for lunch tomorrow.






  6. This was the best, juiciest chicken ever! Kids loved it and I will definitely make it again. So easy.






  7. Excellent chicken! I followed your directions exactly, and they were moist and tasty as promised!






  8. I made this chicken for my sister-in-law’s birthday! The dish was a great success! The chicken was juicy and very tasty! This is my new go to recipe for kabobs! I followed the directions exactly.






  9. great flavors. great for bbq and for entertaining, thank you






  10. Hey – could you put them together and freeze (for a couple days) prior to grilling??

  11. Is that parsley in your pictures?

  12. Served this at a cookout with friends; everyone raved and said it was the best part of the meal!






  13. Such yummy chicken! I have always had a hard time with it drying out when I grill chicken but this was brilliant!






  14. This is such an easy and delicious dinner. I made tonight and my husband and kids couldn’t believe how tasty and tender the chicken turned out. Super easy but extremely flavourful chicken. Thank you for a great recipe- it’s a keeper. 5 stars!

  15. I followed this recipe and it was easy too salty, ended up throwing it out

    • You more than likely used chicken that had already been cured with a salt solution

    • I am betting that is exactly what happened to ours……did not think to even look at the package before beginning? we will attempt again and I am certain it will be delish! I saved small cut up pieces to add to white chicken chili this winter!

  16. Very good and easy.






  17. Woooow…..Homemade!!!

    I think I will look for these and try your recipe this weekend. Thank you for sharing!

    Dang Thai from Embeya!






  18. This recipe is spot on, such perfect and juicy chicken… OMG! I baste with Italian dressing every 5 min while grilling cause I just can’t bring myself to grill without basting, love that flare up flavor. Also added peppers, onions, and baby bella mushrooms to the skewer. Thank you so much <3






  19. Question: I found this recipe Grilled Chicken Kabobs at “GIMME SOME OVEN” but the directions are for a GRILL. Am I missing something or do you have directions for oven cooking for this?

  20. LOVE that you clarified ‘washing; your chicken!
    I do not have a grill, so I am wondering if I can bake or roast this in convection oven?
    Thank you!!

  21. Hello I don’t have skewers I do have a grill pan? Can u help?

  22. I will be making this for Mother’s day 2020… I will add chunks of mango, peppers, mushrooms and onions! What do you think?

  23. This was absolutely delicious.. easy prep & my picky family loved this.. will definitely make this again.. made this on the big green egg along with baked sweet potatoes






  24. Amazing my whole family loved it when I made it for my mom on mothers day Amazing






  25. Made this tonight and it’s the absolute best grilled chicken I’ve ever had…thank you!






  26. The whole family loved these, even my picky eaters! We added some veggies and used the same seasoning on them. Delicious!






  27. Amazing!! Very Delicious!!! This will be my go to recipe to combine protein and vegetables!






  28. Great Recipe with lots of flavor. Will definitely make again!






  29. Made kabobs atbthenlast minute so wasn’t able to marinade, but I made no the sauce and basted the chicken when was almost done. Omgosh so good!






  30. This chicken was great! I let chicken breast set in the brine about 4 hrs, then put the seasoning on it and cooked on the grill. My son and husband both said it was really good. Thanks for the recipe, will definitely use it again?






  31. This recipe was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! It has a tang to it that everyone loved. I also made Steak Kabob’s with a different recipe and regret I didn’t use this one on the steak like I did on the chicken. It really is so simple and SO DELICOUS!

  32. These were so easy and so good.






  33. Can you brine and skewer ahead? Thinking of prepping these to bring to our cottage. :)

    • hi, just put into a long plastic bag, or put the brined pcs of chicken in a seal tight container, with maybe mushrooms, peppers, zucchini pieces in another container, threat when you get to the gathering, and put on the grill!!!






  34. I must say, you have saved dinner for me now with the baked chicken breast recipe, baked potato recipe and now this! I’m starting to think you have the best recipes ever. Thank you for helping me convince my family I can cook!

  35. Chicken was so tender and juicy! I will definitely makes these again. My husband is a very picky eater and he said these were good and he would eat them again…trust me that’s saying a lot coming from him! lol. Thanks so much for the recipe!






  36. My whole family loved these! We have zucchini and green peppers from the garden so we used those plus some other veggies from the store to also make veggie kabobs.






  37. Made this for my family tonight. Did everything the same and finished with 3/4 lemon squeezed over the top. I got some looks from everyone at the lemon juice, but everyone LOVED it. I will be making this again. It will probably be my default chicken breast recipe now.






  38. I was cautiously optimistic about this recipe based on the reviews. This recipe definitely lived up to the hype! My husband gave it a 10 out of 10 and called it restaurant quality. This will definitely be added into our normal rotation. It was really not hard to make. Thank you!






  39. I make this all the time! Very easy, quick and delicious. I serve it with a side of white rice and hummus! My boys love it so much. Thanks for sharing!

  40. i did this recipe tonight for dinner
    the chicken was so juicy and the flavor was amazing thank you

  41. Do you have to brine the whole breast? I cut my chicken into cubes already. Can I brine the cubes or would that make it too salty? Maybe just less time? Thoughts anyone??






  42. I’ve been looking for a good recipe for kabob’s that wasn’t made with Italian dressing. Oh my word!! This was so good!! I added a little fresh squeezed lemon juice on the chicken before putting it on the skewers. My family loved it. We also added fresh veggies on the skewers. Will definitely make again.






  43. Too much salt in the seasoning mix! Brined the chicken in refrigerator for 4 hours, so should have used less salt in the seasoning.






  44. Definitely a keeper. I do think the brine made a world of difference. Dinner was great and quick with this super easy recipe

  45. Delicious! i only marinaded for 30 min. But it tasted great. I love salt, but my partner said there was a little
    bit, too much for her, yet, loved that it was so tender! i cooked it as the recipe told me, but i can just imagine
    if it had tenderized for 4-6 hrs…. OMG ! so so YUMMY! thank you for posting!






  46. Easy, colorful, healthy and delicious. My picky fiance loves it!






  47. How long do I cook the kabobs in the oven and at what temperature?

  48. This is my first time making kabobs and I will be making these again. They were easy and a nice change from the normal everyday meal. I think this is a perfect meal to include youngsters in the preparation. The go-withs (new word) were herbed rice, salad and cuban bread (oil and herbs for dipping). I chose them because that’s what I had on hand.






  49. Made these chicken kabobs today and the chicken was the juiciest ever!

  50. The 5 stars is for the brining technique. It REALLY WORKS!!! I’ve been broiling my skewers all this time because I don’t have a grill and they always come out dry and hard. I decided to try your brining technique and was thrilled with the SOFT chicken kabobs. Thank you so much!!