Grilled Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs

A green tray displays several skewers of grilled chicken and red onions. Tongs lie on the tray next to the skewers. In the background, there is a salad bowl with tomatoes and greens, a partially visible stack of pita bread, and glasses of water.

5 from 1 vote

Grilled Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs

One of my go-to summer recipes, these Grilled Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs are tender, juicy, and practically melt in your mouth. The chicken comes together with a marinade of protein-packed greek yogurt, lemon juice and zest, fresh garlic, and a medley of delicious seasonings for a burst of flavor in every bite. And, if this recipe couldn't get any better, it can be prepared two different ways: on the grill, or in the air-fryer!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword gluten-free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Refined Sugar Free

Servings Servings (8 Skewers)

Calories 510kcal

Author Nicole Modic

Equipment

8 Wooden Skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes, so that they don't burn!

Ingredients

2 ½ Pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 Cup Greek Yogurt*
8 Cloves Garlic
¼ Cup Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Paprika
1 Teaspoon Cumin
½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 Lemon zested and juiced
2 Red Onions roughly chopped - these will go on the skewers!

Instructions

How to Make These Kebabs on the Grill:

To make these chicken kebabs, start by preparing the chicken. Cut the chicken breast into cubes, approximately 1 1/2 inch thick, and place them into a large bowl.
Next, add in the greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and lemon zest, to the bowl with the chicken, and toss to fully combine.
Set the chicken aside and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, grab your wooden skewers and place them into a bowl of water to soak for 30 minutes. This helps ensure that the skewers won't burn on the grill!
Once the chicken and skewers are done, assemble the kebabs by skewering the chicken and onion pieces, alternating them one-by-one. Repeat until all of the chicken and onion are used up. You should end up with 8 kebabs total!
Next, heat your grill to 450 F.
Transfer the kebabs to the grill and allow them to cook, undisturbed, for 6-7 minutes.
Then, flip the kebabs and allow them to cook for another 6-7 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Once they're done, remove them from the grill. Then, serve and enjoy!

How to Make These Kebabs in an Air Fryer:

To prepare these kebabs in an air fryer, repeat steps 1-5 as described above.
Next, line an air fryer basket with parchment paper and lay the kebabs inside.
Transfer them to the air fryer and allow them to cook at 400 F for 10 minutes, undisturbed.
Then, flip the kebabs and allow them to cook for another 8-9 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown and fully cooked through.
Once they're done, remove them from the air fryer. Then, serve and enjoy!

Notes

** Note: If you want to keep this recipe dairy-free, you can replace the greek yogurt and garlic with a Middle Eastern garlic spread, like Toum! You can find this at any traditional Middle Eastern Grocery store, or Trader Joe's has their own version, too.

Nutrition