If you're looking for a delicious and easy-to-make grilled chicken recipe, look no further than Chicken Shish Kebab! This Middle Eastern classic features marinated chicken and vegetables, skewered and grilled to perfection, with a mouthwatering blend of spices and flavors.
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This shish kebab chicken recipe is on weekly rotation in my home. Here's why:
- Dinner in 30 minutes: This easy recipe takes just 30 minutes from start to finish. While the kebabs are cooking, I prepare rice or warm up some naan, and enjoy a wholesome meal.
- Simple marinade + stress-free cooking = Happy meal: This quick marinade flavors the meat instantly. Air frying the kebabs gives them the char-broiled flavor without the fuss.
- Vegetables and protein balanced: These shish kebab skewers are a perfect mix of lean protein and vegetables.
- Multiple serving options: Serve these with rice or salad. You can also wrap them up in a flatbread to make a kebab roll.
- Makes a delicious Low-carb meal: Serve with cauli rice or wrap them in an almond flour tortilla for a tasty low-carb meal.
What is Chicken Shish Kebab?
Chicken shish kebab is a popular dish in Middle Eastern cuisine that typically consists of marinated chunks of chicken that are skewered and grilled.
The word "shish" means skewer in Turkish, while "kebab" refers to any kind of meat that is cooked on a skewer.
To make chicken shish kebab, pieces of boneless chicken are marinated in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and various herbs and spices such as paprika, cumin, and oregano.
The chicken is then threaded onto skewers along with vegetables such as onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes. The skewers are then grilled over an open flame until the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred. This gives it a delicious smoky flavor.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
This recipe for chicken shish kebab calls for a short list of easily available ingredients. For your convenience, I've broken them down into two sections - chicken skewers and marinade. Here's what we need:
Chicken Skewers
- Chicken: I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces, but chicken thighs will work just as well.
- Cherry tomatoes: These provide just the right pop of sweet and tart flavors. You can also use baby grape tomatoes instead.
- Onion: Red, yellow, or white onion, all work great here. Peel and cut the onion into 1-inch pieces, then separate the layers.
- Bell peppers: Use red, green, or any color you like. Core, deseed and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
- Zucchini: Buy firm and bright green zucchini for the best flavor and cut them in ½-inch rounds.
- Bamboo skewers: 6-8 inches skewers work great here. Soak them in water about 20-30 minutes ahead of air-frying. If you forget, wrap the exposed ends in aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.
Tips for bamboo skewers: Get rid of any splinters on the bamboo skewers by rubbing two together as if you were sharpening a knife.
Marinade
- Greek yogurt: Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt is my preference, but feel free to use a low-fat version if you like.
- Olive oil + lemon Juice: Any light olive oil plus juice of 1 small lemon is all we need. Avocado oil also works great here.
- Salt: to tie in all the flavors.
- Garlic and Ginger Powder: I prefer the dried powders for this recipe just because I don't have to prep those. You can also use 2 teaspoons each of fresh paste if you like.
- Paprika and red pepper flakes: Paprika gives these kebabs a sweet, earthy taste, and crushed peppers give a subtle heat. Adjust or eliminate the pepper flakes based on your preference.
- Garam masala and coriander powder: This is my quick "Indian-ish" hack for the spices. I use homemade garam masala since that contains the classic spices used in this recipe, but store-bought is fine too. Additionally, coriander powder adds a nice floral flavor.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chicken Shish Kebab
Step 1- Marinate Chicken: Prepare the marinade by mixing together Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and dry spices. Add chicken and vegetable pieces and toss well.
Step 2 - Assemble skewers: Thread a cherry tomato, then a piece of onion, green pepper, red pepper, and zucchini, followed by chicken. Now repeat the layers. Prepare the remaining skewers. You should be able to make 6 skewers from this quantity.
Step 3 - Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 2 minutes. Then place the skewers in the fryer basket, keeping a little space between each skewer. If needed, cook in two batches.
Step 4 - Check for doneness: Cook the kebabs for 10 minutes, or until the chicken cooks through. A meat thermometer should read at least 165° when inserted in the thickest part of the chicken piece.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some of my family's favorite ways to enjoy these kebabs:
- As an appetizer: Serve these as an appetizer or as part of a Middle Eastern meze (small plates). I lightly drizzle lemon juice over the shish kebabs and serve them with mint chutney.
- Make a meal: Serve these kebabs with lemon rice or saffron rice. To add more veggies, serve along with grilled vegetables, or a side salad.
- Low-Carb meal: Serve these kebabs with cauliflower rice, or almond flour tortillas, and tzatziki, and enjoy a delicious low-carb dinner.
Watch 1-Minute Recipe for Lemon Rice
How to Store
Cooked chicken shish kebabs can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply cool and store them in an airtight container.
I don't recommend freezing them since the vegetables will turn to mush on defrosting.
To reheat, simply warm the desired portion in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. Alternatively, heat in the air fryer for 1 minute.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Skewers: To remove any splinters on the bamboo skewers, rub two sticks together as if you were sharpening a knife.
- Soaking Skewers: Soak the skewers in water for 20 minutes prior to cooking in order to prevent them from scorching. If you forget, then wrap the exposed ends in aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.
- Marinade: If you have the time, marinate the chicken for 20 minutes to an hour. This will impart much more flavor and keep the meat tender and juicy.
- Size: Make sure to cut the chicken and vegetables all roughly the same size for even cooking. 1-inch cubes work best.
- Vegetarian: Replace the chicken with 1 pound paneer or tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes. Cooking times remain the same.
- Low Carb: Serve these kebabs with cauliflower rice or almond flour tortillas along with a salad of choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken shish kebabs are made with lean chicken breast along with assorted vegetables, which makes them a low-calorie and low-carb dish. They provide a balance of protein, fiber, and nutrients.
A single skewer based on this recipe contains just 101 calories. I typically account for 2 skewers per person, which makes 202 total calories per serving. You can adjust this number based on the number of skewers you're serving per person.
A chicken shish kebab typically consists of small pieces of chicken and vegetables that are marinated in a blend of spices, herbs, and oils, then skewered and grilled. The specific ingredients used can vary depending on the recipe or the regional cuisine, but the marinade usually contains garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, herbs, and spices.
While all shish kebabs are kebabs, not all kebabs are shish kebabs. The term "kebab" is a more general term that can refer to a wide variety of grilled dishes. Shish kebab is essentially a kebab that has been prepared with meat that has been cut into cubes and marinated before being skewered and grilled. The word "shish" refers to the skewer itself.
I cook the chicken kabobs in the air fryer for about 10 minutes at 400°F, or until the internal temperature reads 165°F or higher.
More Middle-Eastern & Mediterranean Recipes
📖 Recipe
Chicken Shish Kebab
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Skewers
- 1 pound chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium onion cut in 1 inch pieces, layers separated
- 2 bell peppers (red + green) cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1-2 zucchini cut in ½-inch rounds
- 6 inches long bamboo skewers pre-soaked if air-frying or broiling
Marinade
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice : juice of 1 small lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade in a bowl by mixing together greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and dry spices. Add chicken and vegetable pieces and toss well.
- Prepare the skewers by threading a cherry tomato, then a piece of onion, green pepper, red pepper, and zucchini, followed by chicken, then repeat. Prepare the remaining skewers. You should be able to make 6 skewers from this quantity.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 2 minutes. Then place the skewers in the fryer basket, keeping a little space between each skewer. If needed, cook in two batches.
- Cook the skewers for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. If using a meat thermometer, it should read least 165° when inserted in the thickest chicken piece.
- Drizzle lemon juice over the shish kebabs and serve with mint chutney!
Notes
- Skewers: If there are any splits or splinters on the bamboo skewers, rub two together over one another, as if you were sharpening a knife.
- Soaking Skewers: Soak the skewers in water for 20 minutes prior to cooking to prevent them from scorching. If you forget, wrap the exposed ends in aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.
- Marinade: Marinating the chicken for 20 minutes to an hour will impart much more flavor and keep the meat tender and juicy. If short on time, marinate the chicken and vegetables on the skewers.
- Size: Make sure to cut the chicken and vegetables all roughly the same size for even cooking. 1-inch cubes work best.
- Vegetarian: Replace the chicken with 1 pound paneer or tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes. Cooking times remain the same.
- Low Carb: Skip the lemon rice and serve these kebabs with cauliflower rice or almond flour tortillas along with a salad of choice.
Sandy says
This was really tasty. I grilled the kabobs in the pizza oven. Would definitely make this again, though not sure it would have the same result in the air fryer. The grill just adds that extra something in taste.
Aneesha Gupta says
Hi Sandy, I’m so glad you enjoyed the kebabs! The air fryer makes them juicy and perfectly grilled, just without the smoky grill flavor.
Emily says
My entire family loved them including my 2 year old and 8 year old. Will definitely be making again!
Aneesha Gupta says
That's so wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe!