• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Vikalinka logo

WHOLESOME RECIPES YOU CAN TRUST

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Starter
    • Bread
    • Side dishes
    • Asian recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Drinks
    • Videos
  • Breakfast
    • Eggs
    • Pancakes, Muffins and More
    • Grains
    • Hot breakfast
  • Lunch
    • Salad
    • Soup
    • Sandwiches and more
  • Dinner
    • Chicken
      • Chicken breasts
      • Chicken thighs and drumsticks
      • Whole chicken
    • Beef
    • Pasta
    • Casseroles
    • Slow Cooker and Instant Pot
    • Pork
    • Fish and Seafood
    • Quick and Easy
    • Stew
  • Dessert
    • Cake
    • Pies
    • Cookies
    • Pastry
  • Collections
    • Asian Recipe Collection
    • Russian Recipe Collection
    • Italian Recipe Collection
    • Christmas Recipe Collection
    • Thanksgiving Recipe Collection
    • Easter Recipe Collection
  • About
    • Travel
    • Privacy policy
    • Contact Me
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Collections
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • About
×

Home » Recipes » Dinner » Chicken » Chicken breasts

May 24, 2022

Grilled Chicken Kebab

Published May 24, 2022 | Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

Jump to Recipe

You can make grilled chicken kebab at home, which will give you an authentic taste of your local kebab place without the cost of takeout! The secret is in the marinade and that smoky taste of the grill.

For more summer recipes, take a look at our Grilling Category. 

top down view of chicken kebabs with topping on pitas

I adore summer cooking as we grill so often, which usually falls on my husband’s shoulders. All I have to do is marinate the meat and prepare a couple of salads. Easy, healthy and delicious. 

This recipe for shish kebabs is so simple but you could be fooled thinking the chicken came from a real kebab shop. That amazing taste is all down to a clever mix of spices in the marinade.

There are quite a few of them but all readily available in your local supermarket. Have no fear I will walk you through the process. 

chicken shish kebab on a plate, cut up tomatoes and cucumbers in the background

Shish Kebab 

Turkish kebabs, Greek souvlaki, shashlik from the Caucasus, Indonesian satay might present differently because of the vast variety of flavours but are essentially the same. They are all dishes of cubed meat threaded on a skewer, then grilled. And they are loved the world over. 

Today I am sharing my recipe for chicken shish kebab, not to be confused with doner kebab, which is a Turkish version of the Greek gyros. 

While shish kebab consists of bite-sized pieces of meat, threaded on a wooden or metal skewer, the doner kebab is meat cooked on a large rotating spit, which is later shaved thinly and served in a pita or other flatbread. 

I love doner kebab but it’s not something easily replicated at home. You will need special equipment, patience and skill! Shish kebab on the other hand is extremely easy! It is also leaner, and therefore a bit better for you!

I am using chicken breasts but skinless, boneless chicken thighs would be also tasty and more authentic. You can also use pork or lamb for this recipe. 

a hand picking up pita loaded with chicken and toppings from a plate

The Marinade

There are obviously numerous recipes for the marinade. I tried to simplify mine as much as possible while still leaving the essentials in for the authentic taste. 

Marinating is a clever technique, invented centuries ago, accomplishes two main goals; to tenderise the meat and to impart flavour. 

This is especially important for grilling, which happens much quicker than stewing. Since there is no advantage of slow cooking, the meat has to be tender from the start.

The meat we eat nowadays and choose for grilling is of such high quality, it doesn’t need tenderisation in the same way it did a hundred years ago. But imparting flavour is another matter entirely.  We are always after more FLAVOUR!

chicken skewers on the grill

The marinade recipe is a standard mix of acid, fat and spices. I use lemon juice for the acid, olive oil for the fat and an array of dried spices to flavour my chicken. 

Among the spices you will find the usual suspects we often see in meat marinades like garlic, oregano, thyme, paprika. What gives this marinade its specific kebab taste is cinnamon and ground cloves in my opinion. Do not skip them!

chicken kebab process images

Recipe Tips and Notes

  • You can choose between boneless chicken breasts or thighs. And although I know many of you prefer to use the breasts, thighs come out juicer and more flavourful if you ask me!
  • Don’t cut the chicken into too small pieces, they will have a higher chance of drying out on the grill. They are also more difficult to thread and keep on a skewer. 
  • If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes beforehand or they will catch fire. If you forget, simply wrap the ends in aluminum foil. Better yet, invest in reusable metal skewers. They are durable, do not bend or snap, and the meat slides right off once grilled, which is not the case with the wooden ones. 
  • Never pick up the metal skewers off the grill with bare hands, only with cooking tongs. Give them a few minutes to cool down before you touch them for serving. 
  • It’s best to grill these kebabs on a grill with a lid, which traps the hot air and cooks the meat faster without burning it to char. 
  • If you are a nervous griller and always doubt whether your meat is cooked all the way through, it’s a very good idea to invest in a instant read digital thermometer. Once your meat temperature is at 165F/75C, it’s fully cooked. 

top down view of chicken kebabs on top of flatbreads on a plate

Kebab Toppings

It’s no secret that kebabs taste best when decked out with all kinds of extras. My personal favourite is to eat them wrapped in a homemade flatbread or good quality pita. 

Inside I love adding a dollop of my homemade hummus, tzatziki, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce. Thinly sliced red onions are optional but highly recommended. 

More delicious things you can add to your chicken kebab wrap are baba ganoush, fried or grilled halloumi cheese and fries. I know it sounds over the top but local kebab shop deliveries always come with fries! 

Add a delicious salad as a side:

  • Tomato Salad with Herb Vinaigrette and Feta
  • Summer Picnic Couscous Salad with Feta
  • Mediterranean Farro Salad with Zucchini
top down view of chicken kebabs on top of flatbreads on a plate

Grilled Chicken Kebab

Julia Frey of Vikalinka
You can make grilled chicken kebab at home, which will give you an authentic taste of your local kebab place without the cost of takeout! (Makes 6 large skewers)
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Marinating Time 2 hrs
Course Main Course
Cuisine Turkish
Servings 6
Calories 269 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes

For the marinade

  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder or 6 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 lemons, juice lemon
  • 4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and pour over chicken breasts, cut into cubes. Marinate for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.
  • Thread the marinated chicken onto wooden or metal skewers. If you are using the wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes, so they wouldn’t catch fire.
  • Grill for 5-7 minutes on each side depending on the size of the chicken pieces. See the body of the post for serving suggestions.

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 33gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 566mgPotassium: 624mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 405IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 2mg
Keyword chicken kebab
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Chicken breasts

  • Easy Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
  • Tomato Cream Cheese Pasta with Chicken and Pancetta
  • Basil Pesto Chicken Caprese
  • Classic Chicken Parmesan Recipe
126 shares

About Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.
read more..

Related Posts

  • chicken breasts in a creamy sauce in a cast iron pan

    Easy Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

  • pasta dish with creamy tomato sauce and chicken

    Tomato Cream Cheese Pasta with Chicken and Pancetta

  • top down view of grilled and sliced steak on a platter, topped with herb butter

    Grilled Tomahawk Steak with Herb Butter

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Julia from Vikalinka

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.

More about me →


  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • YouTube

Popular

  • Best Beef Stroganoff (VIDEO)
  • Best Chicken Marsala (Classic Recipe Made Easy)
  • Chicken with Garlic Mushroom Sauce (VIDEO)
  • Pasta Cream Sauce (VIDEO)

Footer

As Featured On…

as featured on

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Vikalinka