Grilled chicken kabobs are right on top of the list of meals that are both quick and healthy, and they never fail to satisfy with their succulent juiciness. Keep in mind, though, that exquisite juiciness can only be ensured if you follow the appropriate cooking instructions, which is exactly what we’re here to teach you.
Follow all of our cooking instructions, tips, and guidelines properly if your aim is to cook a delicious chicken kabob recipe on the grill from start to finish. We can’t see the future, but we’re pretty sure you’ll get nothing but excellent results!
Chicken Nutrition Facts
Tips for Cooking Chicken Kabobs
The following tips are important to keep in mind when cooking chicken kabob recipes:
Ideal cooking duration – The amount of time it takes to cook the chicken typically depends on the size of the chunks you’re using, and how high the temperature of your grill can go. Ideally, you should allow 10 to 15 minutes in total as the cooking time, rotating the skewers a couple times to get even browning on all sides. When a piece of chicken is cut, the fluids should run clear and the internal temperature of the chicken should hit 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer; this way, you’ll know that the chicken is cooked fully.
How long to marinate – The marinade can be left on the chicken for up to 30 minutes or as long as three hours, but no longer. The meat will begin to decompose after three hours.
If you want to get ahead on the preparation, cut and prepare the other ingredients ahead of time, but don’t put the chicken in the marinade until the grilling time draws closer.
Working with skewers – You’ll need to take note of the following when using skewers during the cooking process:
- If you’re using metal skewers, take care not to touch the ends of the skewer after the kabobs have finished cooking because they’ll be really hot. When attempting to take the chicken and vegetables from the skewers before eating, use a hot pad or tongs to grip the skewer end.
- If you’re working with wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes before grilling to avoid catching fire.
- When threading the vegetables and chicken onto the skewers, don’t cram them together too tightly. The pieces of chicken and vegetables can have some contact, but the heat must be free to circulate for the chicken to cook thoroughly.
Alternative cooking methods to try – You may not always be able to cook your chicken kabobs on a grill, but that’s okay. There are also several other ways to make this recipe; check out these options:
- Oven-style chicken kabobs: Set your oven to 450 degrees F, preheat it, and bake the chicken for about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Because the chicken isn’t immediately touching the oven as it would on a grill grate, you would need to cook them at a higher temperature.
- Working with different grill types: If you’re grilling chicken kabobs on a charcoal grill, propane grill, or natural gas grill, set the temperature to around 375 degrees F. (medium-high heat).
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Cooking Time for Chicken Kabobs on Grill
When cooking chicken kabobs on the grill, you’ll be needing the timing guidelines in the table below for the best possible results:
| Cooking procedure | Cooking time |
| Cooking chicken kabobs on the grill on medium-high heat | 10 to 15 minutes |
Juicy Grilled Chicken Kabobs (4 to 6 Servings)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness and brined in saltwater
- 1 tablespoon of melted butter or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-cracked
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of paprika (smoked paprika is preferable)
- fresh lemon wedges (optional ingredients)
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with warm water, about 1 quart in volume, and ¼ cup of kosher salt to brine the chicken breasts. Stir the water until the salt gets absorbed. Put the whole chicken breasts into the brine mixture and let them sit for 15 minutes. You can alternatively put a cover on the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours. Take the chicken breasts out of the brine and rinse with cold water before patting them dry with paper towels. (In the event that the chicken breasts you bought were already brined in a salt solution, you may skip this step entirely.)
- Set your grill’s heat level to medium-high. Soak the wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes before making use of them.
- Your chicken breasts should be cut into 1-inch chunks. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over them in a large mixing basin. Toss everything together.
- Mix the salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika together in a separate small-sized bowl until all the ingredients are well blended. Season the chicken evenly with the seasoning mixture. Afterwards, toss the chicken chunks for 1 minute, or until the seasoning is well distributed throughout the chicken pieces. Evenly thread the chicken onto the skewers.
- Arrange the chicken kabobs in an even pattern on the grill after it has heated up. Cook the chicken kabobs for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are golden brown and roasted throughout, ensuring to rotate the skewers once halfway through the cooking process (make sure the chicken pieces are no longer pink on the inner sides).
- Place the kabobs on a clean dish and tent them loosely with aluminum foil. Allow a resting period of at least 5 to 10 minutes for the chicken.
- Afterwards, while the chicken is still hot and juicy, serve the kabobs warm, drizzled with fresh lemon juice if preferred. You can also refrigerate the kabobs for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or freeze them for as long as 3 months.
The entire cooking duration for this chicken kabob recipe is 35 minutes, with a prep time of 15 minutes and a cook time of 20 minutes. As such, it is a quick and easy way to fix a delicious grilled chicken treat, and we’re sure it’s a recipe your loved ones will appreciate.
If you’d like to see more chicken kabob ideas, then you should check out this video recipe.