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Greek Chicken Kabobs served with warmed pita bread and my fresh and easy cucumber sauce is an absolutely delicious, healthy meal you can prepare on the grill, in the oven, or on a grill pan on top of the stove.
Marinate chunks of chicken breast, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and red onion in a zesty mix of fresh herbs, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice to infuse with delicious Greek flavor.
Then, thread on skewers and grill just 10 minutes until the chicken is slightly charred and the veggies are tender. Not only are these Greek Chicken Kabobs tasty and colorful, they’re fun to make and fun to eat!
If you enjoy making kabobs, you may like my Smoky Chicken Kabobs, too.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Light and fresh. Marinated in fresh lemon juice and herbs, these chicken kabobs are healthy and delicious!
- Versatile recipe. Serve these tasty kabobs with pita bread and dipping sauce, over rice or pasta, or even on top of a Greek salad.
- Prep ahead of time. I’ve been known to toss the chicken and veggies in the marinade before leaving for work which means the remaining dinner prep only takes minutes when I get home.
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- garlic
- Dijon mustard
- dried oregano
- fresh thyme leaves — may substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Italian flat-leaf parsley
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh rosemary — may substitute 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Step 1 | Make the marinade
- For the best flavor, use fresh herbs. Mince the rosemary, remove the thyme leaves, and chop the parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, the herbs, and black pepper.
- Pour the marinade into a gallon size resealable bag to which you’ll add the chicken and veggies.
Step 2 | Prep the chicken and veggies
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes.
- Remove the seeds and ribs from the bell peppers and cut into 2-inch pieces. Peel the onion and cut into wedges, separating the layers.
- Place the veggies and chicken in the bag with the marinade, seal, and mix to coat all ingredients. Refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
Step 3 | Make the cucumber sauce (tzatziki dip)
- Slice a cucumber in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Grate the unpeeled cucumber with a box grater and press out the excess moisture.
- To a small bowl, add plain Greek yogurt, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil and salt, stirring until smooth.
- Fold in grated cucumber and chopped fresh mint. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
tip
- To remove excess moisture from the grated cucumber, wrap in cheesecloth and squeeze or place in a fine mesh colander and use the back of a spoon to press out the moisture.
Step 4 | Cook the kabobs
Thread the chicken and vegetables onto metal skewers or bamboo skewers, discarding the marinade.
- To cook the kabobs on the grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 400 degrees and lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the skewers for 10 minutes, turning as needed, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees) and the vegetables are tender.
- To cook kabobs on the stove: Preheat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Lightly oil the pan. Cook the skewers for 10 minutes, turning as needed.
- To cook kabobs in the oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the skewers on baking sheets lined with aluminum foil lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes, turning midway through, until the chicken is done.
tip
- If you use bamboo skewers, soaking them first not only helps prevent them flaming up on the grill, it also prevents any splintering as you thread the chicken onto the skewer. Place the skewers in a pan long enough for them to lay flat and cover with water for a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes.
Serving suggestions
- with warmed Naan bread or stuffed in a pita pocket and garnished with cucumber sauce
- with a side of healthy Greek coleslaw
- on top of this easy rice pilaf
- on top of a leafy green salad with homemade Greek salad dressing
Frequently asked questions
You know chicken is done if when pierced with a fork, the juices run clear. For more accurate cooking, use an instant read thermometer to measure the internal temperature, which should be 165 degrees.
When cooking kabobs, it’s important that the vegetables and chicken are cut so that when the kabobs lay flat on the grill, everything touches. That way, the cooking will be more even.
Wrap the skewers in aluminum foil and place in a 325 degree oven until heated through, about 15 minutes. You can also remove the chicken and vegetables from the skewers and reheat in the microwave.
Behind the recipe: Greek Chicken Kabobs
Greek Chicken Kabobs with Cucumber Sauce is on my Top 10 weeknight grilling recipe list. Well, I don’t actually have a list, but it sounds like a good idea for a future blog post!
If you’ve been following the blog, you know I’m a big fan of Greek flavors. My Mediterranean Chopped Salad and Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade are prime examples.
And, since I think kabobs can make a simple meal fancy, today’s Greek Chicken Kabob recipe is a win-win in my book!
When we make these chicken skewers on weeknights, I prep everything in the morning and let the chicken marinate until dinner time.
After everyone gets home, we pop the kabobs on the grill, then serve them with warmed pita bread and a bowl of cucumber sauce for dipping — I don’t even bother with any other sides!
It’s a quick, easy, healthy, and delicious meal.
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First published: February 8, 2016. Last updated: March 16, 2021.
Greek Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
Kabobs
- 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 1 large sweet onion
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cucumber Sauce
- 1/2 medium cucumber seeded and grated
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt 6-oz. container
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint minced
Instructions
Kabobs
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and cut into 2-inch cubes. Place the cubes into a gallon-size zip lock bag.
- Remove the seeds and ribs from the bell peppers and cut into 2-inch pieces. Peel the onion and cut into wedges, separating the layers. Place the veggies in the bag with the chicken.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary, and black pepper.
- Pour the marinade into the bag, seal, and mix to coat the ingredients. Refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high heat, about 400 degrees and lightly oil the grill grates.
- Thread the chicken and vegetables onto skewers, discarding the marinade.Grill the skewers for 10 minutes, turning as needed, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature of 165 degrees) and the vegetables are tender.
Cucumber Sauce
- Slice the cucumber in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Grate the unpeeled cucumber with a box grater, and squeeze out the moisture.
- To a small bowl, add the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt, stirring until smooth. Fold in the grated cucumber and mint. If desired, drizzle with a bit more olive oil when ready to serve.
Notes
- To remove excess moisture from the grated cucumber, wrap in cheesecloth and squeeze or place in a fine mesh colander and use the back of a spoon to press out the moisture.
To cook kabobs on the stove:
Preheat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Lightly oil the pan. Cook the skewers for 10 minutes, turning as needed.To cook kabobs in the oven:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the skewers on baking sheets lined with aluminum foil lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes, turning midway through, until the chicken is done.Nutrition
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
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