Chunks of chicken are first tenderized in a yogurt-based marinade laced with the traditional Greek flavors of lemon, garlic, and oregano before being threaded onto skewers and grilled. These Greek chicken kabobs are a fast and easy weeknight dinner winner!
A Simple Yogurt Marinade Keeps These Kabobs Super Moist and Flavorful
Dinner on the grill makes up about 95% of our summer dinner cooking routine, kabobs in particular are an easy, all-in-one dinner that take as little as 30 minutes to marinate only about 15 minutes to grill.
Today we’re curing my summertime Mediterranean flavor-craving with grilled Greek chicken kabobs, all day, all the way, babe-ae.
The secret to exceptional skewers is a simple yogurt marinade infused with fresh lemony, garlic, and oregano flavor. The marinade not only flavors the chunks of chicken, but it also helps break down some of the tougher muscle fibers to create the juiciest bite ever.
You can let the chicken soak in the marinade for up to 3 hours and can also assemble the kabobs in advance, making this a great recipe for game day grilling or family gatherings when you need to feed a hungry crowd with minimal time and effort on your part.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Cutting the chicken into chunks all the same size is the key to your kabobs cooking evenly. You’ll also want to cut your veggies to the same size to match.
Metal skewers won’t burn on the grill. I used metal skewers for threading the meat and veggies on, but bamboo skewers work well too. If using a wooden skewer, be sure to soak the skewers for at least 15-30 minutes so they don’t burn on the grill.
Everything shrinks on the skewers. When threading the chicken and vegetables on the skewers, pack them tightly together as both will shrink as they cook.
Ingredients for the Marinade and Kabobs
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
For the Yogurt Marinade:
- Greek yogurt — This is a new addition to my regular Greek marinade. I added the yogurt after making my Chicken Gyros where the yogurt tenderizes the chicken for a very nice, juicy bite.
- Lemon juice + zest — The acid from the lemon also helps break down the tough fibers of the chicken as it adds a flavorful zip to each bite. Adding the zest of one lemon to the marinade amps the flavor up even that much more.
- Garlic — Because hello, garlic.
- Olive oil — Olive oil adds a bit of fat and helps create a barrier while the chicken is on the grill. However, you’ll still want to prepare your grill with additional oil and rotate your skewers so the chicken doesn’t become too charred or burn.
- Oregano — Because dried herbs are stronger in flavor than fresh, I’ve found that dried oregano works best for this marinade, and a hearty dose of it is definitely required.
For the kabobs:
- Chicken — Boneless chicken breast is the protein I used here, but if you’re a dark chicken meat lover (which is often more juicy and less apt to overcook) use chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Veggies — I used red onion, bell pepper, and zucchini but you can skewer any veggies you like onto these Greek grilled chicken kabobs.
How to Grill Greek Chicken Kabobs in 3 Steps
- Marinate the chicken for just 15 minutes. Whisk together the yogurt-based marinade, then coat the chicken in HALF of it (save the other half for basting). The chicken is adequately flavored in just 15 minutes, or let it soak in all that Greek flavor for up to 3 hours in a bowl or a resealable gallon storage bag.
Heidi’s Tip: Clean the grill grates well before cooking the kabobs or else they’ll stick like crazy and burn.
- Thread the chicken and veggies onto the skewers. Discard any leftover marinade that came in contact with the raw chicken. If you use that for basting the kabobs, you’ll wind up with a serious stomach ache.
- Grill for 10 to 15 minutes, turning often. You’ll know the Greek kabobs are done when the juices from the chicken run clear.
Make-Ahead Tip
These kabobs can be marinated, threaded on skewers, and refrigerated for the day before grilling. Because it’s chicken that’s been soaking in tenderizing yogurt and lemon juice, don’t make them any earlier or the chicken could become mealy.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Greek Chicken Kabobs Recipe
Ingredients
Yogurt Marinade
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 lemons , juiced + zest from one of the lemons
- 4-5 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kabobs
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
- 1 red onion , quartered into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small zucchini , sliced into ¼ inch coins
- 1 red bell pepper , seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise into thirds, and then slice again into about 1-inch pieces. Place the chicken pieces in a freezer bag or bowl and set aside.
- Make the marinade. Add the Greek yogurt and olive oil to a medium size bowl. Zest one of the lemons into the bowl then juice that lemon with the remaining three lemons and add to the bowl. Add the minced garlic, oregano, kosher salt and black pepper and stir.
- Marinate the chicken. Pour HALF of the marinade into the freezer bag or the bowl with the chicken pieces and reserve the other half of the marinade for basting. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the grill. When ready to grill, prepare the grill by lightly oiling the grate with vegetable oil or cooking spray and set to medium high heat.
- Assemble the kabobs. Thread the chicken on the skewers alternating with the red onion, zucchini and red bell pepper until you've reached the end of the skewer, ending with chicken. Repeat with the remaining skewers. Discard any of the remaining marinade that had the chicken in it.
- Grill. Grill the chicken, basting the kabobs with the reserved marinade and turning often so each side browns and has light grill marks, until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
I generally don’t go longer than the 3-hour mark to avoid the chicken becoming mealy.
Yes! Since the kabobs cook so quickly, I’ve never had issues with using leaner chicken breasts in this recipe. However, boneless skinless chicken thighs work too.
I suggest using a stovetop grill pan or a cast iron skillet, set over medium-hight heat.
Of course! I stuck with the Greek theme by using red onion, red bell pepper, and zucchini, but you can use any grilling veggie you like. Check out my grilled vegetable skewers recipe to learn which veggies pair well together on the grill (you have to take all of their individual cook times into account, that’s all!).
What to Serve with Greek Chicken Kabobs
More Greek Chicken Recipes
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