Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kebabs
Aug 15, 2023
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If you're in love with Mediterranean flavours as much as I am, these Mediterranean grilled chicken kebabs are going to be your new favourite dish. The juicy marinated chicken and fresh veggies taste amazing when cooked to perfection on the grill. I can't wait to guide you through the process, so grab your apron and let’s begin!
Round out your Mediterranean meal with this basil garlic pesto pasta salad and this black olive loaf tin focaccia.
Ingredients
Wondering what you need to make these Mediterranean chicken skewers? All you need is a few simple ingredients to get cooking. Let me tell you about the key ingredients...
- Chicken: I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken thighs since they're tender, juicy, and hold up well to marinating.
- Herbs: I like to use a combination of rosemary, thyme, and sage in the chicken, but feel free to tweak the quantities as desired.
- Vegetables: I typically use onion and bell pepper pieces, but you can get creative! Other veggies like zucchini, yellow squash, or even eggplant would also work great.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Want to use chicken breasts? You definitely can--it's just not as juicy as the thigh meat. You can always mix the two as well.
- Want cook on the stovetop instead of the grill? You absolutely can! While grilling develops the characteristic char and smokiness, you can replicate something similar with a grill pan or frying pan.
How to Make Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kebabs
- Place the olive oil, garlic, herbs, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper into a food processor and pulse until all the ingredients are combined and finely chopped.
- Cut the chicken thighs into chunks, then pour the marinade on top and let it sit in the fridge overnight (or for a minimum of 4 hours).
- Layer the ingredients on wooden or metal skewers. Preheat the grill to high heat, then turn it down to medium and grill the skewers for 6 minutes on each side.
- Take the skewers off of the grill and place on a serving platter. Drizzle with lemon juice and enjoy them immediately!
Recipe FAQs
I like to use a lot of fresh herbs in chicken kebabs; especially rosemary, thyme, and sage, and a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Feel free to tweak the amount and ratios of the fresh herbs to your taste.
A simple marinade of olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper brings a lot of impressive flavours to the meat while tenderising it. The marinade takes minutes to make, and is so worth it! Simply be sure to let the meat marinade for at least 4 hours (or preferably overnight) before cooking for the best results.
Yes, you definitely can freeze the marinated, uncooked chicken! I recommend not putting it on skewers with the vegetables until after it's thawed. This is a great way to save time and meal prep for a quick dinner later!
Serving Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kebabs
These Mediterranean grilled chicken kebabs are perfect when served with other fresh, colourful dishes! I love to serve this with a healthy salad like this refreshing tabouli (tabbouleh), and some other veggies like this easy bruschetta and roasted carrots with balsamic. But there are few things better with grilled meat than a crispy golden piece of bread like this spicy garlic confit butter focaccia or this olive, herb, and sticky balsamic focaccia!
Expert Tips
- Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the marinade to infuse the meat with flavour and tenderise it.
- Cut the chicken into uniform chunks so they cook evenly.
- If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning during cooking.
- Preheat the grill before adding the kebabs to achieve a beautiful golden crust without drying out the chicken.
- Chicken breast can dry out quickly, so be careful not to overcook. Let the skewers rest for a few minutes before serving for maximum juiciness.
Other Main Courses You'll Love
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Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
For the Chicken & Marinade
- 2.25-3.3 pounds chicken thighs, cubed
- 1 ½ cups olive oil
- 10 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 4 teaspoons lemon zest, from 2 large lemons
- ¼ cup sticky balsamic vinegar
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
For the Kebabs
- 7 ounces cherry tomatoes
- ½ red bell pepper, cut in chunks
- 1 red onion, cubed
- 2 fresh lemons, juiced
Instructions
- Making Marinade: Place the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon zest, sticky balsamic and salt and pepper into a food processor or blender and blend until all ingredients are very finely chopped and well combined.
- Marinating Chicken: Place the chicken into a large bowl and pour the marinade all over. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge, ideally overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Assembling Kebabs: When the chicken is ready, thread them onto a wooden or metal skewer alternating between the cherry tomatoes, capsicum and red onion. I like to fit as much meat and vegetables onto my skewer as possible.
- Grill: Turn the BBQ to high, and once preheated, turn down to medium. Place the chicken skewers on the BBQ and grill for 6 minutes on each side.
- Season & Serve: Take off the grill, season with lemon juice, and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the marinade to infuse the meat with flavour and tenderise it.
- Cut the chicken into uniform chunks so they cook evenly.
- If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning during cooking.
- Preheat the grill before adding the kebabs to achieve a beautiful golden crust without drying out the chicken.
- Chicken breast can dry out quickly, so be careful not to overcook. Let the skewers rest for a few minutes before serving for maximum juiciness.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
These chicken skewers look like the perfect meal for a summer night! I love how these can be cooked outdoors on the grill or inside if it's too hot to use the barbecue!