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With grilling season upon us, I’ll be enjoying my Greek Marinated Chicken Kabobs with Lemon. These Easy Chicken Kabobs combine chicken breast, with bell pepper, zucchini and red onion. The Chicken Kabob Marinade is made with fresh lemon zest and juice, extra virgin olive oil, Greek yogurt and seasoning.
These Greek Marinated Chicken Kabobs are one of my most-requested grilling recipes, and the secret is the marinade. Greek yogurt, fresh lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and a few simple spices coat the chicken and vegetables and go to work tenderizing the meat in just 2 hours. The result is juicy, flavorful chicken with a light char on the outside that pairs perfectly with a cool tzatziki sauce.
What makes the yogurt marinade different from a standard lemon-herb marinade is how it tenderizes. The yogurt creates a creamy coating that holds the spices against the chicken while the lemon juice gently breaks down the muscle fibers, without making the meat mushy the way a straight acid marinade can. I’ve made these kabobs more times than I can count and they never disappoint. You can grill these outside or cook them in the oven under the broiler, which makes this a year-round recipe. Serve them with my Tahini Yogurt Sauce or Greek Yogurt Tzatziki Sauce alongside pita and a Lebanese Salad for a full Mediterranean spread.
Why This Recipe Works
The Greek yogurt in the marinade does two jobs: it tenderizes the chicken by gently breaking down proteins, and it creates a coating that helps the spices and lemon flavor fully absorb into the meat rather than just sitting on the surface. Because yogurt is less acidic than straight lemon juice, it is also more forgiving, you get tender, juicy chicken without the risk of rubbery texture that comes from over-marinating in a citrus-heavy marinade. Two hours is the sweet spot, and you can prep everything in the morning and grill at dinner.
Recipe Ingredients
See full list of simple ingredients below in recipe card with exact measurements.
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks. You can also use chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins cut into chunks. I personally find the chicken breast creates juicy chicken but any cut will do.
- Vegetables: I used a combination of red bell peppers and green bell peppers, zucchini and red onion for these kabobs.
- Lemon: I used both the zest and juice of a lemon in the marinade. It adds a nice zest, citrus flavor and creates tender chicken.
- Seasoning: The marinade is seasoned with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
- Yogurt: I always use full fat Greek yogurt for the best flavor and consistency. You can swap with other natural yogurt.
If you like skewers try these Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers.
Recipe Tips and Modifications
- Chicken: I’ve used chicken breast, but you could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Peppers: Feel free to use whatever color bell pepper you like.
- Veggies: You can add any other vegetables to these kabobs, including eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms.
- Seasoning: Add the spices and seasoning that you enjoy eating, eg paprika; dried oregano; thyme, Greek seasoning, ground cinnamon or cumin.
- Cheese: Adding feta cheese is a nice finishing touch to these Greek kabobs.
- Chili Heat: A pinch of red pepper flakes or chili powder can be added to the marinade for a bit of heat.
How to Make Greek Marinated Chicken Kabobs
Step 1. Marinate the Chicken: Start by adding the chicken pieces, bell pepper, green bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, sea salt, ground black pepper, fresh lemon juice, zest of a lemon, extra virgin olive oil, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and Greek yogurt in a large ziplock bag or a large bowl.
Use tongs or your hands and coat the chicken and vegetables in the marinade. Cover and marinate for up to 2 hours in the refrigerator. If using bamboo skewers or wooden skewers soak them in cold water for an hour or use metal skewers.
Step 2. Thread the kabobs: When ready to cook the kabobs, remove the marinated chicken and the vegetables from the fridge.
Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers, alternating until the chicken is gone. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the skewers.
Step 3. Grill the Chicken Shish Kabob: Heat to grill to a medium-high heat. Then brush the grill with the remaining olive oil and place the skewers directly onto the grill. Grill the kabobs for 6 minutes on each side. The chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Step 3: Serve: Now remove the kabobs from the grill and serve warm with a garnish of fresh herbs like fresh parsley. I like to add a creamy tzatziki sauce for dipping.
Recipe Tip: I recommend marinating these Greek Chicken Kabobs for at least 2 hours, to impart lots of flavor into the chicken. You can marinate for up to 2 hours, but I don’t suggest any longer in this marinade as it contains lemon juice. After 2 hours the lemon juice will start to break down the chicken and it can become mushy.
Storage Tips
- Store leftover kabobs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place them in a 350°F oven covered loosely with foil for 10 minutes until warmed through. Reheating in the oven keeps them from drying out better than a microwave does.
- The chicken is also great cold, sliced and added to a salad or tucked into a pita with tzatziki and vegetables the next day.
What Should I Serve With Greek Chicken Kabobs?
- Salad: I always serve side salads with chicken kabobs, try my Mediterranean Bean Salad, Lemon Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts, Summer Orzo Pasta Salad or this Easy Lebanese Salad.
- Sides: Prefer a vegetable side then try these Lebanese Green Beans, Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower or these Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables .
- Potatoes: Another great addition to this meal is potatoes. I often make Gouda Smashed Potatoes, Air Fryer Twice Baked Potato, or Spicy Lebanese Potatoes.
- Bread: We like to serve these kabobs alongside pita bread, naan or pita chips.
Recipe FAQ
Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 2 hours. Because this marinade contains fresh lemon juice, going beyond 2 hours will start to break down the chicken too aggressively and the texture can turn mushy. If you want to prep ahead, assemble the marinade and chicken in the morning and refrigerate until you are ready to grill.
Yes. Place the threaded skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on high for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. You can also bake at 425°F for 20 to 22 minutes if you prefer not to broil. A light char from the broiler gets close to the grill flavor.
Both work well. Chicken breast gives you a cleaner, leaner bite and stays juicy when it is not overcooked. Chicken thighs have more fat which adds flavor and makes them more forgiving on the grill if you leave them on a minute too long. I typically use breast for these kabobs because the yogurt marinade keeps them moist, but thighs are a great swap if that is what you have on hand.
More Skewer Recipes
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Lemon Greek Marinated Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut in 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 cup red bell pepper, cut in 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 cup green bell pepper, cut in 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 cup zucchini, cut in 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 large red onion, cut in 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Juice of a lemon
- Zest of a lemon
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup greek yogurt
Instructions
- Add the chicken, bell pepper, green bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, sea salt, ground black pepper, juice of a lemon, zest of a lemon, extra virgin olive oil, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and Greek yogurt in a large ziplock bag or a large mixing bowl. Use tongs or your hands and coat the chicken and vegetables in the marinade. Cover and marinate for up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Remove the chicken and the vegetables from the fridge.
- If you are using wooden skewers, soak 10 of them in cold water for an hour.
- Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers, alternating until the chicken is gone. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the skewers.
- Heat the grill over medium high heat.
- Brush the grill with the remaining olive oil and place the skewers on the grill. Grill for 6 minutes on each side. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the kabobs from the grill and serve warm with fresh cilantro or parsley and green onion.
Notes
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes and no longer than 2 hours. The lemon juice in the marinade will begin to break down the chicken after 2 hours and the texture can become soft and mushy.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes before threading to prevent burning on the grill.
- Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Use an instant-read thermometer for best results.
- To cook in the oven, broil on high for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, or bake at 425°F for 20 to 22 minutes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven covered with foil for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
