These Lebanese Chicken Kebabs not only taste amazing, but they are the perfect 30 minutes meal! Chicken breast is marinated with lemon, garlic, spices and herbs before being charred over a hot grill. Easy to make and incredibly flavorful they are a total crowd pleasing favorite.

LEBANESE CHICKEN KEBABS

I know you guys love Lebanese recipes as much as I do so today I am here to share a grilling recipe for the upcoming warmer months.

These Lebanese Chicken Kebabs are made with lean chicken breast mixed with a warm, rich marinade and then grilled to perfection. 

I love using this chicken alongside other Lebanese food like Tabbouleh, Hummus, Mediterranean Vegetables and pita.

This Lebanese Chicken is also great swapped out for the lamb in these Spiced Lamb Pitas. 

Making your own chicken kebab marinade means you have total control over the ingredients you add.

The marinade is also really adaptable so you can add as much or as little spice to the marinade to suit your own tastes.

I have crushed red pepper in the marinade but you can leave that out if your family isn’t into spice. 

I love serving these Lebanese Chicken Kebabs as part of a Meze style dinner, adding in my favorite sauces, dips and salads to make a complete meal.

This Middle Eastern-Style Grilled Chicken Kebab recipe is also really easy to double or treble up, so ideal if you are feeding a crowd too.

If you love kebabs then you also have to try my Turkey Kofta Kebabs, Chicken Kofta Kebabs, Grilled Beef Kafta Kebabs, Lamb Kofta, Beef Kafta Meatballs and these Mediterranean Beef Kabobs.

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE THIS EASY CHICKEN KEBAB RECIPE:

CHICKEN: I use boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks. However, you could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins and just adjust the cooking times.

OLIVE OIL: Extra virgin olive oil is always my go-to oil as it adds great flavor and is a healthy option. 

GARLIC: I use 5-6 cloves of freshly minced garlic for extra flavor. If you aren’t a huge fan of garlic you can do 1 to 2 garlic cloves. 

SPICE: The smoked paprika adds a nice smoky flavor to the kebabs. If you like a sweeter flavor try sweet paprika instead. The other spices of cumin, oregano, cinnamon and thyme work so nicely in the marinade to come together into the perfect Lebanese style marinade. 

LEMON: The lemon juice and zest adds a fresh burst of citrus to the marinade.

TOMATO PASTE: The tomato paste is added to the marinade to add a depth of flavor to the marinade.

HOW TO MAKE THIS LEBANESE CHICKEN KEBAB RECIPE:

MARINATE THE CHICKEN. In a large bowl combine the chicken with the olive oil, minced garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, thyme, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon juice, lemon zest, tomato paste, and salt and pepper.

Toss the chicken to evenly coat it in the marinade.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour, longer if you have time. 

PREPARE THE KEBABS. Remove the marinated chicken pieces from the refrigerator.

Then take one skewer and thread between 6 and 8 chicken pieces onto it. Set the kebabs aside until you are ready to grill. 

COOK THE KEBABS. Heat a grill or cast iron skillet on the stove top over medium-high heat.

Place all the kebabs onto the hot grill. Cook for 4 minutes, flip and cook for 4 more minutes.

Repeat the process 1 or 2 more times or until cooked completely and charred bits have formed around the outside.

SERVE THE KEBABS. Once cooked through, remove the kebabs from the grill and serve immediately. 

WAYS TO MODIFY THIS CHICKEN KEBAB RECIPE:

• ADD VEGGIES: Add some vegetables to these chicken skewers. I especially like bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and onions.
• COOKING CHICKEN KEBABS IN OVEN: This recipe shows you how to cook the chicken kebabs on the grill, however you can also cook chicken kebabs in the oven. Simply preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the kebabs onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Place the tray into the hot oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• YOGURT MARINADE: Using yogurt in addition to the marinade recipe is a nice addition. It helps to lock in the juices of the chicken. I would suggest adding 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or plain yogurt to the marinade

RECIPE HINTS & TIPS:

1. I like to use a food thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of chicken has reached 165°F.
2. Long metal or wooden skewers will both work for grilling these chicken kebabs. Metal skewers are great as they require no preparation at all, just take care when handling them as they do become very hot once over the grill.
3. Alternatively you can use wooden skewers, just make sure that you soak them in water first for at least an hour before using them. If you don’t soak wooden skewers they will catch fire once they are placed onto the hot grill.
4. I used chicken breasts for this recipe but other cuts of chicken work great. Try chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken thighs. 
5. I love serving this chicken on pita bread as a wrap or a pita pitza. If you are doing this you could add red onion and bell pepper to the skewers and have veggies to add into the pita. 
6. Serve this chicken with a delicious dip like this Tahini Yogurt Dressing or Tahini Sauce. 

WHAT PAIRS WELL WITH LEBANESE CHICKEN KEBABS:

These tasty Lebanese chicken kebabs are really versatile and work with a whole variety of difference sides and dips. They can also take center stage on any Meze platter.

I love drizzling a Tahini Garlic Sauce on these chicken kebabs or serving them with my Baba Ghanoush, Lebanese Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper Greek Yogurt Hummus or this White Bean Artichoke Dip.

I always add fresh tasting salad like my Lebanese Salad, Mediterranean Eggplant Salad, Mediterranean Eggplant Chickpea Salad, Fattoush Salad.  or this Mediterranean Bean Salad. 

Kebabs also work nicely in a pita wrap, in a rice bowl like my Chicken Shawarma Bowl.  Mediterranean Buddha Bowls, or in shawarma wraps.