Grilled Chicken Kebabs

My go-to recipe in the summer is grilled chicken kebabs. Its marinade, with the powerful punch of Worcestershire sauce, adds great flavor to the chicken.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken skewers, Grilled Chicken Marinade Recipe, kebabs

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Marinating Time 2

Total Time 2 35

Servings people

Calories 397kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup fresh lemon from about 2 lemons
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Kebabs

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2” pieces
grilled chicken marinade recipe above
3 bell peppers deseeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
8 ounces mushrooms cut in half
1 red onion cut into 2-inch pieces
2 zucchini squash sliced thick
8 mini sweet peppers cut in half and deseeded

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add all marinade ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk until well combined, and the salt has dissolved.
Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces and add to a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over chicken. Remove as much air as possible, seal the bag, and massage the chicken to ensure it's evenly coated. Place the bag on a small rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. (I use a Nordic Ware 1/4 sheet). Refrigerate and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes to preferably, 2 hours, and no more than 4 or the lemon juice will cause the chicken to break down and become mushy)
Prepare all the vegetables, ready for when you want to assemble the skewers. If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
Light your grill, and allow it to heat to 350-400°F (177-204ºC).
Start to assemble your skewers. Start and end with something that won’t come loose. Alternate through the chicken and vegetables, to evenly distribute the meat and veggie.
Discard the marinade after marinating the chicken, do not re-use! You’ll risk cross-contamination.
Oil the grates of the grill.
Lay the chicken kebabs on the grill and cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side. Check the chicken for done-ness using a meat thermometer. The chicken needs to reach 160°F (71ºC) before removing from the grill.
Remove from the grill and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Internal Temperature: Grilled chicken kebabs are safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. I often find it difficult to get a good reading on the instant-read thermometer for the pieces of chicken on the skewer. So here’s what I do:
- I begin by looking for the visual cue of a golden brown color on the outside. Then I pull one of the skewers off the grill onto a platter. Pull a large piece of chicken off the skewer, and then insert the thermometer. I generally am able to grab a reliable reading there. If you don’t have a thermometer, which I highly recommend investing in for food safety, grab the largest chunk of chicken you have, cut it in half, and if the meat is opaque and the juices run clear, it’s likely done.
  - The problem I have with this method is that it isn’t as exact as the measurement of a thermometer. I don’t mess around with food safety. Secondly, cutting into the chicken straight off the grill releases all the juice we’ve worked so hard to maintain directly out of the chicken and onto the plate, resulting in dry chicken. Well, sacrificing one piece isn’t a huge deal, but you really need to check multiple pieces. Since kebabs often have several pieces on a skewer, checking for doneness really needs to be done on a few pieces rather than just one, especially if they vary in size.
- Why is that important? Reaching this temperature is crucial for killing harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can cause foodborne illnesses.
Marinade and Seasoning: Properly marinated chicken can change color when cooked, so watch for the shift in color as it cooks. Also, even though we’ve marinated the chicken to add great flavor, you may still need to finish them with salt and pepper. Taste first, but if needed, be sure to add while the chicken is really warm so it absorbs the seasoning and doesn’t just bounce off. Think of when you order French fries, get them slightly warm, then try to add salt to them only to watch it bounce off, not adding the saltiness they should have! Science at work!!

Nutrition