Mediterranean Chicken Kabobs with Yogurt Sauce (Grill or Oven)

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These chicken kabobs come from the Eastern Mediterranean tradition of marinating meat in yogurt before it hits the grill — a technique that keeps the chicken juicy even over high heat, and doubles as the sauce on the platter. Thread the skewers with zucchini, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and feta, and you have a complete meal built around one bowl of marinade.

The kabobs are just as good at room temperature as they are straight off the grill, which makes them so great for entertaining — you can marinate the chicken, make the sauce, and prep the skewers hours ahead. If a grill isn’t an option, a 450°F oven with a quick broil at the end will get you there.

Boneless chicken and bite-size vegetables — why ratio matters

• Boneless chicken pieces: Cut the chicken into chunky 1½-inch pieces — roughly the size of a plump cherry tomato, so everything on the skewer finishes cooking at the same time. I usually default to thighs for their higher fat content, which keeps them juicy on a hot grill, but breast meat works great too.
• Cherry tomatoes: Round cherry tomatoes are easier to pierce with skewers than oblong grape tomatoes, but you can use whichever is available in your market. I love to add a pop of color by using a variety of red, orange and yellow tomatoes when I see them in the produce section.
• Zucchini: Cut into thick half-moons or chunks, zucchini holds up on the grill without turning to mush. Yellow summer squash works equally well if that’s what’s available.
• Bell peppers: Red, orange or yellow bell peppers are so much sweeter than green ones. They’re my favorite for roasting and for this chicken and sweet peppers recipe. Cut them into 2-inch pieces, slightly larger than the other vegetables, since they shrink more on the grill.

Why yogurt makes a better marinade than lemon juice alone

Most chicken marinades rely on straight acid — citrus juice or vinegar — which works fast, but aggressively. Leave the chicken too long and the surface proteins break down, turning the meat chalky instead of tender. Yogurt’s lactic acid tenderizes more slowly and evenly, so the window is forgiving, anywhere from 15 minutes to 6 hours. The fat in the yogurt also coats each piece, helping it stay moist on a hot grill.

How to assemble chicken kabobs

Use 12-inch skewers and aim for about 8-10 pieces each — long enough for good grill contact, not so loaded they’re hard to flip. If you’re using wood skewers, soak them in water for about 15 minutes before cooking so they won’t char on the grill or in the oven.

How to serve, and what to put on the platter

• Lay the skewers over a bed of arugula or romaine on a large platter — the greens wilt slightly under the warm chicken and soak up the sauce underneath. Warming up some pita is worth the extra two minutes; it’s so good to drag through the yogurt sauce. Finish with flaky salt and a hard squeeze of lemon right before you bring it to the table.
• A simple side like my couscous cucumber salad rounds out the meal without competing with it.

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Mediterranean Chicken Kabobs with Yogurt Sauce (Grill or Oven)

Karen Tedesco

Juicy chicken thighs marinated in a tangy yogurt-tahini sauce, threaded with summer vegetables and feta, then grilled or oven-baked until charred.

Print SaveSaved

5 from 6 ratings

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Marinating 15 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Chicken

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 6 servings

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

10-12 12-inch long bamboo or metal skewers

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Yogurt Marinade + Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup (75 ml) thick plain yogurt, Greek or Icelandic-style preferred
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) tahini paste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (15 ml) cold water
• ▢ 2 teaspoons (2 ml) grated or finely chopped garlic
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or 2 teaspoons fresh chopped oregano or thyme
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste

Chicken Skewers

• ▢ 1 ½ pounds (675 g) boneless chicken thigh or breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• ▢ 1 medium (250 g) zucchini (about 10 ounces)
• ▢ 2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers
• ▢ 1½-2 cups (225 g) red cherry tomatoes
• ▢ (2 ml) Kosher salt
• ▢ Freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ Extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ▢ Chopped fresh cilantro
• ▢ Fresh lemon wedges, for serving

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

Yogurt marinade and sauce

• Whisk ½ cup thick plain yogurt, ¼ cup tahini paste, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons cold water, 2 teaspoons grated or finely chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper and in a bowl until smooth.

  The sauce can be made up to 3-5 days ahead. Keep it refrigerated until ready to use. If it thickens as it sits, stir in cold water, a few teaspoons at a time, to reach a thick, spoonable consistency.

Assemble and cook chicken skewers

• To ensure everything on the skewer cooks evenly, cut 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken thigh or breast, 1 medium zucchini (about 10 ounces), and 2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers into chunky 1-1/2-2-inch slices. Keep the tomatoes whole.
• Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl and toss with ½ cup of the marinade, a good pinch of kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Marinate the chicken about 15 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate up to 6 hours ahead.
• About 15 minutes before you're ready to cook, preheat a grill to medium-high heat (about 375F or 190C) for direct grilling. If you're cooking the skewers indoors, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a large rimmed baking sheet (or two medium ones) with aluminum foil.
• Thread alternating pieces of chicken, zucchini, tomatoes and bell peppers on skewers. Aim for about 10 total pieces per 12-inch skewer. Drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil over each skewer.
• Grilling: To prevent sticking, get your grill nice and hot before putting the skewers on the rack. Put the skewers on the preheated grill and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. If they're browning too fast, move to the cooler part of the grill and cover to finish cooking.

  Baking: Arrange the skewers on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the chicken is no longer pink and the tomatoes are bursting.

  When the meat feels firm and has no trace of pink inside (internal temperature should be close to 165 degrees), they're done.

To serve

• Spread about ¼ cup of the yogurt sauce on a large platter. Arrange the skewers on top and sprinkle with the feta cheese and cilantro. Squeeze the lemon wedges over and serve with additional sauce on the side.

Karen’s Notes and Tips

• To enhance the char on oven-baked chicken kabobs, you can place them under the broiler for a minute or two. 
• Grated onion (about ¼ cup) and a teaspoon of smoked paprika are good additions to the marinade if you want more depth.
• Halloumi is worth adding to the skewers if you can find it — the firm, salty cheese holds its shape on the grill without melting, and it picks up char beautifully.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 305kcal Carbohydrates: 9g Protein: 28g Fat: 18g Sodium: 553mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 4g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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• Chicken
• Mediterranean Diet

Hey, I’m Karen

Creator of Familystyle Food

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Professionally trained cook, cookbook author, and the person behind every recipe here. I cook the way I was trained: Start with good ingredients, understand why they work, and don’t apologize for the salt. These are the recipes I actually make, for the people I love. Read more about me here.