Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kabobs (Grill or Oven-Baked)
These chicken kabobs are marinated in a lemony, herby yogurt-tahini sauce, and stacked with Mediterranean ingredients. The tasty skewers are loaded up with chunks of boneless chicken (use breast or thigh meat), cherry tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper and feta cheese. Serve them with plenty of extra sauce and a squeeze of lemon!
Equipment
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
- (2 ml) Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1½-2 cups (225 g) red cherry tomatoes or use assorted colors
- 1 medium (250 g) zucchini (about 10 ounces) cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers cut into 2-inch pieces
- Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Fresh lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Mix the marinade/sauce
- Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. The sauce can be made up to 3-5 days ahead. Keep it refrigerated until ready to use. If the sauce 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
- 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: 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.
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.
Video
Notes
- 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.
- To enhance the char on oven-baked chicken kabobs, you can place them under the broiler for a minute or two.
- For extra zesty flavor, try adding 1/4 cup grated onion and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika to the marinade/sauce.
- If you can locate halloumi cheese, which is a compressed, firm Greek-style cheese made with sheep and goat milk, try adding chunks of it to each skewer. It's tangy and lightly salty with a pleasantly chewy texture, and is perfect for grilling because it doesn't melt into a goopy mess.
Nutrition
Calories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 28gFat: 18gSodium: 553mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4g
