Summer grilling season is here! These Greek Chicken Kabobs are so delicious! They are marinated in a lemon oregano marinade for amazing flavors and to keep the chicken moist. So easy to make too!
With really nice summer temperatures, it seems like everybody is out grilling lately. This makes me so happy. I’ve been testing a few delicious grilling recipes, and these Greek chicken kabobs are simply amazing!
The chicken is marinated in a simple lemon oregano marinade for 2 to 3 hours and grilled until perfection. It’s so good and delicious!
I love to serve these Greek chicken kabobs with a homemade tzatziki sauce and my favorite Greek salad, but, really, it can be paired with almost anything. It’s so versatile!
The Lemon Oregano Marinade
The best part about these Greek chicken kabobs is the lemon oregano marinade. Not only does it add tons of flavor, but it also helps to tenderize the chicken and keep it moist.
Lemon and oregano are two popular ingredients in Greek cuisine. The lemon adds brightness, and the oregano adds aromatic flavors.
The marinade I used in this recipe is simple: olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, dried oregano, dried parsley flakes, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
Marinate the chicken for 2-3 hours maximum. Definitely do not marinade overnight because of the acidity of the lemon; lemon juice can make chicken too tough when left for too long. I have found that 2-3 hours is optimal…anything longer than that could ruin it.
Fresh Ingredients
The ingredients for Greek chicken kabobs are pretty simple. Basically, there are 2 parts to it: the cubed chicken breasts and the marinade.
And per usual, please refer the the recipe card below for exact measurements and detailed instructions!
- Chicken breasts: Cubed to about 1.25 inches thick.
- Olive oil: Oil is always important in marinades!
- Lemon zest: It will add brightness and flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice: It will add flavor and tenderize the meat.
- Dried oregano: For flavor.
- Dried parsley: For flavor and color.
- Minced garlic: For flavor.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Tools you’ll need: skewers! I’d highly recommend using stainless steel skewers, but bamboo skewers will too. You’ll also need a large resealable bag.
Important! If you use bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes before using to prevent them from burning!
Let’s Make It!
Making these Greek chicken kabobs is really easy! Basically, there are 3 basic steps:
- Marinate the chicken: Do it in a resealable bag for at most 3 hours. Marinating with lemon juice for too long can result in tough texture.
- Assemble the skewers: If possible, use stainless steel skewers.
- Grill it: Cook on all sides. It should take about 12-15 minutes total, depending on the thickness of the chicken
So easy to make, and so yummy!
Need to Finish Them in the Oven?
Sometimes, I like to make these Greek chicken kabobs indoors, on my stovetop grill pan. However, sometimes it starts to smoke too fast, or it doesn’t cook through properly because the heat is not high enough.
In this case, here’s what I do: I grill them on my stovetop grill pan for about 3-4 minutes per side, transfer them to a sheet pan, and finish them in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for about 8-10 minutes. Works every single time!
How to Serve These Chicken Kabobs
I always serve this dish with fresh and vibrant sides. These are my top picks:
- Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
- Easy Greek Salad
- Moroccan Couscous Salad
- Watermelon Feta Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
That’s it! I love the flavors in this dish so much. It’s bright, vibrant, and packed with so much flavor. I also love that you can pair it with so many side dishes. You can also double, triple, quadruple this recipe if you want!
It’s the perfect summer cookout recipe. Happy cooking!
Tips for Success
- Marinate the chicken for at most 2-3 hours. Because it contains lemon juice, it needs only a few hours. If left for too long, it can result in rubbery texture due to the acidity of the lemon.
- Use a resealable bag to marinate the chicken: This will ensure that the flavors thoroughly penetrate the chicken.
- Stainless steel skewers are highly recommended! They are safer than bamboo skewers.
- If you need to finish the chicken in the oven, bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.
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Greek Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 lbs chicken breasts, cubed to 1 1/4 inch thick
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make sure you have skewers handy. I’d recommend stainless steel skewers. Important: If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes before using in order to prevent them from burning.
- In a large resealable bag, combine the cubed chicken, olive oil, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, dried oregano, dried parsley, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Let it marinate for 2-3 hours in the fridge. Note: Don’t let it marinade for longer than that, or it could turn out tough and rubbery (see note below).
- After it’s done marinating, insert chicken into the stainless steel skewers (or the pre-soaked bamboo skewers, if using).
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- Add skewers to the grill and cook on all sides, turning, until fully cooked. It should take about 12-14 minutes total. Serve immediately.
- Optional: If needed, finish them in the oven at 400 degrees F oven for 5-10 minutes, or until cooked through (if you do this, ensure that the bamboo skewers, if using, were pre-soaked in step 1. This is to be safe).
Notes
- Special equipment: skewers (preferably stainless steel), large resealable bag, grill pan or grill.
- Marinate for 2-3 hours only: Don’t marinate for longer than 3 hours. This marinade uses lemon juice, which often makes chicken tough and rubbery if left for too long.
- I love serving the chicken kabobs with crumbled feta, tzatziki sauce, and Greek salad.
Tiffany M says
These skewers were awesome. We took your advice on the correct marinating time and it was such a major game changer. We make these every summer now!
Matt says
The marinade is absolutely delicious and these turn out to be very juicy. Very good with some tzatziki or garlic toum on the side.
Tania says
Glad you liked it!!
Bettyann says
Can you use this same marinade for pork?
Tania says
Yes!