These tasty chicken kabobs are baked in the oven, then finished under the broiler. The result: juicy kabobs that everyone will love!
Admittedly, grilling is the natural method for preparing chicken kabobs. I do have this excellent recipe for grilled chicken skewers and I make them often in the summer.
But if you don't own a grill, or if it happens to be minus 10 degrees outside, you can absolutely make chicken kabobs in the oven and enjoy juicy, flavorful and nutritious chicken skewers without firing up the grill.
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty chicken recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Olive oil: I love this delicious oil! But if you'd rather use an oil with a high smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. Melted butter is also an option.
Sea salt and black pepper: If using coarse kosher salt, you can increase the amount you use.
Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, and dried thyme. Make sure they are fresh! A stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
Chicken breasts: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe.
How to cook chicken skewers in the oven
It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Start by mixing the olive oil and spices in a large bowl.
Cut the chicken into cubes and toss with the seasoned olive oil.
Thread them on skewers, then bake for 15 minutes at 450°F.
If your pan is broiler-safe, you can finish by broiling the skewers for a couple of minutes.
Why I love this recipe
My family loves these oven-baked chicken kabobs. They are delicious and very juicy. I love making them because, as you can see from the steps listed above, it's such an easy recipe. You simply cube the chicken, toss in a marinade, thread on skewers, and bake.
Finishing them under the broiler is not mandatory, but it does brown them nicely.
I also like making this recipe because let's face it, chicken breast is not that exciting. Yet, it's accessible and affordable, so I buy it quite often.
Turning chicken breast into kabobs makes it much more flavorful because the ratio of meat to seasonings is better than when you bake a whole chicken breast. Plus, who doesn't like food on a stick? 🙂
What marinade to use?
For the marinade, I usually use olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme. It's a simple flavor combination that works really well with chicken.
But you can play with this recipe and use whatever seasonings you like. Chili powder, smoked paprika and oregano will all taste great in this recipe, so don't be afraid to experiment with your own combination of spices.
How to serve oven chicken kabobs?
They are great with any number of side dishes, but I most often serve them with one of the following side dishes:
You can also serve them topped with homemade tahini sauce. It's a really good flavor combination.
What about leftovers?
You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power. They're also good cold as a salad topping.
More kabob recipes that you might enjoy
I love this wonderful recipe for beef kabobs. Just like this one, it's easy, quick, and healthy. And here's another good one: oven-broiled sausage kabobs.
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Oven Chicken Kabobs
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 large chicken breasts (12 oz each)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed broiler-safe baking sheet with foil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme.
- Cut the chicken breasts into cubes as shown in the video. Add to the bowl and toss with the seasoned olive oil.
- Thread the coated chicken cubes on skewers. I use metal skewers that I bought on Amazon. If you use wooden skewers, place thin foil strip on their exposed edges to prevent burning.
- Bake the chicken kabobs for 15 minutes. Switch the oven to broil, place the baking sheet under the broiler, and broil just until browned, about 2 minutes.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 