Easy marinated grilled chicken kabobs threaded with colorful bell peppers, red onion, and zucchini stacked between juicy marinated chicken, all with a gorgeous char and great for prepping ahead of time!
Why this recipe works
If there’s one thing I had to choose to make for a backyard barbecue, it would be these marinated grilled chicken kabobs. Talk about explosive flavor. The peppers and onions caramelize on the grill, with a tender crisp finish that’s hands down chef’s kiss.
Antoine’s marinade really makes these kabobs stand out. Hints of sweet, spicy, and savory goodness are only amplified more when you allow the chicken a good soak before grilling. A good marinade can really make or break a kabob recipe. Don’t be shy and let it do its job! That goes for all kinds of skewers, including steak kabobs and shrimp kabobs, too.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
The biggest tip I have when it comes to making kabobs is that you’ll want to cut all your veggies and chicken roughly the same size. This way, everything cooks evenly at the same rate.
CHICKEN – We used chicken tenderloins for convenience, as they are easy to cut into cubes. You can most certainly use chicken breasts and trim and cut them yourself.
VEGGIES – Red onion, yellow and red bell peppers, and zucchini are excellent here. You can, of course, swap the veggies with your favorites. Mushrooms, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, and even chunked pineapple are all great options and have a similar cook time to chicken.
MARINADE – There’s a lot of amazing flavor in this marinade. Plan ahead to allow the marinade to really do its job. Two hours is the minimum, but the real flavor kicks in after an overnight soak.
How to Make Marinated Grilled Chicken Kabobs
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Use an immersion blender to combine all marinade ingredients until smooth.
- Cut chicken into cubes and place into a shallow dish. Pour marinade over the chicken and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. Overnight is best.
- Cut all vegetables into 2-inch chunks and place in a mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, tossing to distribute evenly. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble kabobs.
- Preheat grill to 375 F.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator and take out of the marinade. Gently pat off excess marinade with paper towels.
- Assemble skewers, alternating the vegetables and meat. Be sure they are snug, but not too tight against each other.
- Spray your grill grates with olive oil cooking spray, or using tongs grab a wadded up piece of paper towel to apply oil to the grates.
- Place skewers onto the grill and cook for 20 minutes, turning them 2 or 3 times during the cooking process.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
We are using metal skewers because they conduct heat better and help the food cook more evenly. Because the metal heats up, it helps cook the meat from the inside while the grill cooks on the outside. If you prefer to use wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for about an hour before adding the chicken and vegetables.
Chicken kabobs should marinate for at minimum 2 hours, which gives them some time to soak up the flavors. Ideally, 6-8 hours is best for optimal flavor. I wouldn’t push it any further than that, though, as the acidity in the marinade can begin breaking down the chicken. Kabobs are great for prepping ahead of time, especially for a backyard barbecue!
Yes, absolutely. Prep the chicken in the marinade as you would normally. It’s best to have the chicken with the marinade in a large zipper bag, squeezed of excess air. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then skewer and cook as normal!
The secret to juicy chicken kabobs comes down to marinating, which tenderizes and infuses them with moisture. Also, not overcooking the chicken on the grill is an important step and is often the reason why your chicken dries out. Chunk your chicken into similar sizes so they cook evenly. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken to test for doneness. Pull them off the grill when it reaches 165F.
Serving Suggestions
These marinated grilled chicken kabobs are pretty much a meal in themselves, but they pair really well with classic summer barbecue sides such as potato salad, pasta salad, or homemade baked beans to name a few.
Personally, I like to serve mine with Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce for dipping! Hope you love them.
More Kabob Recipes
I love to bake and cook and share my kitchen experience with all of you! Remembering to come back each day can be tough, that’s why I offer a convenient newsletter every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe and start receiving your free daily recipes!
Marinated Grilled Chicken Kabobs
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
Marinade
- 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Kabobs
- 8 ounces chicken tenderloins about 7 tenderloins
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- Plan ahead to allow the marinade to really do its job. Two hours is the minimum, but the real flavor kicks in after an overnight soak.
- We used chicken tenderloins for convenience, as they are easy to cut into cubes. You can most certainly use chicken breasts and trim and cut them yourself.
- Red onion, yellow and red bell peppers, and zucchini are excellent here. You can, of course, swap the veggies with your favorites. Mushrooms, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, and even chunked pineapple are all great options and have a similar cook time to chicken.
- We are using metal skewers because they conduct heat better and help the food cook more evenly. Because the metal heats up, it helps cook the meat from the inside while the grill cooks on the outside. If you prefer to use wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for about an hour before adding the chicken and vegetables.
Instructions
- Use an immersion blender to combine all marinade ingredients until smooth.2 Tablespoons oyster sauce, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard, 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 Tablespoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 cup olive oil
- Cut chicken into cubes and place into a shallow dish. Pour marinade over the chicken and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. Overnight is best.8 ounces chicken tenderloins
- Cut all vegetables into 2-inch chunks and place in a mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, tossing to distribute evenly. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble kabobs.1 medium red onion, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1 medium zucchini, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Preheat grill to 375 F.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator and take out of the marinade. Gently pat off excess marinade with paper towels.
- Assemble skewers, alternating the vegetables and meat. Be sure they are snug, but not too tight against each other.
- Spray your grill grates with olive oil cooking spray, or using tongs grab a wadded up piece of paper towel to apply oil to the grates.
- Place skewers onto the grill and cook for 20 minutes, turning them 2 or 3 times during the cooking process.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- The secret to juicy chicken kabobs comes down to marinating, which tenderizes and infuses them with moisture. Also, not overcooking the chicken on the grill is an important step and is often the reason why your chicken dries out. Chunk your chicken into similar sizes so they cook evenly. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken to test for doneness. Pull them off the grill when it reaches 165F.
- You can optionally freeze the chicken in the marinade. Simply cube the chicken, place in a large zipper bag, and add the marinade. Remove excess air from the bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
- Cheesy Asparagus - May 6, 2026
- Honey Walnut Shrimp - May 4, 2026
- Oven Tacos - April 23, 2026
John says
Reipe sounds great but where is the nutrition information?
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks for pointing that out, just updated to include it!
April Anderson says
Hi Judy! I’m sorry for the confusion! Thank you for leaving a comment – the amount of fresh thyme should be 1 teaspoon and all of it should be included in the marinade (the recipe will be updated to reflect this soon). If you are using dried thyme, reduce the amount to 1/4 teaspoon.
Judy Reed says
The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, divided.The first tsp goes in the marinade. But I don’t see what you use the second tsp for. What is missing?
Also, could I use dried, ground thyme in a lesser quantity instead?