Chicken Kebabs are an easy meal prep solution. Just marinate a large batch of chicken a day in advance, grill the kabobs, and you have yourself a delicious meal to serve all week.

These chicken kebabs are phenomenal! The combination of mayonnaise and ranch dressing makes the chicken super tender and juicy. This has been my go-to chicken kebab recipe for many years and they always turn out amazing.
What is the Difference Between a Kebab and a Kabob
Kebabs and Kabobs are two different terms for the same food! The term describes a dish where pieces of meat, fish, or veggies are grilled on a skewer. The meat is typically marinated for extra flavor before being threaded on wooden or metal skewers.
Kebab or kabob? Goodness! Apparently, you can call it kebap, kabab, kebob, kibob, kebhav, or kephav. Well go figure. That is what happens when many different countries translate the same dish into English.
How to Make Chicken Kebabs
Making kebabs is so quick and easy! It takes only a few minutes to mix up the marinade and only 10 minutes on the grill to cook. Here are the simple steps to make these flavorful grilled chicken kebabs:
- Cut Kabob Ingredients – Cut the chicken into cubes and cut the onions into small pieces.
- Marinate – In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, mayo, ranch, garlic parsley salt, and pepper. Mix the chicken and onion with the marinade, cover, and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.
- Skewer Kabobs – While the grill preheats to medium-high, thread the chicken onto the skewers and discard the excess marinade.
- Grill – Grill the chicken skewers for about 10 minutes. The chicken is done when the internal temperature measures 165°F.
Hot tip: When using chicken thighs, trim and discard any extra fat.




Vegetables to Add to Chicken Kebabs
In addition to cooking the chicken on skewers, you can also add vegetables. The key is to choose veggies that are easy to skewer. If you decide to do a mix of vegetables on the same skewer, you’ll want to pick ones that grill in the same amount of time. Here are some of my favorite vegetables to add to kebabs:
- Zucchini and Summer Squash – Do not peel the zucchini, but cut it into ½ inch rounds.
- Mushrooms – Use whole mushrooms, not sliced.
- Bell Peppers – Use your favorite color of pepper. Remove the core and seeds, then cut into 1-inch squares.
- Onions – You can use red, yellow, or white onions. Cut the onions into 1-inch pieces.
Hot Tip: If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from catching fire on the grill.

Serving Chicken Kebabs
Chicken Kebabs are so versatile. By pairing different veggies, grains, and sauces you can have a completely different meal! Here are some of my favorite recipes to pair with the kebabs:
- Vegetables – picked cucumbers, caesar salad, garden salad, roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes
- Grains – quinoa, white or brown rice
- Dips & Sauces – hummus, eggplant spread or tzatziki sauce.
FAQ
Can you prepare chicken kabobs the night before?
Yes, you can prepare chicken kabobs the night before. Just marinate the chicken the night before and then skewer and grill right before serving. You can also skewer the kabobs the night before, store in the fridge, and grill before dinner.
How do you grill kabobs without burning vegetables?
To grill kabobs without burning the vegetables, cut the vegetables in similar sizes so they cook evenly. Choose vegetables that all have a similar cook time to avoid some burning before all the veggies are cooked.
Can you bake chicken kebabs?
Yes, you can bake chicken kebabs. Skewer the kebabs per the recipe instructions then bake in a preheated 425°F oven on a baking sheet. Be sure to rotate the kebabs halfway through to ensure even cooking and crispy edges. The kebabs will take 20-30 minutes to bake, but use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature (165°F).
How long is it best to marinate chicken kebab?
The longer you can marinate the chicken for kebabs, the better! For best flavors, marinate the chicken for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
Can you Air Fry chicken kebab?
Yes, you can air fry chicken kebabs! Air fry kebabs at 415°F for 20 minutes, turning them halfway through. Check the internal temperature to ensure the chicken is fully cooked (165°F).

Making Chicken Kabobs in Advance
Chicken Kabobs are a great make ahead dinner option! You can either prep the chicken and then grill right before serving or enjoy the leftovers throughout the week.
The chicken can be marinated in advance. Toss the cubed chicken and onions with the marinade and let sit in the fridge. I recommend marinating at least overnight, but it can marinate in the fridge for 2-3 days.
The leftover cooked chicken kebabs keep well for leftovers. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Hot tip: For best results, reheat the leftover kebabs in the air fryer or on the grill for a few minutes to get those delicious crispy edges.
More Kabob Recipes
- Lamb Kabobs – flavorful, juicy restaurant-quality kabobs at home.
- Pork Kabobs – an easy grilled pork recipe made with garlic and onion.
- Beef Shish Kabob – cubed and skewered beef layered with colorful veggies.
- Baked Chicken Kabobs – tangy and juicy, and no grill required
Tools You Will Need for Kebabs
A few important tools that will make your life easier and give you the perfect result.
- Food Thermometer – A food thermometer is so important when cooking meat. It lets you measure the internal temperature so you can stop cooking when the chicken is perfectly cooked.
- Metal Skewers – Metal skewers are not only a less wasteful option since you can reuse them over and over again, but you also don’t have to worry about soaking them like you do with wooden skewers.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb chicken (boneless chicken breast or thighs)
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Ranch dressing
- 1 large onion
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic parsley salt
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients for the recipe. Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes. Cut the onion into small pieces.
- Place the chicken into a large bowl. Add the soy sauce, mayonnaise, ranch, garlic parsley salt and pepper. Mix in the onion pieces. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Thread the chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
- Grill skewers for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is 165°F in the center.
Do we discard the onions in the marinade? Or can you put the marinated onions on the kebab skewer with the chicken?
You can totally put the onions on the skewer, Kate! They are SO delicious when grilled up. Enjoy!
I only have ceaser dressing in the house instead of ranch would that work?
Hi Christina, yes, that should work. You may need to add additional seasoning but dressing should make them tender.
Would this recipe be good with Miracle Whip instead of Mayo?
Hi Leah, I have not tried it with Miracle Whip. If you give it a try, please let me know how it turns out!
Thanks to this recipe I am no the Kabob King when cooking chicken this way! The entire dinner crew concurs ,lol.
Hey that's so good to hear, Andrew! I'm glad you all enjoyed these kebabs!
What a great marinade!! I only had time to marinade for about 30 minutes and they still came out delicious!
If I want to add bell peppers and mushrooms, to those also get marinated with the chicken and onion mixture?
Hi Randy- great question. I wouldn't add any veggies to the chicken/onion marinade. Instead, add the bell peppers and mushrooms to the skewers right before grilling. Enjoy!
These were delicious! A hit at dinner time and so full of flavor. But the fun bonus was our family meal discussion about "kebab, kabob, kebap, kabab, kebob, kibob, kebhav, or kephav." We had all heard of most of these but didn't really put it together that it's the SAME thing! lol Thanks again Natalya.
Haha, I love that that is the discussion that came up over dinner! I'm so glad you enjoyed them, thank you for your feedback.
The Marinade on this Chicken is so good! Easy to make too!
So glad you enjoyed it, Rebecca! Thank you for your feedback!
Yum! I love kebabs and these are delicious. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed them!
We love your Beef Lo Mein recipe and this was another meal that was enjoyed by everyone! Cut into inch cubes as instructed, 10 minutes on the grill and the chicken is cooked perfect. We used whole mushrooms on the skewers with the chicken. Thanks so much!
OH, I love the grilling idea. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, what are your recommendations for making these without a grill ? Oven temp./time? Thank You;)
Hi Lida, here is the recipe with instructions on how you can bake kebabs with no grill. http://momsdish.com/r405
Hmm... Interesting combination of ingredients... I will have to try your recipe next time we bbq
Thank you, let me know how you like it 🙂