We like to use our charcoal grill in the warm weather as much as possible, and chicken shish kabobs are one of my favorite things to grill. Growing up this meal was one of my dad’s specialties on the grill. What made it so great was the special sauce he made to drizzle on top (he got mad when we called it gravy and insisted it was not gravy but sauce). I have never quite perfected this special sauce, but if you want to try it it consists of a little oil, flour, and white cooking wine. I just forgo the sauce with mine. I could never make it as good as Dad does.

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Juicy chicken seasoned with Garlic Pepper and threaded with a colorful stack of veggies, these yummy Grilled Chicken Kabobs can be prepped ahead of time or put together at the last minute. Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, which means we are officially into the throngs of summer. And summer means it’s time for cookouts, ice cream, and watermelon.

Just like grilled steak or bratwurst, whenever we think of grilling something I turn to these Grilled Chicken Kabobs more often than not. They are easy to make and are so healthy and delicious. Serve them with grilled corn on the cob and wild rice, and they make a complete meal. The appealing colorful presentation makes them perfect for entertaining guests at a party or cookout.

(By the way, here in Memphis we never call a cookout a BBQ like you Northerners do. BBQ is a food here and one that Memphis is known for like no other, but that’s a whole other blog post for another time.)

Everyone loves these Grilled Chicken Kabobs. They’re fast and healthy and can be changed up depending on what you have on hand in your kitchen. I’ve suggested certain vegetables, but you can use several different kinds of veggies and choose your own favorite seasoning.

I promise these chicken kabobs will not disappoint. Chicken must be cooked all the way through, but it is easy to overcook chicken. I cannot stand chicken that is too dry or tough, so if you are like me you will love this juicy Grilled Chicken Kabob recipe with chicken cooked just right.

So fire up your grill or oven. Here are the easy steps for cooking Grilled Chicken Kabobs.

Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: You can purchased fresh (my preference) or frozen chicken, but frozen chicken will need to be completely thawed before using or it won’t cook evenly. If the label says the chicken has already been brined, you can skip the brining step below.
• Vegetables: I like to use different colored bell peppers, yellow onion, and tomato, but you can add anything else such as zuchini or mushrooms.
• Oil: Since you will be grilling over high-heat, I recommend regular olive (not extra-virgin). It has a higher smoking point.
• Kosher Salt: Used in the brine and to season chicken
• Seasonings: I used California style Garlic Pepper seasoning, but go ahead and substitute any dry seasoning blend you like. Garlic powder, Steak seasoning, and Paprika work well too.

You will also need:

Skewers: Either reusable metal skewers (this is what I use) or wooden skewers. Keep in mind that wood burns, so if you choose to use wooden skewers make sure you soak them in water at least 15 minutes before using to prevent burning.

Grill: Time to fire up the charcoal or gas grill! We love our charcoal grill. Or if you prefer to cook the chicken indoors, you can use a grill pan instead.

How to Cook Grilled Chicken Kabobs

Step 1: Brine the chicken

If your chicken did not come pre-brined from the store, you will want to take this short simple step first to assure that the juices are locked in and the chicken doesn’t dry out on the grill.

First, soak the chicken breasts in lukewarm salt water for at least 15 minutes. Then rinse the chicken off with some cold water, pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, and cut the chicken up into bite sized pieces.

Next, cut the vegetables into about 1 inch pieces.

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I did not marinate the chicken in this recipe, but if you don’t want to use dry seasonings only you can marinate the chicken in Italian salad dressing for 30 minutes. Just be careful to not burn the chicken as the oil in salad dressing burns easily.

Step 2: Season the chicken and vegetables

Drizzle the chicken and vegetables with olive oil, sprinkle on your desired dry seasonings (I used garlic pepper seasoning), and toss well in a bowl until everything is coated.

Step 3: Thread the Skewers and Heat Grill

Heat your grill up to medium-high heat. Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers. I used a pattern of chicken, tomato, onion, red pepper, then green pepper, and repeated this pattern until the end of the skewer.

Make sure you do not jam things too close together on your skewer. They will cook better if a little air can get in between the pieces.

Step 4: Grill

On 350 degrees F, cook the chicken and vegetable skewers for about 6 or 7 minutes then turn and cook the other side 7 minutes. You can turn them more than once if needed. To keep the chicken from drying out we will occasionally spritz a little water on them as they are cooking, but make sure you don’t put the charcoal out! If you are using the oven, cook them about 25 minutes on 450 degrees turning once halfway through.

Your chicken should be golden brown and cooked all the way through. It may take a little practice to find that perfect balance between cooking the chicken enough but not overcooking it and drying it out. No one wants undercooked or overcooked chicken. The chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant read meat thermometer and the juices run clear when a piece of chicken is cut.

Transfer the skewers to a clean plate and cover them loosely with aluminum foil to keep them warm. They are best served right away while the chicken is still warm and juicy. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges and a sprinkling of parsley if desired. Serve them with grilled or boiled corn on the cob and wild rice.

Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days. I cut up the vegetables and used them in chili then put the leftover grilled chicken on top of salad.

Let me know if you try these and what seasoning you used. Please rate this recipe and share it with others. Happy grilling!