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๐Ÿ Home ยป Recipes ยป Chicken Recipes

BBQ Chicken Skewers

Updated: May 25, 2024 ยท Published: May 25, 2024 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan ยท 2 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Time: 30 minutes mins

Fire up the BBQ grill for these delicious, fast, and easy BBQ chicken skewers (kabobs), ready in 30 minutes. Juicy chicken, your favorite sauce, and optional fresh veggies are perfect for a quick and tasty weeknight dinner or summer cookout. Oven-baked instructions are included.

๐Ÿ“Ingredients

Chickenโ€”skinless boneless chicken breasts
BBQ sauce
Pantry ingredientsโ€”olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper
Optionalโ€”Pineapple, red or green peppers, red onions, zucchini, or summer squash

BBQ Chicken Skewers on a white plate.
Jump To (scroll for more)
  • ๐Ÿ“Ingredients
  • ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐ŸณHow to Grill BBQ Chicken Skewersโ€”Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
  • How Long to Grill Chicken Kabobs
  • โ™จ๏ธHow to cook chicken skewers in the oven
  • Ingredient options and variations
  • Suggested serving
  • Storage and reheating leftovers
  • โ“FAQs
  • Food safety
  • ๐Ÿ“–The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

I use this recipe when I don't know what to make with those chicken breasts in the fridge. Just trim, skew, grill, and brush with barbecue sauce, all in under 30 minutes. I use my favorite barbecue sauce for flavor and add optional ingredients if I have them for a complete dinner.

Check out these other easy kabob recipes, like Marinaded Beef Kabobs, Honey Garlic Chicken Kabobs, or Buttermilk Ranch Chicken Kabobs.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐ŸณHow to Grill BBQ Chicken Skewersโ€”Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

raw chicken with seasoning for kabobs.
clean and oil grill crates

1. Preheat grill to 450ยฐโ€”medium-high heat on most grills.

trimmed and cubed chicken on red board.

2. Trim and cube chicken breasts and any vegetables or pineapple.

mixing chicken with spices in metal bowl.

3. Mix oil with salt and pepper and brush the chicken. Brush other ingredients with oil.

cubes of chicken on skewers.

4. Thread onto skewers. If using vegetables or pineapple, add between the chicken.

Brushing BBQ sauce on a cooking kabob on the grill grate.

5. Grill over direct heat and rotate every 5 minutes until 155ยฐ, then brush with BBQ sauce. Continue to grill until 165ยฐ. About 20 minutes total grill time

For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.

How Long to Grill Chicken Kabobs

The time needed to grill chicken kabobs on a 450ยฐ BBQ grill will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces and the exact grill temperature. But 15 minutes is a good estimate to reach 165ยฐF.

Check several locations, usually in the bigger pieces near the center of the skew, and check early with an instant-read thermometer.

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โ™จ๏ธHow to cook chicken skewers in the oven

You can cook kabobs on a tray in a 450ยฐ oven for about 15 minutes. As always, you cook to a final internal temperature, not by time alone. Time varies by the oven, the tray, and the size of the chicken chunks.

Ingredient options and variations

Chickenโ€”skinless, boneless chicken breasts trimmed into approximately 1-inch cubes. Skinless thighs may be used, but they should be cooked to a slightly higher internal temperature of 180ยฐF for tenderness.

BBQ sauceโ€”the barbecue sauce you like or Memphis BBQ Sauce. Other seasoning options are discussed in the Tips section below.

Other seasonings besides BBQ sauce can easily be used. Try a seasoning salt like Loweys, thyme, rosemary, Black Magic Seasoning, BBQ Dry Rub, or my Chipotle Seasoning Recipe, are all good choices.

A marinade may be used, but it will add time. Check out Lemon Butter Chicken Marinade or Lemon Chicken Marinade.

If cooked on separate kabobs, the standard onion and bell peppers will cook faster than the chicken. However, they can cook with the chicken when mixed in with it.

piece of chicken on fork.

Suggested serving

Serve with a grilled side dish like Grill Red Potatoes, Grilled Potato Slices, or Grill French Fries, and maybe a side salad and Single Serving Lemonade.

Storage and reheating leftovers

Leftovers should be stored, sealed in an airtight container, refrigerated for 4 days, or frozen for 3 months. They can then be reheated in the oven or an air fryer.

โ“FAQs

What is the difference between kabobs, kebabs, and skewers?

The terms are all used interchangeably, as is "shish kabobs." Kabobs are food on skewers. However, skewers can also refer to the wood or metal rods used to make kabobs or skewers. So use the term you likeโ€”I tend to go back and forth.

What skewers to use for chicken kabobs?

Use metal skewers, especially for chicken, where some heat transfer along the metal will help the cooking. You can use wooden skewers if soaked first to prevent them from burning.

What grill settings to use?

A grill surface temperature of about 450ยฐ is suggested for this and most chicken cooking. Higher temperatures tend to overcook and dry the outside before the center reaches the desired final internal temperature.

On most gas grills, this will be a bit above medium. On charcoal grills, you must be careful with the number of coals and the vent settings.

Please use a grill surface thermometer to get the right temperature. For more information on grill temperature, please see A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill.

Food safety

Raw chicken and other poultry should be considered contaminated and handled with care. Wash your hands carefully before and after touching raw chicken.

We do not routinely wash raw chicken due to water splatter. See Chicken... To Rinse or Not To Rinse? for more information.

You must cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165ยฐ for safetyโ€”see the USDA for more information. You need to check this with an instant-read thermometer.

Most recipes (including this one) include estimated cooking times. These are provided for planning purposes. You can not cook safely by timeโ€”you must use a thermometer.

These gatherings are ready-made for food safety issues and leftovers at the party. Let's plan for food safety and get it right. Check out the USDA Food Safety recommendations.

Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

๐Ÿ“–The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions

BBQ Chicken Skewers on a white plate

BBQ Chicken Skewers

4.25 from 4 votes
From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Fire up the BBQ grill for these delicious, fast, and easy BBQ chicken skewers (kabobs), ready in 30 minutes. Juicy chicken, your favorite sauce, and optional fresh veggies are perfect for a quick and tasty weeknight dinner or summer cookout. Oven-baked instructions are included.
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings #/Adjustable :4
Print | Pin | Email share | Like and save for later Saved!

Ingredients

US Customary - Convert to Metric
  • 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ยฝ teaspoon coarse salt
  • ยผ teaspoon pepper
  • ยฝ cup BBQ sauce
Optional added ingredients
  • 1 Green or red bell peppers
  • 1 Red onion in chunks
  • Pineapple
  • zucchini or summer squash

Step-by-Step Instructions
 

  • Start by cleaning and oiling the grill grates, then preheat the grill to a surface temperature of about 450ยฐโ€”medium-high heat on most grills.
    clean and oil grill crates
  • Trim 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts. Cut into 1-inch cubes or a little bigger. If using vegetables or pineapple, trim and cut into chunks.
    trimmed and cubed chicken on red board
  • Mix with 2 teaspoons olive oil, ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt, and ยผ teaspoon black pepper and brush the chicken. Use the remaining oil to brush the optional ingredients.
    mixing chicken with spices in metal bowl
  • Thread on to skewers. I like metal for heat transfer, but wood will do. If using wood, soak them first. If using vegetables or pineapple, trim and cut into chunksโ€”add between the chicken and brush with oil.
    cubes of chicken on skewers
  • Place over direct heat and grill each side for 5 minutes before turning. Starting with the second turn, brush lightly with BBQ sauce.
    two chicken kabobs on grill
  • Cook until a nice color and an internal temperature of 165ยฐ.
    brushing the chicken kabob with BBQ sauce

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips

  1. You can use chicken thigh meat for these kabobs, but they should be cooked to an internal temperature of about 185ยฐ.
  2. The main trouble most people will have relates to grill temperature being too high, causing the surface to burn before the inside is done.
  3. You can put a very light sauce coat on the chicken at the start of cooking, but it is not really needed and may burn if you are not careful.
  4. Add bell pepper and red onion chunks between the chicken and cook with the chicken. If you make separate vegetable kabobs, they will cook about 5 minutes faster.
  5. You can do this on a charcoal grill but not over hot coals. Make a cooler area for the chicken and check frequently.
  6. I usually cook these with a closed grill hood, but you can do this with an open hood.
  7. You can also do this in an oven at 450ยฐ for about 15 ย minutes.

Your Own Private Notes

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To adjust the recipe size:

You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.

Nutrition Estimate (may vary)

Calories : 327 kcal (16%)Carbohydrates : 25 g (8%)Protein : 48 g (96%)Fat : 7 g (11%)Saturated Fat : 1 g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat : 1 gMonounsaturated Fat : 4 gCholesterol : 140 mg (47%)Sodium : 1205 mg (50%)Potassium : 4 mgFiber : 0.1 gSugar : 21 g (23%)Vitamin C : 0.1 mgCalcium : 1 mgIron : 0.1 mg (1%)
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: BBQ Chicken Kabobs, Chicken Kabobs, Chicken Skewers

Editors Note: Originally Published June 25, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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  1. Greg says

    April 13, 2023 at 1:47 pm

    Hi Dr. Dan,

    LOVE your recipes!

    I plan on making these on a rotisserie kebab wheel. What do you think the surface temperature should be (even though they wint be resting / cooking on the grill grate)?

    Reply
    • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says

      April 13, 2023 at 4:01 pm

      Hi Greg,

      Keep it in the 450ยฐ range. There are currents of heat around the inside of a grill. While I always say 450ยฐ really a range of 400-500 is good. So get around the middle of the range, close the lid, and watch the final temp.

      Dan

DrDan imageHi, I'm DrDan.
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