Once seasoned, they are baked in the oven, then finished under the broiler. The result: juicy and flavorful kabobs that everyone will love! Admittedly, grilling is the natural method for preparing 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 raining (or snowing!) outside, you can absolutely make chicken kabobs in the oven and enjoy a juicy and flavorful meal without ever firing up the grill.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make these tasty kabobs. The exact measurements are listed 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.
Instructions
How to cook chicken skewers in the oven? It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps: You start by mixing the olive oil and spices in a large bowl. Next, you cut the chicken into cubes and toss it with the seasoned olive oil. Thread the chicken pieces on skewers, then bake them for 15 minutes at 450°F. If your pan is broiler-safe, you can finish the dish by broiling the skewers for a minute or two.
Why this recipe works
My family loves these 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 it 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 oil and seasonings is better than when you bake a whole chicken breast. Plus, who doesn’t like food on a stick? 🙂
Expert tip
You can add the chicken pieces to the marinade a few hours ahead of time. Cover them, refrigerate, and allow them to marinate. But it’s also fine to skip the marinating and bake them immediately after coating them in the oil and spice mixture.
Frequently asked questions
Variations and substitutions
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you’d like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
Use cubed chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. The result will be juicer.Use different spices. Chili powder and cumin are wonderful with chicken!You can thread vegetable pieces between the chicken cubes. Good candidates include red onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers.
Serving suggestions
These kabobs are great with any number of side dishes, but I most often serve them with one of the following sides:
Roasted cherry tomatoesRoasted radishesRoasted red onions
You can also serve them topped with homemade tahini sauce. It’s a really good flavor combination.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the 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.
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