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These are the grilled chicken kabobs I made every summer at my house in Schaumburg — chicken and vegetables threaded onto skewers, marinated in a lemony, garlicky sriracha marinade, then grilled over high heat on my Weber until slightly charred and juicy. The marinade has a kick to it, and the spicy dipping sauce at the end ties everything together. My whole family asks for these once grilling season starts.
The marinade needs time — I plan for at least 6 hours, usually overnight.
That’s what makes the chicken tender and actually flavorful all the way through rather than just on the surface.
I’ve tried cutting it short and you can tell the difference.
Put the chicken in the marinade the night before, and the next day’s work is just threading skewers and grilling.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The spicy lemon marinade keeps the chicken tender even on high heat, and the vegetables — zucchini, mushrooms, peppers — grill fast at the same temperature so everything finishes together.
The sriracha dipping sauce is quick to put together and makes this feel like a complete meal.
These are a regular at every summer cookout I host and they always go fast.
Tips
Cut chicken and vegetables to the same size. Uniform pieces cook at the same rate. If the chicken chunks are much larger than the vegetables, you’ll either undercook the vegetables or overcook the chicken trying to match them.
Soak wooden skewers for at least 30 minutes. Dry skewers catch fire at the ends on a hot grill. I keep a container of water on the counter and soak them while I prep the vegetables.
Use high heat. Kabobs need direct high heat to get that char on the outside. Medium heat will cook them through but won’t give you the color or flavor that makes kabobs worth making.
Don’t move them constantly. Turn once at the halfway point. Flipping too often prevents proper charring and can cause the chicken pieces to stick or fall off.
Adjust the sriracha to taste. The marinade has 1 tablespoon of sriracha — that’s a medium spice level. Use ½ tablespoon if you want mild, 2 tablespoons if you want real heat. Same adjustment applies to the dipping sauce.
Serving Ideas + More Recipes
These kabobs are a full meal on their own with the dipping sauce, but they’re also good over rice, wrapped in flatbread with yogurt sauce, or served alongside Grilled Corn on the Cob in Husk — both go on the grill at similar timing so you can run them together.
For a no-spice option at the same cookout, Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs are an easy addition.
FAQ
How long do you grill chicken kabobs? Grill chicken kabobs on high heat for about 15 minutes, turning once at the halfway mark.
The chicken is done when the juices run clear and there’s no pink inside — internal temperature should be 165°F.
I don’t always use a thermometer for kabobs, but if pieces are larger than 1½ inches, checking with one is worth it.
What if I only have an hour to marinate? The kabobs will still taste good — the lemon and oil coat the surface quickly and you’ll get the flavor on the outside. What you miss with a short marinade is the tenderness.
The acid and garlic need several hours to work into the interior of the chicken, and a quick marinade leaves the center noticeably drier and less flavorful than overnight.
If you’re in a pinch, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the marinade — it helps with moisture on the grill even without the full marinating time.
Can you make these in the oven instead of on the grill? Yes. Preheat the oven to 400°F and arrange the skewers on a baking rack over a foil-lined sheet pan.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through.
You won’t get the char from the grill, but the marinade flavor comes through well and the dipping sauce still makes it worth making.
Can you use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts? Yes, and I actually prefer it. Boneless skinless thighs stay juicier than breasts on the grill because they have more fat. Cut them to the same 1½-inch size as you would the breasts and use the same marinade and grilling time.
The flavor is richer and there’s less risk of them drying out if you grill a couple minutes too long.
Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Mushrooms, Zucchini and Peppers
Ingredients
Kabobs:
- 6 wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 6 baby bella mushrooms
- 2 bell peppers, any color, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
Marinade:
- ½ cup olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp sriracha, reduce to ½ tbsp for less spice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Sriracha Dipping Sauce:
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp plain yogurt
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1 tsp lime juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp fresh chives or green garlic, for topping
Video
Instructions
- Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Soak wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes before grilling.
- Prepare vegetables: cut peppers and zucchini, keep mushrooms whole.
- Preheat grill to high heat. Brush grates with oil.
- Thread chicken and vegetables onto skewers, alternating pieces.
- Grill 15 minutes, turning once, until chicken is cooked through and slightly charred.
- Mix dipping sauce ingredients together. Sprinkle with chives. Serve alongside kabobs.
Notes
- Don’t pack skewers tightly — a small gap between pieces helps them cook evenly and char properly
- Metal skewers work too — skip the soaking step
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Awesome! I love kebobs! Especially fully loaded ones with meat and vegetable. You are clearly a lot better at cooking them than me though cause no matter how long I soak the skewers for they always seem to catch light! So I’ve given up on doing these on the BBQ with wooden skewers, now I either make them on the hotplate side of the BBQ or I use metals skewers. The sauce sounds great too! A great staple. Pinning!
Thanks Nagi, I’m glad you like them and thanks for pinning! My family loves kebabs and I’ve experimented a lot with them. I agree that metal skewers are the better choice 🙂
Excellent, a lot of flavor. I poured the marinade over the vegetables, too before I put them on the grill.
Hi Becky, I’m so glad you liked these!
I’ve used this amazing recipe many times and it’s always a hit! I double the marinade so I can add mushrooms, yellow squash and onions. The dipping sauce is definately a nice touch.
Thank you Hildi! Glad you liked it!