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The best part is that this marinade will infuse your chicken kabobs with loads of flavor in as little as 20 minutes!
Should Chicken Kabobs Be Marinated Before Grilling?
The main reason for using a marinade is to make your chicken kabobs more flavorful. With a citrus marinade, you only need 20 minutes to 4 hours to infuse your kebabs with flavor before grilling.
Ingredients
This marinade is made with olive oil, which adds flavor and helps coat the chicken with the other ingredients, zest and juice from a fresh lemon (if you have a lime, use this cilantro lime marinade instead), garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and fresh or dried oregano.
Do you Cut Chicken Before or After Marinating?
The chicken for kabobs should be cut into 1-inch cubes before adding it to the marinade so it absorbs as much of the flavors in the marinade as possible. If you’re using this marinade on a chicken breast and plan on grilling it, then there’s no need to cut it.
How Long to Marinate Chicken Kabobs?
When using a marinade that contains citrus in the ingredients, you only need 20 minutes and up to 4 hours to get the most of the flavor. Marinades without it, like a Korean chicken marinade, a pesto marinade, or a spicy chicken marinade, can sit in the marinade overnight.
Laura’s Grilling Tips for Marinated Chicken Kabobs
This is especially important if you’re using wooden skewers, as they can burn or, worse, catch fire.
Cut them about 1-inch, so they thread easily through the middle of the skewer and won’t fall through the grilling grates.
I like to add a couple of tablespoons to a bowl before adding the chicken to the marinade bag, and then toss the veggies with it to give them some flavor.
Once the grill is hot and you’re ready to grill them, grease the grill first, then place the kabobs on it. Cook them with the lid open until you flip them over, and then close the lid till the end.
Chicken Kabob Marinade (20-Min Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large lemon, juiced & zested
- 2 cloves garlic, grated*
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano*
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lbs of chicken breasts, cubed
Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
- In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil with lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Pour the marinade into a large zip bag.
- Add the cubed chicken breasts to the marinade, and seal. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to 4 hours.
- Tip: while the chicken marinades, this is a great time to soak your wooden skewers (if using).
Assemble the skewers:
- Thread the marinated chicken onto the skewers, alternating with vegetables if using. Discard the marinade.
Notes
- Use 1 teaspoon garlic powder if you don't have whole cloves.
- You can swap it with 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano.
Kennedi says
This chicken marinade has the best flavor!
Mahy says
Thanks a lot for sharing all the tips. That’s exactly the marinade I have been looking for!
Maggie says
this marinade made my chicken kabobs super flavorful. Thanks for another great recipe!!
Gail says
I hardly ever do reviews but this recipe was so awesome I feel the need to comment. I doubled the marinade and let the chicken and veggies marinate at room temperature in a baggie for 1 hour then threaded them and put them on the grill. My husband (and me too) thought they were the best I’ve ever made.. and I cook a LOT! Thank you!
Laura Fuentes says
Wow, Gail! Thank you for taking the time to come back to leave a review sharing how much you and your husband enjoyed this chicken kabob marinade. It means a lot to me.
Autumn says
Used this marinade a few weeks ago and the leftover kabobs were even better the next day 🙂