Had grilling plans but got rained out? No worries, this recipe shows you how to cook kabobs in the oven that are delicious and easy to whip up for entertaining or a midweek dinner.
Whether you are craving chicken, steak, or vegetables, the tips and oven kabobs recipe below will help you make perfect skewers every time.
Baking Kabobs in the Oven
A grill isn’t necessary to make juicy, flavorful meat and vegetable kabobs.
Making kabobs in the oven is just as convenient, and the only utensils required are skewers and a large baking sheet.
Here’s what to do:
- Soak the skewers
If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. - Marinate the meat
Choose your marinade and combine it with the protein. Marinate meat for 30 minutes and fish or seafood for no more than 10. - Preheat the oven
Adjust the oven temperature to 375F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup. - Assemble the kabobs
Add the veggies and marinated meat to the skewers, alternating throughout. - Cook in the oven
Place the kabobs on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven, making sure to flip the kabobs halfway through. - Enjoy
Remove the kabobs from the oven and serve with your favorite side dishes.
Serve them up with baked corn on the cob.
While oven kabobs may not have grill marks, they still achieve that delicious bronzed color with slightly charred edges. Watch how these oven skewers are made in this recipe video.
What to Put on Oven Kabobs
Food on a stick always tastes better, and the combination of ingredients is endless. The three basic items you’ll need to make perfect oven kabobs are:
Marinade
Use this quick chicken marinade recipe that works for all types of protein, or my epic steak kabob marinade recipe.
Vegetables
Just about any veggie can be put on a skewer, cut into squares, cubed, or left whole. Here are a few ideas for vegetables you can grill:
- Onions
- Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
- Cherry tomatoes
- Baby potatoes
Protein
Chicken and steak kabobs are always a hit, but here are more ideas to try in the oven:
- Chicken
- Steak
- Meatballs
- Pork
- Sliced, smoked sausage
- Shrimp
- Fish- thick fillets such as Mahi Mahi, Cod, and Salmon
Prepping the Meat & Skewers
Just like grilling, if you use wooden skewers, submerge them in water and soak them for 30 minutes before threading them with the ingredients. Otherwise, you’ll risk them catching on fire in the oven.
As far as prepping the meat goes, follow the steps below, and you’ll be set:
Prep the Meat
Make sure to cut the meat and veggies into uniform sizes, about 1 to 1 ½-inch cubes.
Marinate
Don’t skip! Add the cubed meat to your marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will give the kabobs extra flavor and helps tenderize the meat.
How Long to Cook Kabobs in the Oven
Depending on the type of kabobs you’re cooking and the ingredients you thread the skewers with, kabobs can take 12 to 30 minutes to cook in the oven.
The second variable determining the total cooking time is the size (thickness) and type of protein you’re cooking. For best results, cook your protein according to temperature.
How to Know When Baked Kabobs Are Done
Using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature is the best way to know when meat kabobs are done and reduce the chances of overcooking and drying out your meal.
Use one of the time charts below for reference, and then check the temperature and color of the meat for doneness.
White meat chicken should be cooked to 165F, while dark meat chicken tastes better at 175F. Beef, pork, fish, and shellfish are done once they reach 145F. In the case of vegetables, they should be fork-tender and slightly charred on the edges.
What Temperature do you Cook Kabobs?
You should cook kabobs at a temperature of 375F and no higher than 400F. Remember to cook the meat by internal temperature and not time, so 165F for chicken and 145F for beef, pork, and fish. It may take the skewers a little longer to cook through in an oven, but the results are just as delicious.
How long to cook kabobs at 375F
Setting your oven temperature to 375F will yield great kabobs. Place the kabobs on a sheet pan and then begin cooking the kabobs once the oven finishes preheating.
Here are approximate cooking times for your oven kabobs at 375F.
| Kabob | Oven Temp | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 375F | 20-25 min |
| Beef | 375F | 25-30min |
| Shrimp | 375F | 15 min |
| Fish | 375F | 15 min |
| Veggies | 375F | 20 in |
How long to cook kabobs at 400F
This oven temperature will shorten the cooking times of your kabobs. After preheating your oven to 400F, place the kabobs on a sheet pan and then begin cooking them.
At 400F the approximate cooking times for oven kabobs are:
| Kabob | Oven temp | Total time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 400F | 15-20 min |
| Beef | 400F | 20-25 min |
| Shrimp | 400F | 10 min |
| Fish | 400F | 12 min |
| Veggies | 400F | 15 min |
Is It Safe to Put Skewers in the Oven
All skewers are safe to go in the oven, but if you’re using wooden ones, you’ll need to soak them for at least 30 minutes to avoid burning them. At higher temperatures, such as 425F-450F, skewers tend to burn faster. This is a good reason to use reusable skewers or lower your oven temperature.
Oven Kabobs (Beef, Chicken, Shrimp or Veggie!)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Recipe for Lemon Chicken Marinade
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 bamboo skewers
Instructions
Prep:
- Soak the wooden skewers in water for 20 to 30 minutes. Once soaked, they're ready to be poked with kabob ingredients.
- Make the marinade in a bowl or directly in the marinade container or zip bag. Alternatively, use your favorite storebought marinade to infuse your kabobs with flavor.
- Placed the cubed chicken in the zip bag or bowl and transfer it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight. If you have a marinade tray, you can assemble the skewers and marinade them assembled.
Cook:
- Preheat the oven to 375F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for reasy cleanup.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
- Alternate threading the chicken, bell peppers, and onions onto each skewer, about 3 pieces each of chicken, bell pepper, and onion for each kabob.
- Place the kabobs on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
- Remove the kabobs from the oven and serve with your favorite sides.
P Delahoussaye
I don’t get why people use skewers which to my mind are just to keep them from falling through the grill. Also not using them makes it easier to take things out when they are ready. In any case we shouldn’t thread them on the skewers which makes that impossible!
Laura Fuentes
People use skewers for all sorts of reasons… one of them being that food on a stick is fun to eat!
Bob
These kebabs in the oven worked great for me.
Helen
I made these in the oven. They turned out perfect!
Sarah
This recipe worked so well because I’m using this for a school project and this turned out amazing, the instructions were so well described that I had no trouble during the exam.
Laura Fuentes
Glad you were able to cook your kabobs in the oven and pass the exam!
Sheila G
Great recipe! Easy to make and will do it again.
Laura Fuentes
As stated in the post and in the video, it’s important that the veggies are sliced smaller so they cook at the same time as the meat.
Jessica
This was exactly what I needed. This method allowed me to cook all my kabobs in the oven and ejoy them hot since we got rained out last weekend and I prepped sooooo many kabobs for my husband’s family to come over and I didn’t want them to go to waste. I first thought about cooking them in a pan but i can only cook a few at a time. What were we going to do? wait forever?! this worked great!
Shelby
Hi, this recipe is very delicious! I love learning ways to cook healthy! And new recipes! This was the first time I ever cooked them in the oven, it’s usually on the grill! Thank you so much!
Polly
Don’t have a grill i can use right now so I’m loving this baked kabobs recipe!!