How to Cook Kabobs in the Oven

By Laura Fuentes Updated Jun 16, 2025

5 from 108 votes

Recipe

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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.

Had grilling plans but got rained out? No worries. Whether you are craving chicken, steak, or vegetables, I’ll show you how to cook kabobs in the oven and all the tips to 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 as baking frozen burgers, 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 baked corn on the cob or one of these tasty kabob side dishes.

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!)

Servings: 8 kabobs

Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 1

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.

5 from 108 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

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.