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Teriyaki Chicken Kebabs

June 17, 2020 by Lyuba Leave a Comment

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Chicken kebabs is an easy grilled chicken dinner that only takes a few minutes to prep and a few minutes to grill. Marinate the chicken in a homemade teriyaki marinade for a few hours and cook it with the chicken to brush on later. For a full meal, throw on some veggies or pineapples onto the kebabs.

cooked chicken on skewers on a parchment paper covered trey

TERIYAKI CHICKEN KEBABS

Chicken kebabs are one of my favorite ways to make grilled chicken. There are so many seasoning and marinade options to try and it’s easy to make on the grill in about 30 minutes.

My favorite meat for kebabs is boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat. It’s juicy, tender, and much more flavorful than chicken breast. Thigh meat is also better at soaking up flavors from the marinade. Once you bite into this flavorful, tender chicken, you’ll know why dark meat is better.

You can also shake things up once in a while and add some pineapple chunks instead of onions to the skewers. It will be a sweeter, tropical twist to teriyaki that you can serve with rice. Or, you can add different vegetables to the skewers in between the chicken pieces for a full meal. Try adding cubed zucchini, red onions, bell peppers, yellow squash, and mushrooms.

You can marinade the vegetables in the same teriyaki sauce but separately from the chicken. Simply set some sauce aside to add to the vegetables, or make extra.

ingredients in bowls on a wooden cutting board including cut chicken meat, onions, corn starch, garlic, vinegar, honey, broth, soy sauce, and ginger

DO I HAVE TO USE CHICKEN THIGH MEAT?

Nope, it’s not a law to use chicken thigh meat in kebabs, it’s simply my recommendation. You can absolutely use chicken breast meat instead.

I also like to use this marinade to make grilled chicken drumsticks. Simply marinate them for 4-6 hours in the sauce and then grill like you would any other drumsticks. Start on direct heat and turn each drumstick a quarter of the way every 4 minutes.

Finish cooking them on the cooler side of the grill if needed until internal temperature is 165°. Brush chicken with cooked marinade while they’re still grilling, just like you would the kebabs.

pouring teriyaki marinade into the bag with chicken and onions

HOW LONG SHOULD I MARINATE THE CHICKEN?

For chicken thighs and breast meat, 4-6 hours in the marinade is the best time. You definitely don’t want to go over 8 hours because any longer and acids in the marinade start to break down the meat fibers.

Grandpa’s old belief that the longer you marinate the meat, the more flavorful it would be is a myth. Marinating meat for a long period of time will actually start having an adverse reaction. Acids and salts start to break down the tissue and you may end up with mushy meat. That is especially true for meat that is already soft and delicate, like chicken thighs.

chicken and onions with marinade in a gallon zip-lock bag

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN KEBABS

You will want to set aside a few hours to marinate the chicken so make sure to prepare it about 4-6 hours before cooking.

Cut off excess fat from chicken thighs and cut each thigh in half or in thirds, depending on the size. Make sure that the chicken pieces are close to the same size. Add chicken pieces into a large zip-top bag.

Chop an onion into fours, separate the layers, and toss it into the bag with the chicken. Whisk all ingredients for the teriyaki marinade in a separate bowl and pour it into the bag as well. Get as much air out of the bag as you can and close it tight. Refrigerate it for 4-6 hours.

When ready to grill, prepare your grill and let it preheat at medium-high heat. Make sure to set a two-temperature zone in case the chicken sears too fast but needs more time to cook on the inside.

Skewer folded chicken pieces alternating with onion slices onto metal or wooden skewers. (If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them first for about an hour.) Pour leftover marinade into a small skillet or a metal sauce pan that can go on the grill. (You can also simmer the marinade on the stove if needed.)

Grill chicken kebabs turning them a quarter of the way about every 4 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. If the chicken is searing too fast, move it over to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking.

Simmer sauce along side of the chicken, over medium-high heat or on the stove. Once sauce is simmered for a minute or two, you can brush it onto the chicken while it’s grilling.

uncooked chicken and onions skewered on black skewers on the grill

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT

You can easily store any leftovers in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator. Properly stored, cooked chicken should last for 5-7 days.

Chicken thighs are easy to reheat for a few seconds in the microwave. It’s the quickest and easiest way to reheat them, just make sure to cover the plate.

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES TO TRY

Grilled Bourbon Chicken

Whole Smoked Chicken

Grilled Chicken Wings

Lemon Herb Grilled Bone-In Chicken

skewers of cooked chicken pieces on a black tray with parchment paper

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @grillingsmokingliving and #grillingsmokingliving so I can see all the things you tried!

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skewers of cooked chicken pieces on a black tray with parchment paper

Teriyaki Grilled Chicken Kebabs

Chicken kebabs with teriyaki marinade is an easy grilled chicken dinner that only takes a few minutes to prep and a few minutes to grill. 
Print Recipe
CourseMain Course
CuisineAmerican
Keywordchicken kebabs, grilled chicken, teriyaki chicken
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Marinating time:4 hours
Total Time4 hours 31 minutes
Servings6
Calories400kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thigh meat
  • 1 Vidalia onion

Teriyaki Marinade:

  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce can also use gluten free
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger sliced or minced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare chicken:

  • Cut off excess fat from chicken thighs and cut each thigh in half or into thirds, depending on the size. Make sure that the chicken pieces are close to the same size.
  • Add chicken pieces into a large zip-top bag.
  • Chop an onion into fours, separate the layers, and toss it into the bag with the chicken.

Marinate:

  • Whisk all ingredients for the teriyaki marinade in a separate bowl and pour it into the bag with the chicken.
  • Get as much air out of the bag as you can and close it tight. Move the chicken and marinade around to mix it together evenly. Place the bag onto a large plate or into a mixing bowl and into the refrigerator.
  • Refrigerate it for 4-6 hours.

Grill Chicken Kebabs:

  • Prepare the charcoal until it's ashed over and add it to the grill. Spread it on half of the grill and leave the other half to be the cooler side. Make sure the grate is clean and let the grill preheat for about 10 minutes. (Set a gas grill to medium-high but leave a cool zone as well.)
  • Skewer folded chicken pieces alternating with onion slices onto metal or wooden skewers. (If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them first for about an hour.)
  • Pour leftover marinade into a small skillet or a metal sauce pan that can go on the grill. (You can also simmer the marinade on the stove if needed.)
  • Grill chicken kebabs turning them a quarter of the way about every 4 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. If the chicken is searing too fast, move it over to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking.
  • Simmer sauce along side of the chicken, over medium-high heat or on the stove. Once sauce is simmered for a minute or two, you can brush it onto the chicken while it’s cooking.
  • Let cooked chicken rest on the plate for a few minutes before taking it off the skewers and serving.

Notes

Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have a slight variation.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1024mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg

collage of two images of grilled chicken kebabs on top and uncooked kebabs on the grill on the bottom

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Let's get grilling!

Welcome, everyone! I’m Lyuba Brooke, come in, grab a beer, and head to the backyard. Here, I love to grill, barbecue, and share everything I make. You will find a ton of recipes for grilling, smoking, and the sauces to dip it in.

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