There’s something irresistible about grilled chicken kebabs – smoky, juicy, and full of flavor. These grilled chicken kebabs with garlic sauce take it to the next level, offering tender, marinated chicken skewers paired with a rich, creamy garlic sauce that complements every bite.
The key to making these kebabs really shine is in the marinade. A blend of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and spices like cumin, paprika, and oregano gives the chicken a depth of flavor while helping to keep it tender and juicy on the grill. The lemon adds a touch of brightness, and the garlic infuses the chicken with a savory kick. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, but if you have the time, letting it sit for a few hours or overnight will take the flavor even further.
Once your chicken is marinated, it’s time to thread it onto skewers. You can add vegetables like bell peppers, onions, or zucchini between the pieces of chicken for added flavor and color. Grill the kebabs over medium heat, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and has a beautifully charred exterior – typically around 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces.
While the kebabs are grilling, make the garlic sauce. This sauce is simple yet packed with flavor, combining creamy Greek yogurt with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. It’s thick, smooth, and full of tangy garlic goodness, making it the perfect dip for the kebabs. If you prefer a bit of spice, feel free to add a small pinch of cayenne or paprika to the sauce.
Serve these grilled chicken kebabs with a side of warm pita bread, a fresh salad, or over a bed of rice for a complete meal. Whether you’re hosting a summer BBQ or simply craving a flavorful and healthy dish, these kebabs are sure to be a hit.
Juicy, flavorful, and perfectly paired with creamy garlic sauce, these grilled chicken kebabs are a delicious way to enjoy your favorite grilled flavors.

Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper large, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red onion large, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped fresh
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken pieces and marinate for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Thread marinated chicken, red bell pepper, and red onion onto skewers.
- Grill kebabs for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are charred.
- In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Serve grilled chicken kebabs with garlic sauce.
- Enjoy!
Really easy to make, and the garlic sauce is sooo good! I ate a whole bowl of it lol.
A bit too oily for my taste, next time I’ll reduce the olive oil.
Kebabs? Are those the same as skewers? I’m confused.
The veggies got burnt, and the chicken was undercooked. Not impressed.
I had the same issue! I think the grill might’ve been too hot. Try turning down the heat next time.
Why do you need mayo in the sauce? Seems odd to me and not healthy. Maybe just stick with yogurt? 🤔
Yummy!!! My kids loved it and I loved that it was quick to make. Perfect for busy nights.
Marinade flavor is legit. Only tweak: I marinated mine closer to 2 hours and it was even better. The sauce is creamy and tangy—would dunk everything.
Totally agree—marinade flavor really comes through. I usually do it like 1 hour though, so I believe you on the 2-hour upgrade. The garlic sauce is dangerously good… I’d dunk the whole plate too 😂
These kebabs were a hit at my BBQ! The garlic sauce is perfect. Will make it again!
Pretty straightforward and flavorful. Marinating only 15 minutes worked fine, but next time I’ll do closer to 30 for deeper flavor.
Tried this and yeah—super flavorful for a short marinate. I did ~25 min and the chicken tasted deeper, but 15 still worked. The garlic sauce is the star.
Not bad, but my skewers stuck a little and the chicken cooked unevenly. Could be my grill though. Sauce was the best part, would make that again for sure.
I tried this and my kids loved it! But I used chicken breast instead of thighs.
I thought adding yogurt was weird but it actually made the sauce tasty! Who knew?
I was skeptical about using yogurt too, but it really does add a creamy texture! Glad you liked it!
This is “fine” I guess. I thought kebabs would taste more grilled and smoky, but mine leaned more lemony/herby. Still ate them all though.
awesome
This is delicious. Also, I used wooden skewers and soaked them in water first—helped a lot. Would absolutely make again.
These kebabs were a hit at my BBQ! The garlic sauce is to die for! 🤤
It was okay. I might be doing kebabs wrong, but mine came out kinda dry. Sauce saved it though. I think my grill was hotter than “medium-high” so I overcooked.
No way I’m frying chicken on a grill… BBQ is for burgers and hotdogs. Kebabs are weird, man.
You gotta try it! Grilled chicken kebabs are amazing, it’s not just for burgers and hotdogs. Give it a chance, man!
I don’t know, it just didn’t work for me. The chicken was kinda dry. Maybe I did something wrong?
I made this but I lost the minced garlic so i used garlic powder… yeah it wasnt the same. Still decent though!
I dunno, they came out kinda dry. Not sure if I did it right. Followed the recipe??
Grilled chicken kebabs? You gotta be kidding me, where’s the beef?
Beef is great, but chicken can be just as tasty! These kebabs sound delish. Give it a try!
My kids wouldn’t even try it! Too much garlic, 1 star.
Kids can be picky. My niece loves garlic though! Maybe you can sneak in some less intense flavors? 4 stars.
I totally get it! Garlic can be a lot, especially for kids. Maybe try using less next time? 3 stars.
I tried this recipe, but my kebabs came out kinda dry. Maybe I overcooked them? 🤔
Yeah, overcooking can definitely make them dry. Try marinating longer next time? It helps!! 🍗
I dunno, I think chicken can just be finicky. Mine turned out juicy, maybe your grill’s too hot? 🤷♂️
I love how easy this recipe is! Perfect for a weekday dinner. Just a tip, let the chicken marinate longer for better taste!
These kebabs were seriously juicy. The garlic sauce is the star—tangy and creamy, not too heavy. I charred the onions like the instructions said and it was perfect.
Yes! Charred onions make the whole thing—love that the garlic sauce stays tangy instead of getting cloying.
Grilled em too long, became dry. Me need follow instructions better!
I have a hard time getting the chicken cooked through. Any tips?
I tried this yesterday and honestly, it was kinda bland???? I expected more flavor.
I thought it was great! Maybe you missed a step in the marinating? The longer you let it sit, the more flavor it gets! 🤔
Bland? I love garlic! Did you really use enough? Or maybe your grill wasn’t hot enough? Just a thought!
The sauce saved it for me. I was worried the mayo+Greek yogurt combo would be weird, but it came out creamy and tangy.
Pretty good overall. I marinated closer to 45 minutes and the chicken tasted even better. Next time I’ll cut the pieces a tiny bit more evenly for more consistent cook.
This recipe is amazing! The garlic sauce is a game changer!
Looks good but I hate onions. Can I skip them?
We made this for a BBQ and it was a hit! Everyone asked for the recipe!
Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try it out myself! Thanks for sharing!
BBQ? More like BBQ’d my appetite! I dunno, what if I burn the chicken?
Kebabs were alright, but I miss the kebab stands back home.
I don’t know, isn’t marinating for only 20 mins too short? I usually let it sit longer.
I get where you’re coming from, but sometimes less is more! 20 mins can really let the flavors pop without overdoing it.
This recipe is rubbish. Looks like too much work for chicken! Not worth it.
I tried this last weekend, and it was a hit! Can’t wait to make it again, maybe add some extra spices!
These kebabs are so good! The garlic sauce really makes it pop! My family loved it.
I’m so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed the kebabs! The garlic sauce is definitely a game changer. I’ll have to try it myself!
Way too much garlic. I used 2 cloves in the sauce like it says, but even then it was garlic-forward. Also, 1-inch pieces cooked fast—my grill ran hot and I almost dried them out.
Totally get it—2 cloves + 2 tsp minced garlic could still hit pretty hard, depending on how “minced” is measured. Next time I’d cut the garlic in half or use roasted garlic for more mellow flavor.
So simple, yet so good! Will def make again!
These kebabs were amazing! The garlic sauce is to die for, I could eat it every day!
I’m glad you loved it! The garlic sauce is seriously the best part. I like to dip everything in it!
Solid recipe. I did a 30-minute marinade because I got distracted, but it still turned out great. Only thing: my veggies cooked faster than the chicken, so I should’ve staggered them on the skewers.
So easy! One bowl marinade, then throw on skewers. My kids ate the peppers and onions too, which almost never happens.
I tried it but mine didn’t “char” much, more like steamed on the grill. Maybe I didn’t get it hot enough? Also 15-20 minutes marinade felt short, I did like an hour and it was better. Still good though!
Seriously so easy—marinade + skewers is my kind of cooking. The garlic yogurt sauce sounds perfect. I bet those charred peppers/onions make it too 😋
Honestly, I don’t get the hype. Chicken is chicken, right? Didn’t wow me tbh.
The instructions say grill 8-10 minutes, but my chicken was definitely not cooked through at 8. I had to keep going—so watch the timing!
Hmm mine cooked fine in 9 min, so maybe it depends how hot your grill is. But ya, you should not trust the timer only—check it. 🙂
Good catch! With thicker chicken chunks or a hotter grill, 8–10 minutes can be way too short. I usually go until juices run clear (and I aim for ~165°F).
I’m not convinced about the yogurt + mayo ratio… it was thick but kind of heavy. Still tasted decent with the grilled veggies.
Delish! I didn’t have Greek yogurt, so I used sour cream. Still tasted great!
Not bad, but the yogurt-mayo sauce felt kind of bland for me. I think next time I’ll add more salt and maybe a dash of hot sauce.
I agree on the sauce—mine was a little flat too. I ended up adding extra lemon and a pinch more salt and it totally helped. Hot sauce is a great idea.
Weird, I thought the yogurt-mayo was actually perfect as written. Maybe my Greek yogurt was saltier? I did add extra garlic though and it was good.
I followed it pretty closely, but my chicken took longer than 10 minutes to cook through. Also, the veggies charred too fast—maybe my grill runs hot.
I found the recipe a bit confusing. Is there a reason for using both Greek yogurt and mayo? Seems extra to me.
I think the mix of Greek yogurt and mayo adds a creamy texture and depth of flavor. It’s not extra! But I get why it seems confusing. Just try it as is!
I substituted chicken for tofu and added extra lemon. It was different but really good! 😋
I’m not sure about the amount of salt/pepper—mine tasted a tiny bit strong in the marinade. If you’re salt-sensitive, start with less and adjust.
Delish! 🥳
Not bad but I’m skeptical about the mayo + yogurt combo. It sounded weird, but honestly it worked—just make sure you season it well. Mine needed extra pepper.
Garlic sauce saved it 😅. Would make again for sure.
Took longer than 10 minutes on my grill—the chicken needed closer to 12-13. Still good though, and the veggies charred nicely.
Yeah 8–10 min sounds fast for thighs—12–13 makes sense. Glad they still came out good!
So easy to make! I added some extra spices for kick, and they turned out great! Def making again!
I followed it pretty much exactly and it tasted good, but I found the marinade a bit salty for my liking. Next time I’ll cut back the salt slightly and add more lemon.
Kebabs?? More like kabobs, am I right? Anyway, they tasted alright but didn’t look like the picture.
Question: if it says 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp paprika, why does it still taste mild? Maybe my garlic was old? Anyway it worked, but I’d bump the seasoning.
That ratio should definitely have flavor—if yours tasted mild it might be the chicken itself (older chicken/thighs) or you didn’t fully salt it. I’d also add a pinch more salt to the marinade and let it sit a bit longer than 15 minutes.
Just 8-10 mins on the grill? I thought chicken should be 20? Idk..
Not bad, but the kebabs felt a little dry to me after grilling 10 minutes. I might’ve overcooked—still tasty though.
Kinda take longer than I thought but they smelly good. 👍
Chicken cooked through in 9 minutes on my grill (medium-high like the recipe). That part felt spot on. Sauce was yummy, though I used less garlic because I’m not trying to meet my future self’s breath.
Pretty good! I followed everything, but my chicken took more like 12-14 minutes on the grill. Still turned out tender and the veggies were sweet.
The flavors are great—cumin + paprika is a solid combo. Sauce is good, but I added extra lemon because I like it sharp.
Wasn’t sure about the yogurt in the sauce but it surprisingly works. Nice!
Grill what? I just put everything in the oven. Still tasted good, but what’s up with the skewers? 🤷♂️
Honestly this is gonna be a repeat. The cumin and paprika give it that smoky-ish vibe even without crazy seasoning. My whole family asked for more.
I’m not 100% sold on the “smoky” claim without more than cumin/paprika, but the combo is solid. Also I think 15–20 min marinade might be a bit short—mine tasted better after closer to an hour. Still came out juicy though!
Totally agree—cumin + paprika really do the heavy lifting here. That smoky-ish vibe shows up even with pretty simple seasoning. My family asked for seconds too, so yeah, definitely a repeat in our house.