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A quick and easy dinner idea: Chicken Skewers in the oven! Boneless skinless chicken breast pieces are marinated then threaded on skewers and baked to perfection on a sheet pan. Serve these chicken kabobs with veggie kabobs and rice.
Let’s talk about these chicken skewers made in the oven! They are juicy, seasoned just right and truly a house favorite. Mom loves them and the kiddo loves them too. What is it about chicken threaded onto skewers that makes it taste extra delicious? This recipe for chicken kabobs comes together quickly – the most time consuming part is threading the meat and vegetables onto skewers. You can use wooden skewers or metal skewers — your choice!
Chicken Kabobs are truly versatile. You can use any marinade and veggies that you’d like. The best part is that these chicken skewers cook quickly in the oven. It’ll take only about 15-16 minutes of baking along with 2-3 minutes of broiling for the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 165 degrees F… but more on oven temp and time in just a moment.
Chicken Skewer ingredients:
Here are the ingredients that you will need to make these chicken kabobs, starting with the marinade:
Chicken kabob marinade:
- dijon mustard
- honey
- mayo
- lemon juice
- minced garlic
- salt and pepper
Additional ingredient that you will need:
- chicken breasts or thighs
- vegetables
- seasonings: lemon juice, salt, black pepper, garlic, paprika, brown sugar
Cutting chicken for kabobs:
When making chicken skewers or chicken kabobs, you need to be mindful of how large you are cutting the chicken pieces. The larger the chicken, the longer it will take to cook. You run the risk of drying out the chicken if it needs to bake longer to cook though.
- cute chicken into 1.5 inch cubes
- boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs are both great options
Best vegetables for a skewer:
A variety of vegetables work for making skewers or kabobs. Choose vegetables that hold their shape well and have good texture. I like to use the following vegetables for this recipe:
- red or green bell peppers
- red onions or yellow onions
- zucchini
- cherry tomatoes
Use whatever veggies you have and enjoy, there are so many great options!
Making chicken skewers in the oven:
Here is a brief overview for how to make chicken skewers in the oven.
- marinate the chicken – the chicken into bite sized pieces, prepare the marinade, then place the chicken in the marinade for 15-20 minutes
- prepare the vegetables – while the chicken marinates, prepare the veggies. I like to use red bell pepper, onion and cherry tomatoes. Use whatever vegetables you and your family enjoy.
- skewer the meat and vegetables: arrange the chicken and vegetables onto metal or wood skewers
- prepare the baking sheet: if you have a wire rack, use it, but it’s not absolutely necessary. Spray the baking sheet with non-stick spray
- bake
How long these chicken skewers need to cook in the oven is dependent upon how large you cut the chicken. The best way to make sure that your chicken is cooked just right is to use an instant read thermometer. The chicken is done when juices run clear and the chicken temp is about 165 degrees F.
How long to cook chicken skewers in the oven:
How long to cook chicken skewers in the oven will depend on the oven temperature. With chicken cut into 1.5 inch pieces, here’s how long it will take:
- at 425 degrees: 15-16 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes to brown (*recommended)
- at 375 degrees: 20-25 minutes
- at 350 degrees: 23-27 minutes
Always cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Chicken Skewers Oven Temperature
When cooking chicken kabobs in the oven, you’ll want to set the temperature to 425 degrees F. I have found that a lower temperature requires a longer baking time which tends to dry out the chicken.
Bamboo / Wooden Skewers or Metal Skewers?
You can use wooden skewers or metal skewers, whatever you have on hand is fine. I have both! If you are using a wooden bamboo skewer, it’s a good idea to soak the skewers for about 10-15 minutes to ensure that they don’t burn in the oven. Another tip is to cover the exposed ends of the wooden skewers with foil to prevent them from burning. If you don’t do either of these things (soak or cover), they will still turn out amazing. These are just suggestions and not absolutely necessary.
What to serve with Oven Baked Chicken Kabobs
Along with the chicken and veggies, I like to make a side of rice. Any time I make chicken kabobs, my kiddo is always asking for these rainbow fruit kabobs too.
How to store leftover chicken kabobs
These chicken kabobs are a great option for a quick and easy dinner idea, and the leftovers make for the perfect lunch the next day! Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It’s usually easiest to remove the chicken and veggies from the sticks before storing leftovers.
More Kebab Recipes
Looking for more kebabs recipes? One of our reader favorite recipes is this recipe for Bang Bang Chicken Kabobs along with these Chipotle Chicken Kabobs. And for a run dessert kabob idea, try these Blueberry and Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs!
I hope you enjoy this recipe for Oven Baked Chicken Kabobs. Baked Chicken Skewers are a great way to get a balanced meal on the table with minimal effort. It’s an easy recipe that could also be cooked on a hot grill. And to boot, it’s a great low carb option. Let’s cook!
Easy Chicken Skewers in the Oven
Ingredients
CHICKEN SKEWER INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- Juice from half of a lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
VEGGIE SKEWER INGREDIENTS
- red bell pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
- onions, cut into bite sized pieces
- cherry tomato
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- lemon juice from ½ of a lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F
- Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite sized pieces – about 1.5 inches.
- In a bowl combine 1/4 cup dijon mustard with 1/4 cup honey, 2 tablespoons mayo, lemon juice from half of a lemon, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add the chicken to the bowl and stir to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes.
- While the chicken marinates, prep the veggies. Cut veggies of choice (we used red bell pepper and yellow onion) into bite sized pieces. In a small bowl combine olive oil with the juice from half a lemon, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika and brown sugar. Add in the veggies and toss to coat, then add the veggies to skewers.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and add the chicken pieces to metal skewers or wooden skewers.
- Prepare a large baking sheet. Use a wire rack on top of it if you have one. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Arrange the chicken and vegetable skewers on the rack.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken and veggies are cooked. After about 15 minutes you can optionally broil the chicken for 2-3 minutes to get the beautiful color and a bit of char.Internal temp of chicken should be 165 F. Adjust baking time accordingly.
