Chicken Kabobs in the Oven

It’s easy to get the same juicy, flavorful morsels of chicken without a grill with the right method for cooking Chicken Kabobs in the Oven. Tossed in a simple, herbaceous blend of olive oil, garlic, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper and threaded onto skewers, tender chunks of boneless skinless chicken breast cook to succulent perfection in your oven.

Kabobs are an ancient dish popular in a significant part of Asia, the Middle East, and worldwide. Having such a long history, it’s only natural that the skewered meat is traditionally grilled. Or, in other words, kissed by smoke and fire. 

Ingredients for Chicken Kabobs in the Oven

• Chicken: boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Olive Oil: ideally extra-virgin olive oil
• Garlic: a few large, fresh garlic cloves
• Fresh Rosemary: Dried rosemary is not a good alternative for this recipe.
• Kosher Salt: or half of the amount of fine salt
• Black Pepper: ideally freshly ground
• Avocado Oil: or other high-heat neutral vegetable oil

Modern Methods, Traditional Results

The primal cooking method of grilling certainly adds some of the kabob’s flavor personality. But with modern cooking options, there’s no reason why we can’t cook juicy and beautifully charred chicken kabobs in the oven.

The best alternative to grilling chicken kabobs is to cook on a sizzling hot cast iron grill pan, pre-heated in the oven. The cast iron grill is key here, to cook the meat hot and fast and etch every morsel with those bronze grill marks we all love on kabobs. 

Don’t think of these baked chicken kabobs as an inferior alternative to traditional grilled kabobs. On the contrary, it’s a controlled environment that offers consistent results, so you can forget about unevenly cooked or dried-out meat.

Using a cast iron grill in the oven cooks the chicken kabobs both with direct heat on the grill itself while the oven cooks the meat indirectly. Think of it as grilling with a closed lid.  Refine this method for your particular oven and you can count on kabobs that come out lightly charred outside and juicy within every time. 

Grill Pan Alternatives

Don’t worry if you don’t have an oven-safe grill pan, (though I promise it’s a wise investment – here’s the one I use). An oven-safe rack set in a baking sheet or just a baking sheet lined with foil will work for similarly exquisite results. (See recipe notes for specific instructions. Also works great for making Carne Asada in the oven and Steak Kabobs in the oven.) And during grilling season, be sure to try the Rosemary Garlic Chicken Kabobs that inspired this recipe.

Oven Chicken Kabobs FAQ

Pair With

• Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Greek Salad
• Spinach Strawberry and Walnut Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
• Arugula Salad or Arugula Apple Salad
• Wedge Salad
• Lemon Garlic Asparagus
• and Skillet Potatoes or Lyonnaise Potatoes
• or with a simple pasta like Lemon Garlic Pasta, Broccoli Pasta or Pasta Aglio e Olio

How to Cook Chicken Kabobs in the Oven

Preheat a cold cast iron grill pan and the oven to 425˚F. While they preheat, toss bite-size chicken chunks with marinade ingredients (olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper). String chicken chunks evenly onto 6 metal skewers or soaked bamboo skewers.

Place chicken kabobs in a single layer on preheated grill pan and cook until lightly charred outside, juicy and cooked through inside (12 to 15 minutes), flipping half way through cooking time. Serve hot.