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One skewer with grilled chicken and lemons held close to the camera with plate in the background.
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Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs

This Mediterranean Chicken Skewers Recipe is a delicious go-to dish that is perfect for any occasion. Paprika and parsley are perfectly paired with garlic and bright lemon for a full-flavored skewer that will blow you away. You are sure to have these every day ingredients on hand to make the juiciest chicken dinner your family has ever had. 
Course Dinner
Cuisine Greek/ Mediteranean
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 Skewers
Calories 280kcal
Author Diana Reis

Equipment

  • 10" Barbecue Skewers

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Cubed

Marinade

  • ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive OIl
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice Fresh, approximately 1 whole lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoons Dry Parsley
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Garnish

  • 2 Lemons Sliced and quartered for skewering

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil together with the juice of 1 lemon (approximately 2-3 tablespoons), salt, pepper, paprika, granulated garlic, and dry parsley. After mixing well, pour half of the marinade into a food storage bag.
  • Reserve the remaining marinade. Store remaining marinade away from raw chicken.
  • Take the remaining two lemons and cut them into thick slices. Then quarter the slices for bite sized pieces for skewering.
  • Cut the chicken thighs into two inch pieces, and put them into the food storage bag with the marinade. Seal the bag and shake it to coat the chicken pieces.
  • Thread the chicken onto the skewers, alternating chicken and lemon pieces. Give the larger pieces some space so that more surface area can make contact with the grill.
  • Heat a large skillet, griddle pan, or barbecue to a medium/high heat. Once the pan is hot, lay the skewers down carefully so as not to overcrowd them.
  • Get a nice sear on the outside of the chicken and then turn the heat down to medium/medium low.
  • Once the first side is well browned, approximately 7 minutes, turn the skewer. Cook for another 5-7 minutes. Thigh meat is irregular in shape, you may need to turn three times to get all sides of the skewer to make contact with the grill.
  • Once the chicken skewers are nicely browned and the centers have reached 165°, remove from the pan coat with reserved marinade.
  • Serve with your favorite salad and rice dish for a complete meal.

Notes

This marinade is very acidic because of the lemon juice. Lemon juice can degrade the quality of the meat if left to sit too long so you should put the marinade on right before skewering the chicken. 
When you put the chicken on the skewers try not to bunch up or compress large pieces. Give the bigger pieces a little space so they get good contact with the grill and cook through just as quickly as the small skewers.
When it comes to handling chicken, don’t forget the basics. It is all about good hygiene and proper cooking.
 It is very important to have clean habits when handling raw chicken or any other raw foods. If you save part of a marinade, prepare it and divide it before handling the meat.
If your marinade has come into contact with your chicken then it must be heated to 165° for at least 30 seconds. You can easily achieve this by bringing the marinade to a simmer in a small saucepan.
Adding lemon wedges to these Mediterranean Chicken Skewers isn’t a necessary step, but it will add to the overall presentation. Serve these chicken skewers on a plane platter over greens for a fresh modern look. Grill a few extra lemons for color. 

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 1301mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 594IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg