Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Disclosure Statement | License Policy

Chicken Kebab Marinade – Simplicity Meets Taste

The best chicken kebab marinade where simplicity meets taste. I'm going to share with you a simple and flavorful marinade that works every time. You'll love it.

Shannon The Helpful Chef
December 17, 2022

JUMP TO RECIPE PRINT RECIPE

Calories 648-kcal

A good chicken kebab marinade can make or break your kebabs. My go-to kebab marinade that works wonders with chicken uses fresh grapefruit. This marinade is something I created in the spare of the moment with the ingredients I had on hand.

My chicken kebab marinade is excellent when cooking kebabs in the oven grill or broiler. This is a quick, easy, no-fuss way of cooking chicken kebabs. This cooking method will caramelize the tips of the marinated chicken to intensify the flavor and color.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ADVERTISEMENT CONTENT BELOW

When it comes to cooking sometimes great things are created in the spare of the moment. That’s why every time I do this I take note of the ingredients I’m using and the quantities I’m adding.

ADVERTISEMENT CONTENT BELOW

Chicken Kebab Marinade Without Yogurt

A lot of kebab marinades use yogurt in them, however, I’ve found that removing the yogurt and only using citrus brings this marinade to life. These ingredients for my go-to chicken kebab marinade you can find in any grocery or ethnic food store and they are…

Marinade Ingredients

Fresh Grapefruit — Peeled, diced, and remove the seeds zesty, sweet, and sour.
Cilantro Stalks — They pack so much flavor into those stalks.
Fresh Garlic And Ginger — Excellent partners for any great marinade.
Grounder Coriander — Totally different flavor profile to fresh.
Smoked Paprika — I’m using sweet smoked paprika for a subtle smokey flavor.
Ground Cumin — Another layer of flavor from this exotic spice.
Sri Lankan Curry Powder — A bit of heat that compliments the marinade.
Rice Bran or Vegetable Oil — Himalayan pink salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

This is a fantastically delicious marinade that is quick and easy to smash together. It is also great for anyone who follows a dairy-free diet.

How to season food is an art that combines creativity, intuition, and a deep understanding of flavors. That transforms ordinary ingredients into extraordinary culinary masterpieces.

Chefs Pro Tip — How To Peel Ginger With A Spoon

Follow these steps:

Hold the ginger root in one hand, and use the edge of a spoon to gently scrape the skin away from the flesh. The spoon should glide easily over the skin, removing it without digging into the flesh of the ginger.
Continue scraping the skin away from the ginger until it is completely removed.
Use the spoon to scrape away any remaining bits of skin or fibrous roots.
Rinse the peeled ginger under cold water to remove any leftover bits of skin or debris.

Peeling ginger with a spoon is a quick, easy, and safe method that allows you to remove the skin without wasting any of the delicious ginger underneath. It is also a great way to avoid cutting yourself if you’re using a knife.

Making delicious chicken kebabs is not just about the marinade, the cut of chicken you are using has an important role to play. I use skinless boneless chicken thighs which have a superior flavor and are moist and juicy when cooked.

You can use chicken breasts, however, there is a trade-off. Chicken breast is leaner and can easily dry out when cooked if you’re not careful. Also, chicken breasts have less flavor this is because they have very little fat. And Fat is where the flavor is.

How Do You Make Chicken Kebab Marinade

Making My Chicken Kebab Marinade is easy – peel and dice the grapefruit and remove the seeds. Peel the ginger and slice. Place the grapefruit, sliced ginger, garlic, ground spices, coriander stalks, and rice bran oil into a Nutribullet or blender and blend to a smooth paste.

Chefs Pro Tip — Use a Nutribullet to blend this chicken kebab marinade because it breaks down the fibrous ginger. It will also give you the perfect consistency, the marinade will evenly coat the skinless boneless chicken thighs.

Cut The Chicken into large strips, cutting each thigh into 3 or 4 pieces depending on their size. Rub the marinade into the chicken, place them into a bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap or a lid. Place into the fridge for at least 1 hour, overnight would be better for the best flavor impact.

Prepping Vegetables core and half the tomatoes, top and tail the zucchini, cut in half longways, and slice into evenly sized pieces, cut the red bell pepper into evenly sized pieces, and dice the red onion into evenly sized pieces.

Chefs Pro Tip — Don’t cut the vegetables into small pieces, because when you thread them onto the skewers they will split and fall off.

ADVERTISEMENT CONTENT BELOW

Making The Chicken Kebab Skewers

I Thread The Marinated Chicken onto stainless steel skewers along with fresh vegetables like zucchini, red onion, red peppers, and tomatoes. I also weave streaky bacon in between the marinated chicken and vegetables.

Chefs Pro Tip — No Matter how long you soak wooden skewers they are always going to burn. You are better off spending a little money and purchasing some quality stainless steel metal skewers. These will last you for years and they won’t burn. They’ll just get hot, so be careful when removing them from the wire rack.

Kebab, Shish Kebab, or Shashlik

These terms can be used interchangeably. The term “kebab” comes from the Persian word “kabab,” which means “to roast” or “to grill,” and is used to describe a variety of dishes that involve grilling or roasting small pieces of meat or vegetables.

“Shish” is the Turkish word for skewer and is often used to describe kebabs that are made with lamb or beef. Shashlik is an Eastern European term for kebabs.

Helpful Resources

Cooking Is A Science And A Skill

Cooking is a science and a skill that requires a deep understanding of both the technical and creative aspects. Cooking is also a matter of precise measurements and ratios.

For example, baking is particularly sensitive to accurate measurements and temperatures. A slight deviation in the amount of an ingredient or cooking degrees can result in a completely different outcome. So, to help you here is a handy little unit converter tool for cooking without guesswork.