Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kabobs

I made these Greek yogurt chicken kabobs last Tuesday and honestly they turned out better than I expected, which doesn’t always happen when I’m testing stuff after a long day. The yogurt does something to the chicken that’s hard to explain but you’ll get it once you taste it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The Greek yogurt marinade tenderizes the meat so you don’t get that dry grilled chicken thing
• Lemon wedges threaded between the cubes actually cook with the chicken and get all caramelized and you can eat them
• You can marinate anywhere from 1 to 24 hours which means you have options
• Indirect grilling means you’re not standing there panicking about flare-ups every two seconds
• The whole thing comes together in 35 minutes if you marinated ahead
• Tzatziki and pita make it feel like a real meal without much extra work

The Story Behind This Recipe

I got tired of chicken breast turning into rubber on my grill. I’d been using this Greek yogurt salad dressing for other stuff and thought maybe it could work as a marinade since yogurt’s supposed to be good for that. Tested it on a Tuesday after work because I had chicken thawing and didn’t want to default to my usual boring weeknight rotation again.

The lemon wedges on the skewers were honestly an accident the first time—I had extras and just stuck them on there. But they soften as they grill and you can actually squeeze them over everything at the end or even eat them if you’re into that.

What You Need

You need cubed chicken breast, and I just buy the pre-cut kind because I’m not spending Tuesday night with a knife and cutting board when I don’t have to. Get about a pound and a half for four people. The Greek yogurt salad dressing is the main thing here—not plain yogurt, the actual dressing that’s already got lemon and herbs in it. I used the bottled stuff from the refrigerated section and it worked fine.

Kosher salt goes in the marinade even though the dressing has some already. Don’t skip it because it helps everything penetrate better. The lemon wedges aren’t just garnish—you’re threading them right onto the skewers between the chicken pieces, and they’ll soften up and caramelize as everything cooks. I cut one whole lemon into eight wedges and that was enough for all the skewers.

For serving you’ll want pita bread, and the soft kind heats up better than the pocket kind. Fresh tomatoes, sliced red onion, cucumbers—basically whatever you’d put in a Greek salad. The tzatziki sauce is non-negotiable. It cools everything down and ties the whole plate together, and I’m not making it from scratch on a weeknight so I buy the tub from the store.

How to Make Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kabobs

Grab a large plastic bag and dump in your cubed chicken, the entire bottle of Greek yogurt salad dressing, and about a teaspoon of kosher salt. Seal it up and massage everything around until all the chicken pieces are coated. The yogurt’s thick so you really have to work it in there. Stick the bag in the fridge for at least 1 hour, but I did mine for 4 hours because I prepped it before work and that’s just how the timing worked out. You can go up to 24 hours if you want to prep the night before.

When you’re ready to cook, thread the chicken onto 8 large skewers. Put a lemon wedge between each piece of chicken—it sounds weird but those lemons get soft and a little sweet and you can actually eat them after or squeeze them over everything. I used metal skewers because I have them but wooden ones work if you soak them first.

Get your grill going to medium-high heat. This is important—set it up for indirect cooking which means coals or burners on one side only. The chicken goes on the cooler side, not directly over the flame. You should hear a gentle sizzle but not aggressive popping and spitting.

Cook the kabobs for 20 minutes total, turning them every 5 minutes or so. You’re looking for that golden color on all sides and the chicken should feel firm when you grab it with tongs. The internal temp needs to hit 165 degrees Fahrenheit—I use my instant-read thermometer and stick it into the thickest piece. The juices should run clear not pink.

Pull them off and let them sit for a couple minutes. The chicken will finish cooking just a tiny bit from carryover heat. Serve with warmed pita bread, chopped tomatoes, red onion slices, cucumber and a big scoop of tzatziki on the side. People can build their own plates however they want.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I put the skewers directly over the heat because I wasn’t thinking about indirect grilling and the outside got too dark before the inside was done. The yogurt marinade has sugar in it from the dressing, so it wants to burn if it’s right over the flame. Moving them to the cooler side fixed everything and they cooked way more evenly. Also I didn’t let them rest and cut right into one to check it and all the juices ran out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat where they belonged.

Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kabobs

By Emma

Prep:

5 min

Cook:

30 min

Total:

35 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• cubed chicken
• Greek yogurt salad dressing
• kosher salt
• lemon wedges for skewering
• pita bread
• tomatoes
• sliced red onion
• cucumbers
• tzatziki sauce

Method

1. 1 Place cubed chicken, Greek yogurt salad dressing, and kosher salt into a large plastic bag. Seal and massage the mixture to coat the pieces evenly, then refrigerate between 1 and 24 hours to allow the yogurt to tenderize the chicken.
2. 2 Thread the marinated chicken cubes on 8 large skewers, alternating each piece with a lemon wedge to add bursts of citrus as they cook.
3. 3 Preheat your grill to medium-high and arrange for indirect cooking by placing the coals or burners on one side only.
4. 4 Place the skewers on the cooler side of the grill. Listen for gentle sizzling while cooking the kabobs for 20 minutes, turning as needed so all sides gain that golden hue and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Watch for the juices beginning to run clear and the chicken firming up under your tongs.
5. 5 Remove skewers from the heat and let rest briefly before serving. Plate with pita bread, fresh tomatoes, crisp slices of red onion, cooling cucumbers, and a generous dollop of tzatziki sauce to cut through the richness.

Nutritional information

Calories

X

Protein

Xg

Carbs

Xg

Fat

Xg

Print Recipe Save to Pinterest

Tips for the Best Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kabobs

Don’t wipe off all the marinade before you put the chicken on the skewers. Some of it should stay on because that’s what creates the slightly charred bits that taste good. Just let the excess drip back into the bag.

Space your chicken pieces about half an inch apart on the skewers so heat can circulate. If they’re touching the steam gets trapped and you end up with steamed chicken instead of grilled chicken which defeats the whole point.

When you’re turning the skewers use two hands and rotate them a quarter turn each time instead of flipping them over completely. This way every side gets even heat and you’re not wrestling with them trying to get them to stay put. The lemon wedges will start to look almost translucent around the edges when everything’s close to done.

If your grill has a temperature gauge keep it around 375-400 degrees on the indirect side. Too hot and the yogurt burns before the chicken cooks through, too cool and you’re waiting forever and the chicken dries out anyway.

Serving Ideas

I put everything in the middle of the table and let people build their own plates because some want the chicken in the pita and some want it on the side. Crumbled feta cheese that I forgot to mention earlier goes really well on top of the tomatoes and cucumbers. It adds that salty hit that ties into the whole Greek thing.

Sometimes I’ll warm up some rice pilaf if I need the meal to be more filling. The tzatziki works as a sauce for both the chicken and the rice so you’re not making multiple things.

Leftover kabobs go into a salad the next day with romaine lettuce and those same vegetables, chopped smaller.

Variations

You can use chicken thighs instead of breast and they’ll stay even juicier but the cook time might go up by 5 minutes. Check with your thermometer because dark meat can look done when it’s not. I tried this once when thighs were on sale and honestly preferred the texture.

Bell pepper chunks work between the chicken pieces if you want more vegetables on the actual skewer. Red and yellow ones hold up better than green which gets too soft. Just cut them about the same size as your chicken cubes.

The Greek yogurt marinade works on pork tenderloin cubes too if you’re not feeling chicken. Same timing, same temperature, same everything. Turkey breast would probably work but I haven’t tested that one yet so I can’t say for sure.

Swap the tzatziki for hummus if that’s what you have and it’s still good, just a different flavor profile that’s more earthy than cooling.

FAQ

Can I use plain Greek yogurt instead of Greek yogurt salad dressing?

Plain yogurt won’t have the same flavor because the dressing has lemon, herbs and seasonings already mixed in. If you only have plain yogurt you’d need to add lemon juice, garlic powder, dried dill and some olive oil to make it work. The bottled dressing is easier and that’s what I tested.

How do I know when the chicken kabobs are done without a thermometer?

Cut into the thickest piece and look at the center—it should be white all the way through with no pink and the juices should run clear not cloudy. But honestly just get a cheap instant-read thermometer because guessing is how you end up with either raw chicken or rubber.

Can I marinate the chicken for less than 1 hour?

You could but the yogurt needs time to actually tenderize the meat. Less than an hour and you’re basically just coating it right before cooking which doesn’t do much. An hour is the minimum, 4 hours is better, overnight is totally fine.

What if I don’t have skewers?

You can cook the chicken pieces directly on the grill grates if they’re not too small but you’ll lose the lemon wedges in between. Or use a grill basket and toss everything together but it won’t look like kabobs anymore. Metal skewers are worth buying if you grill even occasionally.

Do I really need to set up for indirect grilling or can I just use direct heat?

Direct heat will burn the outside before the inside cooks because of the sugar in the yogurt dressing. I tried it the first time and that’s exactly what happened. Indirect heat is necessary for this chicken kabobs recipe unless you want charred exteriors and raw centers.

Can I cook these in the oven instead of on the grill?

Put them on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on high for about 15-18 minutes, turning once halfway through. They won’t have the same smoky flavor but they’ll still be good. Keep them about 6 inches from the broiler element.

How long does marinated chicken last in the fridge?

Up to 24 hours in the Greek yogurt marinade is safe and actually makes it more tender. Past that and the texture starts getting mushy because the yogurt breaks down the proteins too much. Don’t marinate longer than a day.

Can I freeze the chicken in the marinade?

Yeah, put it in a freezer bag with the marinade and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and it’ll marinate as it thaws so you’re ready to skewer and grill. I do this sometimes when chicken’s on sale.

Why are my kabobs sticking to the grill grates?

The grill grates weren’t clean or hot enough before you put the chicken on. Preheat the grill, brush the grates clean with a grill brush, then oil them lightly with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil held with tongs. The chicken should release easily when it’s ready to turn.

Can I make these kabobs ahead and reheat them?

You can grill them earlier in the day and reheat in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes but they won’t be as juicy. Better to marinate ahead and grill right before serving. Leftover cooked kabobs are better cold in a salad than reheated.

What kind of Greek yogurt salad dressing should I buy?

The refrigerated kind in a bottle, not the shelf-stable stuff. Brands like Bolthouse Farms or Ken’s make one that’s thick and creamy with visible herbs. It should list Greek yogurt as the first ingredient.

How do I keep wooden skewers from burning?

Soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the chicken on. The water prevents them from catching fire on the grill. Metal skewers don’t need soaking obviously and they’re reusable so that’s what I use.

Can I add more vegetables to the skewers?

Cherry tomatoes will burst and make a mess, zucchini gets too soft, but bell peppers onion chunks and mushrooms work. Just make sure they’re cut to the same size as the chicken so everything cooks evenly. The lemon wedges are already on there and they count as a vegetable sort of.

What if my chicken is browning too fast?

Move the skewers to an even cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat if you can. The yogurt marinade has sugar that caramelizes quickly so you need lower and slower heat than you’d use for plain chicken. Indirect heat solves this problem from the start.

Do I eat the grilled lemon wedges?

You can if you want—they get soft and sweet and less bitter after grilling. Most people squeeze them over the chicken and vegetables for extra juice. I’ll eat them sometimes if they’re really caramelized because they taste almost candied.

How do I store leftover cooked kabobs?

Take the chicken and lemons off the skewers and put them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The metal or wooden skewers shouldn’t go in the container with the food because they take up space and the wood can get weird and soggy.

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemon wedges?

The wedges on the skewers are for grilling with the chicken, not just for juice. Bottled lemon juice won’t work for that because you need the actual fruit to thread on the skewer. You need one whole lemon cut into 8 wedges for this easy grilled chicken recipe.

Why did my chicken turn out dry even though I marinated it?

You either cooked it past 165 degrees or you used direct heat that dried it out too fast. Chicken breast has almost no fat so even a few degrees over and it’s sawdust. That’s why the instant-read thermometer isn’t optional and why you pull it off right at 165.

What’s the best way to thread chicken onto skewers without it falling apart?

Push the skewer through the middle of each cube, not near an edge where it can tear. If your chicken pieces are falling apart they might be cut too small or the yogurt broke them down too much from marinating longer than 24 hours.

Can I use Greek yogurt ranch dressing instead?

That would change the flavor completely to ranch instead of Greek but it would probably still work to tenderize the chicken. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say if the cooking time would be different. The Greek yogurt salad dressing is what makes these taste like they’re supposed to.