These tender, flavour packed chicken shish kebabs are perfect for summer. Marinated in creamy yoghurt and tempting spices, they stay moist, juicy and irresistible. In fact, they’re just like the ones you get from the kebab shop but fresher, hotter and better because you made them yourself!
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Takeaway chicken shish kebab recipe
I know I’ve said this before, but I do like cooking all those takeaway recipes at home. While it’s nice to let someone else do the cooking now and again, I find it’s not only cheaper to make your own, but your food is hotter and fresher too.
These chicken shish kebabs are marinated with a gorgeous yogurt and spice mix that keeps all the moisture in as well as adding those fabulous Eastern Mediterranean flavours.
My kebab shop style chicken shish kebabs take about half an hour hands on, though you need to allow time for them to marinate. Enjoy them with my kebab shop salad for the perfect fakeaway dinner.
I usually oven bake these, but I’ve added instructions for BBQ/ grill, grill / broiler, air fryer and electric grill.
What are chicken shish kebabs?
Shish kebabs are chunks of marinated meat that you cook on a skewer. They are easy to make and cook quickly, giving you that wonderful holiday street food smell that is so hard to resist.
The success of your chicken shish kebabs really does depend on a good marinade that tenderises the meat and adds plenty of flavour. I have used yoghurt, which coats the meat and tends to tone down the spices, which is why I have used plenty of spice here for a fantastic kebab shop style taste.
Why make chicken shish kebabs?
- Quick & easy – quick to make and every bit as good as takeaway
- Delicious – full of flavour and adaptable to suit all tastes.
- Scalable – the recipe is super easy to scale up for a party
- Make ahead – all the preparation can be done in advance
- Fuss free & effortless – it’s so easy to make these delicious chicken shish kebabs
Chicken shish kebabs – ingredients
- Chicken thighs – cut into cubes (see my notes on different cuts below)
- Garlic – Finely diced or crushed garlic. I avoid tubes of garlic puree, as I never think they taste as good as fresh. You could also add some garlic powder if that’s what you normally use.
- Olive oil
- Yogurt – Plain and natural. I haven’t used too much here, because the chicken can only take on so much. Anything more is just waste.
- Spices – Paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, pepper and salt. You need a bit more with a yogurt marinade. I promise it won’t be too hot. Or you can use a homemade chicken kebab seasoning.
- Lemon zest
Which chicken for shish kebabs?
I prefer chicken thighs because they have more flavour than breast meat and cost less. They’re moist and juicy and work really well in this recipe.
You can buy skinless fillets or skin and bone them yourself, which may be more economical.
How to make chicken shish kebabs – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips, so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips, and different ways of cooking, at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Put the yogurt, oil, and spices in a bowl, zest the lemon directly into the bowl. Then mix until well combined.
Step Two – Cut the chicken into even sized chunks so that it will cook evenly. Aim for about 3 cm / 1.25″ pieces. Add to the yogurt mixture and mix well, to ensure the chicken pieces are well coated.
Step Three – Cover the bowl and leave to marinate. Ideally, this will take at least 2–3 hours, and you can leave it for up to 48 hours in the fridge. If you are in a hurry, you can get away with half an hour’s marinating time, but I recommend leaving it longer to tenderise the meat.
To save space in the fridge, I often transfer the chicken to a plastic takeaway tray instead of leaving it in the bowl. The trays are compact and stack neatly, which makes life easier.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
To get ahead, you can freeze the chicken in the marinade. This is really useful for impromptu entertaining, as it will quickly defrost on the countertop, or overnight in the fridge.
You won’t get as even a coating on the chicken but it doesn’t make very much difference.
Step Four – Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and thread the chicken pieces onto 4 skewers.
I find the flat metal skewers are the easiest to use, because the meat will not rotate on them. Mine are round, however, and they still work well. If you use bamboo skewers, these need soaking in water before use.
I cook my kebab shop chicken shish kebabs on a trivet, standing in a baking pan. This allows even, all-round cooking. If you prefer, you can use an oiled or parchment-lined baking tray.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C fan / Gas 5 / 375°F. When you are ready, put the skewers in for about 15 minutes. If you use bamboo skewers, however, you will need a few minutes longer. This is because the heat won’t reach the centre of the chicken pieces without the extra heat of the metal skewers.
Step Five – When the chicken is cooked and the coating has taken on the shine of a glaze, remove from the oven, and serve.
You can finish the chicken on an oiled griddle pan to add some char grill marks!
Serving suggestion
Serve your kebab shop style chicken shish kebabs with rice or with flat breads or pitta and a kebab shop salad, chilli sauce, garlic sauce. For a real kebab feast, add some lamb koftas and lamb shish kebabs.
Variations
- Vary the spices to suit your own taste. You could try a little curry powder if you prefer.
- Add vegetables (or even fruit) to the skewers between the chicken pieces. Try quartered onions, red peppers, or courgette. Maybe even mango?
Other cooking methods
- BBQ – Light the charcoal or gas barbecue 30 minutes before you want to cook. Once heated, or when the charcoal is white, cook for 6–8 minutes each side. Oil the grill to prevent sticking,
- Electric griddle – Switch on the grill and leave it to heat up. Cook the kebabs in the closed grill for 5–8 minutes, depending on the power of the grill.
- Oven grill (Broiler) – Light the grill/broiler and leave it for 5 minutes to heat. Place the kebabs on a lined baking tray and grill for about 6 minutes each side. Keep a close eye on them if your grill has any hot spots, and move downwards if needed.
- Airfryer – Follow the instructions for these chicken teriyaki kebabs.
Storage
Fridge – My kebab shop chicken shish kebabs are best served freshly cooked. If you have leftovers, then as soon as the kebabs are cold, take the chicken off the skewers and pack into an airtight box. Keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours. To reheat, flash fry until cooked through.
Freezer – If you are preparing ahead, you can freeze the chicken in the marinade, and defrost for a few hours on the counter top, or overnight in the fridge. Make sure that the meat is defrosted before cooking. Pack leftover cooked chicken into an airtight box, defrost as usual, and flash fry as above to reheat.
Hints and Tips
- Cook the chicken from room temperature – This means the chicken meat is more “relaxed”. Not only will it cook faster, but the texture will be better and the meat juicier.
- Try and cut the chunks of chicken into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- For easy cleaning, line your baking pan with parchment or foil.
- When finishing on a griddle, oil the griddle so that the kebabs don’t stick.
FAQS
Shish kebabs are chunks of meat cooked on a skewer – ‘shish’ is an anglicized version of the Turkish word for a skewer and does not refer to the type of meat. Doner kebab (which is more or less the same thing as the Greek gyros or Lebanese shawarma) is meat cooked packed onto a vertical rotisserie and then thinly sliced.
Ideally, for about three hours. Obviously, you can leave it longer. If necessary, you can get away with just half an hour but the flavours will not permeate the meat in the same way.
No, you can use the BBQ, air fryer, griddle – whatever works for you. The oven works best for me at home and we can always take our kebab shop chicken shish pittas outside to eat them!
More Kebab Shop Fakeaway Recipes
- Lamb Shish Kebabs – tender spiced lamb Turkish style kebabs
- Kebab Shop Chilli Sauce – Just like from your local kebab shop; make it as hot as you like.
- Kebab Shop Garlic Sauce – Takeaway style to smoother your kebab in.
- Kebab Salad – Serve your kebabs on a bed of this Turkish red cabbage salad.
- Shish Kebab Seasoning – Speed up your marinades by keeping a pot of the perfect seasoning to hand.
- Chicken Tikka Kebabs – If you like Indian spices, try these tandoori style skewers.
Kebab Shop Chicken Shish Kebabs
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken thighs (skinless, boneless)
- 100 g natural yogurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon (zest)
- 2 cloves garlic (or 1 tsp garlic puree)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
- ½ tsp turmeric (optional, mainly for colour )
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Zest the lemon. Combine the zest with the yogurt, oil and spices/seasoning in a bowl and mix well.100 g natural yogurt, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 lemon, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp sea salt
- Cut the chicken into even sized pieces. Add to the marinade and mix well to coat.300 g chicken thighs
- Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge. Ideally, this will take at least 2–3 hours. If necessary, though, 30 minutes will work.
- Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to cook, and thread onto 4 skewers. If you are using bamboo skewers rather than metal, you should soak them in water first.
Cook in the Oven
- Arrange the skewers, ready for the oven. I bake my kebab shop chicken shish kebabs on a trivet in a baking pan. If you prefer, you can use an oiled or parchment-lined baking tray.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C fan / Gas 5 / 375°F. Then, when you are ready, bake for about 15 minutes. If you use bamboo skewers, you will need a few minutes longer. This is because the heat won't reach the centre of the meat as fast.
- Once the meat is cooked through, remove from the oven and serve. Alternatively finish the meat on a smoking hot oiled griddle for a minute or two, turning once to add some char.
Cook on the BBQ (Grill)
- Light the charcoal or gas BBQ 30 minutes before cooking. Once heated, when the charcoal is white cook for 6-8 minutes each side. Oil the grill to stop sticking.
Oven Grill (Broiler)
- Light the grill/broiler and leave it for 5 minutes to heat. Place the kebabs on a lined baking tray and grill for about 6 minutes each side. Keep a close eye on them if your grill has any hot spots, and move downwards if needed.
Electric Griddle
- Switch on the grill and leave it to heat up. Cook the kebabs in the closed grill for 5–8 minutes, depending on the power of the grill.
Notes
- Cook the chicken from room temperature – This means the chicken meat is more “relaxed”. Not only will it cook faster, but the texture will be better and the meat juicier.
- Try and cut the chunks of chicken into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- For easy cleaning, line your baking pan with parchment or foil.
- When finishing on a griddle, oil the griddle so that the kebabs don’t stick
- Replace all the dry spices and fresh garlic with 5 tsp of homemade chicken kebab seasoning.
Sam
These were delicious – thank you for all the different ways to cook them!
Tom
so good, and I’ve got more in the freezer ready to defrost and cook – who knew you could freeze in the marinade!
Sara
this will be my new favourite summer dish – perfect spicing and so delish!