How to Make a Chicken Kebab

Chicken kebabs turn a whole meal into finger foods, with the kebab skewer doubling as both a serving fork and an eating utensil. The flavorful cubes of meat combined with fresh vegetables provide almost an entire meal in themselves, or you can serve them with a side of rice or a green salad. Infusing the meat with flavor and cooking it correctly, whether on the grill or in the oven, results in tender chicken that cooks perfectly on its skewer.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch square pieces or into 1-inch wide strips no more than 3 inches long. Use a clean cutting board and knife reserved for cutting the chicken to avoid cross-contamination.

Fill a bowl with your preferred marinade. A mixture of lemon juice, wine or vinegar, olive oil, and the seasonings of your choice imparts flavor to the chicken. You can add soy sauce, red pepper flakes, crushed garlic, fresh or dried herbs, or barbecue sauce, depending on the desired flavor. Place the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate it covered for 1 to 4 hours before making the kebabs. Reserve some marinade in a separate bowl for basting the kebabs as they cook.

Fill a tall glass with warm water if you are using wooden kebab skewers. Soak the skewers in the water for 10 to 20 minutes. Soaking prevents wooden skewers from burning when you cook the kebabs.

Cut vegetables into 1-inch chunks if you want to use them for the kebabs, using a clean cutting board and knife. Onions, peppers and summer squash are good complements to chicken. You can also use whole pearl onions, cherry tomatoes or mushrooms.

Thread the chicken onto the skewers, alternating the meat with the vegetables. If you are using strips instead of chicken chunks, fold the strips in half when threading them onto the skewer. Leave 1 inch of the skewer bare on each end so you can pick it up.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or heat a grill to high heat.

Lay the kebabs on a greased baking pan if you are cooking them in the oven or lay them directly on the hot grill. Brush some of the reserved marinade over the top. Cook the kebabs for 20 minutes in the oven, turning them once, or for 5 to 10 minutes per side on the grill. Brush the kebabs with the marinade when you turn them.