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a tray of cooked chicken and pepper kebabs.
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5 from 2 votes

Spicy Chicken Kebabs

Chicken and veggie kababs with just the right amount of kick!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 5 minutes
Marinate 2 hours
Servings 8 skewers
Calories 405kcal
Author Tracy

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup olive oil

Kebabs

  • 2 lbs chicken breast cubed, about 4 cups
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 orange bell pepper chopped
  • 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
  • 1 red onion chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 2 zucchini sliced into rounds (about 2 cups)

Instructions

  • Make Marinade: In the bowl of a food processor add the garlic, paprika, turmeric, cumin, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar. Pulse and then while the blender is running, slowly add the olive oil. You can also add it all to a mixing bowl and use a whisk to whisk it all together well.
  • Prep Chicken and Veggies: Cut them all to about the same size (as close as possible) and place in a large bowl. Pour marinade over veggies and chicken and mix well. Transfers to two large zip lock bags. Remove as much air as possible and seal.
  • Store in the fridge to marinate for at least 1-2 hours and up to 24 hrs.

Kebabs

  • Prep Skewers: If using wooden skewers, soak for 20 minutes. Remove zip lock bags from the fridge to let the chicken and veggies come up to room temperature.
  • Preheat Grill: Preheat the grill to high heat.   
  • Assemble Skewers: Add veggies and chicken to the skewers in any combo desired.
  • Grill: Place skewers directly over the heat and turn roughly every 2 -3 minutes (when the meat on the grill has started to brown with dark sear marks from the grill grates). Flip them fully over first, and then turn them 1/4 of a turn so each of the sides are down on the heat. Once the chicken has fully browned, but just before being done (160℉ internal temperature reading), move it to indirect heat and allow it to come up to the final 165℉ internal temp.
    Total cook time for chicken is generally somewhere between 8 and 14 minutes, depending on how large the chicken pieces are and how tightly the skewers are packed.
  • Serve: Remove from heat, serve, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Make Ahead
These Kebabs are great to make or prep in advance. You can marinate for up to 24 hrs and then assemble before grilling. 
Spice Level
The spice level on these kebabs is mild. It's enough so that kids (and those who have low spice tolerance) think that it has a little kick, but not too much. For those who like it spicier, add another 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of cayenne. 
Substitutions
Make this with whatever you want!  Beef, chicken thighs, just veggies, it's all delicious! Some other veggie options: mushrooms, green bell peppers, and yellow squash. 8 total cups of veggies are used in this recipe.
Keep Some Vegetarian
If you'd like to keep some vegetarian options, add the chicken to one bag with just 2 cups of veggies, and then the remaining 6 cups of veggies to another, and add 1/2 of the marinade in each bag. This will allow you to have some veggie only kebabs.
Skewers
You can use either metal or wood. If using wooden, soak in water for 20 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 722mg | Potassium: 714mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1581IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
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