Grilled Balsamic Chicken Kabobs are a delicious and flavorful grilling staple you need to make this summer. Juicy and tender chicken bites are marinated in a homemade balsamic sauce, skewered with an assortment of colorful vegetables, and grilled to perfection (or even baked in the oven!).
Serve quick and easy balsamic chicken skewers on busy weeknights as a complete meal over rice or pasta, a salad, or more veggies on the side.
Why You'll Love This Balsamic Chicken Kabobs
- Flavorful chicken and veggies. For these balsamic chicken kabobs, you’ll thread tender and juicy chicken bites with delicious fresh vegetables, including red bell peppers, red onion, and zucchini for a healthy summer meal.
- The best balsamic chicken marinade. This balsamic chicken marinade ensures that the chicken kabobs are juicy, tender, and full of flavor. It is so good that you’ll want to use it on all your grilled meats. In fact you totally should! Make balsamic chicken breasts for a grilled chicken salad in this Greek Chicken Salad, or marinate Air Fryer Chicken Thighs in it and add to pasta or rice. However you serve it, this chicken marinade is amazing.
- Grill-charred to perfection. Although you can make these balsamic chicken skewers on your indoor grill pan or even baked in the oven, they’re intended to be made over a grill. The sear marks add texture and flavor to your chicken and veggies that is on another level.
- Chicken skewers are quick and easy. One of my favorite summer meals is making skewered meat because bite sized meat means that it cooks fast. It's easy to marinate the day before or right after you get home from work and then pop on the grill for a quick dinner.
Ingredient Notes
To make delicious Balsamic Chicken Kabobs, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- chicken - we used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can easily use boneless chicken thighs as well.
- salt and pepper
- balsamic vinegar
- honey - feel free to substitute with maple syrup.
- olive oil
- Italian seasoning - feel free to substitute with dried oregano.
- garlic powder
- vegetables - I used red bell peppers, red onion, and zucchini all cut into small bite-sized pieces. You could also substitute with other veggies such as mushrooms, corn, and tomatoes.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl or ziploc bag, and metal or bamboo skewers. You will also need a barbecue grill or grill pan to cook these (or cook them in the oven).
How to Make the Best Balsamic Chicken Kabobs
- Marinate the chicken. Cut the chicken breasts into 1.5-inch thick cubes and evenly season with salt and pepper. Set aside in a large bowl or Ziploc bag. Combine balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in a medium mixing bowl. Mix well until smooth. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the sauce mixture and add the rest to the bowl of chicken. Toss well to coat all the chicken. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for the best results).
- Skewer the chicken. Thread 4 cubed chicken breasts onto each skewer, alternating with a piece of red bell pepper, red onion, and zucchini. Season all over with a little bit of salt and pepper, to taste.
- Grill the skewers. Preheat grill over medium high to 450F, about 6-8 minutes. Place the balsamic chicken skewers spaced evenly apart on the grill and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165 F as read on a meat thermometer. Do not overlap the skewers at any time to ensure even cooking for all the skewers.
- Add sauce. Brush the reserved sauce over the skewers on both sides and grill for another 1-2 minutes until nicely charred, flipping once during grilling.
- Rest and serve. Remove the chicken skewers off the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm on it’s own or with a side of rice or pita bread, if desired.
How to Cook Chicken Skewers in the Oven
If you don’t have a grill, you can also bake the balsamic chicken kebabs in a 450F preheated oven for 16-18 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through. Baste the skewer with reserved sauce and broil on HI for 2-3 minutes until nicely charred on the edges.
How to Serve
These chicken kabobs can be served on their own at a summer barbecue, and your guests will be so satisfied. If you add some sides to serve these chicken kabobs with, you can try:
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Potato Salad
- Greek Fries
- Classic Coleslaw
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Sweet Potato Wedges
Storing Instructions
- Make ahead instructions: Chicken kebabs taste best when freshly grilled, but you can prep them ahead and throw them on the grill when ready. Thread the skewers and store the raw kabobs in the fridge for 1-2 days before cooking.
- How to store: Keep leftover balsamic chicken kabobs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- How to reheat: Preheat the oven to 350F and wrap the kabobs in aluminum foil. Reheat for 10-20 minutes until warmed through. For juicier kabobs, you can add a splash of water or chicken broth to the aluminum foil wraps.
More Chicken Skewer Recipes
- Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers
- Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Pineapple
- Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce
- Persian Saffron Chicken Kebabs (Joojeh Kabob)
- Orange Chicken Skewers
- Lemongrass Chicken Skewers
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Recipe
Balsamic Chicken Kabobs
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 skewers
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Grilled Balsamic Chicken Kabobs are a delicious flavorful summer grill staple marinated in a balsamic sauce, skewered with vegetables, and grilled or baked.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thigh, cut into 1.5-inch thick cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch slices
Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1.5-inch thick cubes and evenly season with salt and pepper. Set aside in a large bowl or Ziploc bag.
- Combine balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in a medium mixing bowl. Mix well until smooth.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of the sauce mixture and add the rest to the bowl of chicken. Toss well to coat all the chicken. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight for the best results).
Grill the chicken:
- Thread 4 cubed chicken breasts onto each skewer, alternating with a piece of red bell pepper, red onion, and zucchini. Season all over with a little bit of salt and pepper, to taste.
- Preheat grill over medium high to 450F, about 6-8 minutes
- Place the skewers spaced evenly apart on the grill and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165 F as read on a meat thermometer. Do not overlap the skewers at any time to ensure even cooking for all the skewers.
- Brush the reserved sauce over the skewers on both sides and grill for another 1-2 minutes until nicely charred, flipping once during grilling.
- Remove the skewers off the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm on its own or with a side of rice or pita bread, if desired.
Notes
How to cook in the oven: If you don’t have a grill, you can also bake the chicken skewers in a 450F preheated oven for 16-18 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through. Baste the skewer with reserved sauce and broil on HI for 2-3 minutes until nicely charred on the edges.
Make ahead instructions: Kabobs taste best when freshly grilled, but you can prep them ahead and throw them on the grill when ready. Thread the skewers and store the raw kabobs in the fridge for 1-2 days before cooking.
How to store: Keep leftover balsamic chicken kabobs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
How to reheat: Preheat the oven to 350F and wrap the kabobs in aluminum foil. Reheat for 10-20 minutes until warmed through. For juicier kabobs, you can add a splash of water or chicken broth to the aluminum foil wraps.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Marinate Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
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Cora says
These were AMAZING!!! They were so juicy and the flavors danced on my tongue. Definitely a keeper. It was really easy as far as food prep too which is a great advantage. My dad normally likes chicken dishes, but he was raving about these over the course of the whole meal. On the side we had mediterranean salad, and it blended right in. Highly recommend these as a delicious meal.