Chicken Kebab is a versatile chicken starter from the Middle Eastern and South Asian Cuisines. Chicken cubes are marinated in a blend of spices with yogurt and are skewered and cooked in grill. The cooked chicken kabab is juicy , tender and flavorful with a burst of flavors.
Chicken Kebab is a juicy chicken appetizer. Boneless cubes along with Onion and Bell peppers marinated overnight in a delicious marinade. The marinated chicken is threaded on skewers and cooked to perfection.
Chicken Kebab is sure a crowd pleaser. It is a very popular food on any restaurant menu. The same recipe can be made using a barbecue, but today I am sharing the version in the air fryer as many may not be able to do barbecue in cities.
Alternatively, chicken can be fried but kebab is way better than that as it uses less oil and we can enjoy the juicy chicken guilt free. Chicken Kebab can be served with Green Chutney, Tomato Sauce or Mayonnaise
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe ?
- Perfect appetizer: This easy and delicious chicken kebab is a perfect starter or appetizer for any occasion. Be it a get-together, Potluck, or any festival our kebabs serve the purpose.
- Easy One Bowl Recipe: The best part is we can prepare the marinade in a single bowl. We can then add the chicken, onion, and bell peppers to the marinade and that's it. Just skew in and then cooker.
- Easy beginner-friendly: No complicated steps or ingredients are used in these kebabs. Anyone can easily cook these chicken kebabs.
- Makes a whole meal: The kebabs can be made as a whole meal by pairing them with some bread or soup.
Ingredients
Chicken - Use juicy boneless chicken cubes. They give us the perfect restaurant style kebab. Additionally we also use Onions and Peppers ( Capsicum ) along with chicken.
Yogurt - Yogurt is the base for marination. We add the spices to the yogurt and combine well to get the marinade. Make sure the yogurt is thick and not watery. You can add greek yogurt or hung curd too.
Spice Powders - Using the basic Indian Spice blends. Check the recipe card for a detailed list and measurements for the spice powders.
Lemon Juice - Adds a lovely punch and enhances the taste. Always use fresh lemon juice do not use any extracts.
Ginger garlic paste - A mandatory ingredient for kebab marinade.
Oil - We usually brush the kebab with oil as it gets cooked. Also we some in the marinade as well. This helps to keep the marinade intact with the chicken.
Kebab Variations
- Reshmi Kabab is another popular variation. Here we use cream (malai), cashew paste along with yogurt for the marinade. This is a richer version of chicken kebab.
- Chicken Seekh Kabab is another popular kebab variety. Here ground meat is dolloped over skewers and cooked.
- You can also stuff the chicken kebab in roti or tortilla along with pickled onion, tomato, and green chutney and serve as chicken kabab rolls. A yummy after-school snack.
- Tangdi kabab is another famous restaurant style grilled chicken drumstick with some special spices It is usually served with green chutney.
How to make Chicken Kebab
Marinate the Chicken:
In a bowl add Yogurt.
Next add the spice powders along with Salt. I am using Chili powder, Garam Masala and Turmeric powder.
And then add Ginger garlic paste and Oil.
Combine everything without lumps and the marinade is ready.
Finally squeeze in lemon juice and combine once again.
Prepare the Skewers:
To the prepared marinade now add cubed or even sized bone less chicken pieces and cubed onions.
Combine everything so the masala evenly coats over the chicken and onion.
Arrange the chicken and onions in skewer as alternate layer. Let it marinate for 2-4 hours in the fridge.
Chicken Kebab Cooking Methods:
We can cook the chicken kebab in air fryer , oven or grill. Today i have cooked them in air fryer.
Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer at 200 C / 400 F for 5 mins. Now arrange the chicken kebab and sprinkle or brush with oil.
Air fry them at 180 C / 356 F for 28 mins. Make sure you flip them couple of times and brush oil. I stopped after every 8 mins brushed them with oil and flipped sides just to ensure even cooking on all sides.
Oven
Preheat the oven to 200 Deg C for about 10 mins.
Bake the Chicken at 200 Deg C for about 10 mins and then flip and grill for another 10 mins. Continue to grill till the chicken is perfectly cooked. It took 40 mins for the chicken to get cooked perfectly.
Grill
Arrange the chicken skewers in the grill. Prefer steel skewers if cooking in grill , wooden ones get burnt easily.
Cook for about 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking. Cooking in grill has the beautiful char marks and smokey flavor and it is the traditional method.
Expert Tips
- You can also stuff the chicken kebeb in roti or tortilla along with pickled onion, tomato, and green chutney and serve as chicken kabab rolls. A yummy after-school snack.
- If using bamboo skewers soak them in water for at least 10 mins and then use. Else the skewers might blacken or even catch fire at times. as you bake.
- The baking time is different from oven to oven. So keep checking after 25- 30 mins. also make sure you flip and cook for even cooking.
- You can also cook the kebab in the air fryer or even stovetop.
- If cooking in the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer and cook at 200 Deg C for 15 min. flip halfway and cook.
Serving Suggestions
It is a perfect party or potluck appetizer. Goes well as a starter along with some kebab green chutney, ketchup, or mayonnaise. Drizzle in some lemon juice and serve the chicken.
Recipe FAQs
They are pretty much the same. Just that in different location we use different names. Kebab is the most common name used in the western countries. However in the Middle Eastern and Asian countries we call it as Chicken Kabab.
Keeps well for 3 days in the fridge. Store in airtight containers or in zip locks.
These are an ideal food for weight watchers or while on a diet. They are rich in protein and less in carbs.
Goes well by itself as an appetizer. We can also serve as a whole meal by pairing them with some bread like Naan or Pita Bread.
Related Chicken Appetizers
★ Did you enjoy this recipe? If you happen to try it out, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Thanks for your time. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter for more updates
📖 Recipe
Chicken Kabab
Standard 1 cup measures 240 ml
Ingredients
- ½ kg Boneless Chicken
- 2 Onion
- 3 tbsp Yogurt
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp Red Chilli powder
- ½ tsp Kashmiri Red Chili powder
- Salt as needed
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken:
- In a bowl add Yogurt.
- Next add the spice powders along with Salt. I am using Chili powder, Garam Masala and Turmeric powder.
- And then add Ginger garlic paste and Oil.
- Combine everything without lumps and the marinade is ready.
- Finally squeeze in lemon juice and combine once again.
Prepare the Skewers:
- To the prepared marinade now add cubed or even sized bone less chicken pieces and cubed onions.
- Combine everything so the masala evenly coats over the chicken and onion.
- Arrange the chicken and onions in skewer as alternate layer. Let it marinate for 2-4 hours in the fridge.
Cooking Methods:
- We can cook the chicken kebab in air fryer , oven or grill. Today i have cooked them in air fryer.
Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer at 200 C / 400 F for 5 mins. Now arrange the chicken kebab and sprinkle or brush with oil.
- Air fry them at 180 C / 356 F for 28 mins. Make sure you flip them couple of times and brush oil. I stopped after every 8 mins brushed them with oil and flipped sides just to ensure even cooking on all sides.
Oven
- Preheat the oven to 200 Deg C for about 10 mins.
- Bake the Chicken at 200 Deg C for about 10 mins and then flip and grill for another 10 mins. Continue to grill till the chicken is perfectly cooked. It took 40 mins for the chicken to get cooked perfectly.
Grill
- Arrange the chicken skewers in the grill. Prefer steel skewers if cooking in grill , wooden ones get burnt easily.
- Cook for about 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking. Cooking in grill has the beautiful char marks and smokey flavor and it is the traditional method.
Notes
- Insert the skewers in hot water before using in the oven so that it may not get dark soon.
- The longer we marinate the juicer the chicken will be so don’t skip to marinate overnight.
- If we couldn’t marinate the chicken overnight at least marinate chicken in refrigerator 2 hours before cooking.
- This is a very healthy way of cooking chicken as we use very less oil for the entire process.
- After every 10 mins when we are flipping and grilling the chicken brush with oil for a nice taste.
- Serve as a starter with Green Chutney and Tomato Sauce.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist , the nutrition value provided here is an estimate. It will vary based on the quantity and brands of the products used.
Note: This post is originally from 2016. I have updated with new Recipe card, Pictures.
Leave a Reply