No grill? No problem! Baking chicken kabobs in the oven is the best way to cook kabobs without a grill. With this easy recipe, you can enjoy juicy and flavorful chicken skewers all year long.
0 Make the marinade: Whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl (one that is large enough to accommodate all the chicken.)
1 Place the cubed chicken into the bowl. Toss to make sure all of the chicken is evenly coated with the marinade.
2 Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing down to remove any air, and seal tightly. Place it in the fridge for at least an hour but up to 12 hours.
3 If you use wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking kabobs in the oven.
4 When ready to assemble, start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
5 Loosely thread the chicken chunks on the skewer tapping off any excess marinade, and alternate with the onion and peppers. For 2 pounds of chicken, you should have 8 skewers, with each skewer having 5 pieces of cubed chicken. If your chicken is thin, you can fold it when threading on the skewer so all pieces cook evenly.
6 Place the kabobs on the parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. If desired, sprinkle them with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
7 Bake for 16 minutes, rotating once during baking. When rotating the skewers, I recommend removing the sheet pan from the oven as it is easier (and safer) to flip the skewers, especially if you are using wooden ones.
8 At the end of 15 minutes, switch the oven to broil and broil* the chicken kabobs for 1 minute on each side (no more than 2 minutes total.) This step helps brown the chicken. Check for doneness by inserting a thermometer into one of the cubes. It should be done when it reaches 165 degrees F.
9 Remove kebabs from the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve.
