Chimichurri Chicken Kabobs
Upgrade your weeknight dinners with these delicious chimichurri chicken kabobs. Marinate cubed chicken breast in a homemade chimichurri sauce, skewered with vegetables, grill (or bake in the oven), and finish with more chimichurri sauce. Simple to make, incredibly flavorful, and quick to disappear– this chimichurri chicken recipe is sure to become a family favorite!
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 752kcal
Ingredients
Chicken Skewers
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into about 2-inch cubes
- 18-24 baby potatoes about 1-inch
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 sweet onion cut into 1-inch pieces
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves and tender stems
- ½ red onion cut into quarters
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 lemon zested and juiced (about 1 Tablespoon juice + 1 teaspoon lemon zest)
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Before beginning, if you're using wooden skewers soak them in water for 20 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill.
- Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold, heavily salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes, just until the potatoes are fork tender. Strain the potatoes and set aside.
- Make the Chimichurri Sauce: Pulse the cilantro, parsley, red onion, and garlic together in a food processor or blender. Scrape down the sides, then add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until everything is blended together and relatively smooth– you still want some texture. Taste and add additional salt and/or pepper, if needed.
- Place the chicken, peppers, onions and potatoes in a bowl (or zip-topped bag) with ½ the chimichurri sauce, using your hands to make sure everything is coated, reserving the remaining for bushing the kabobs and serving. While the chicken/vegetables marinate and you assemble the skewers, preheat the grill to medium-high (500ºF-550ºF.)
- Assemble: Thread each skewer with potato, chicken, bell pepper, and onion close together, alternating as you go. For 10-12-inch skewers you'll have around 5 pieces of chicken, 3 potatoes, and a handful of vegetables.
- Place the chicken kabobs on the heated grill perpendicular to the grates and cook for 7-8 minutes with the lid closed. Flip the kabobs and cook for another 7 minutes with the lid closed. The total grill time is 14-15 minutes. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Remove from the grill and brush with reserved chimichurri sauce. See the recipe notes for other cooking options.
- Allow the chicken kabobs to rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve with reserved chimichurri sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: This is a wonderful make-ahead recipe as there are many options. 1) You can marinate and/or assemble the chicken/vegetables/potatoes up to 1 day in advance covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator. 2) The chimichurri sauce can be made up to 3 weeks in advance, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator. 3) The cubed chicken can be prepped up to 2 days in advance and the vegetables can be prepped up to 1 week. 4) The potatoes can be par-boiled up to 2 days in advance.
- Freezing Instructions: The marinated chicken/vegetables/potatoes can be frozen for up to 3 months stored in a freezer-safe container. I do not recommend freezing assembled kabobs.
- Chimichurri Sauce: I have a full dedicated post to this chimichurri sauce with photos, additional detailed instructions, and substitutions including instructions without using a food processor or blender.
- Potatoes: As a shortcut, you can use frozen microwavable potatoes like these. Microwave for half the time directed before marinating. These can be made up to 2 days in advance, stored in the refrigerator.
- Oven Directions: Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Flip the kabobs and bake for another 7-8 minutes. The total bake time is 16-18 minutes. If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes for additional browning.
Nutrition
Calories: 752kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 959mg | Potassium: 1981mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2610IU | Vitamin C: 129mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 4mg
