Learn how to make smoked chicken kabobs on ANY grill or smoker, whether its a Traeger or Pit Boss pellet grill, a Masterbuilt propane smoker, or just a simple Weber kettle!
Our smoked chicken kabobs are easy to prepare, look beautiful, and and taste delicious.
Marinate the Chicken Before Smoking
First you’ll need to marinate the chicken for the smoked chicken kabobs.
You can do this overnight for maximum flavor, or if not, at least for 2 hours before smoking.
We prefer using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for kabobs, but you could use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
You’ll need about 1/3 to a 1/2 pound of chicken per adult. So marinate about 2 lbs of chicken for a group of 4-5 people.
Cut the raw chicken into small pieces that are bite-sized but still big enough to go on a skewer (approximately 1 and 1/2 inch cubes).
We use a simple honey garlic marinade that keeps the chicken juicy and flavorful, and also provides some seasoning for the vegetables during the cooking process.
Marinade Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
- 1/3 Cup Regular or Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
- 1/3 Cup Honey
- 3 cloves of Garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Whisk and Marinate the Chicken
First, whisk together the marinade ingredients in a glass measuring cup or a small bowl.
Then transfer the marinade and cut up chicken to a resealable gallon sized bag.
Press the bag several times to distribute the marinade and then place the bag in the refrigerator to marinate overnight, or for at least 2-4 hours.
What Kind of Skewers to Use for Smoked Chicken Kabobs
If you plan on smoking kabobs often, consider investing in a nice set of metal skewers.
They don’t need to be soaked in water beforehand, and you never have to worry that they will catch on fire!
Make sure you also have some high heat grilling gloves for turning and rotating the skewers (because they WILL get HOT) and it’s much easier than trying to do it with grill tongs.
- The kabob skewers are made of premium stainless steel which is food grade, rust proof and heat resistant.
- FLAT BLADE AND ANGLED TIP for NO SPINNIN
If you’re new to smoking kabobs, or you are cooking for a really big party, you may prefer to just use some disposable bamboo skewers like these.
We prefer at least 12-inch long skewers so you can fit plenty of smoked chicken and veggies on each one.
Safety Tip: When using wooden skewers on a grill, you’ll need to pre-soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from catching on fire during the cooking process.
Check out this article from Spruce Eats for more info on soaking bamboo skewers.
We do the exact same thing when cooking foods like salmon using cedar planks on the grill or smoker to prevent the wood from smoldering or igniting.
Assemble the Chicken Kabob Skewers
Smoked Chicken Kabobs are so versatile that you can really use any kind of vegetables you like!
We like using all four colors of bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, and green), as well as whole white mushrooms and red onion.
You can use sweet yellow onions if you prefer those over red onion. We like the flavor of the smoked red onions as well as the nice color they give to the finished kabobs.
Whatever veggies you choose, cut them into 1-inch pieces.
For the onions, slice off the ends and cut the onion in half, then slice each piece into wedges like a 6 slice pizza.
You can keep the small mushrooms whole.
Once the veggies are cut and chicken is finished marinating, it’s time to assemble the smoked chicken kabobs.
Thread the chicken and veggie pieces onto the skewers, alternating the chicken and veggies to give color variety to the smoked chicken kabobs.
Once all of the chicken has been skewered, transfer the remaining marinade to a small bowl.
Use a small silicone brush to brush all of the vegetables with marinade.
Safety Tip: Do not use leftover marinade that had raw meat in it all the way through the cook. It’s OK to brush on some extra left over marinade right at the beginning, but STOP using it after that as later in the cook you risk brushing on salmonella from the raw meat that won’t cook off before you remove the food.
You can always make some extra marinade that wasn’t used on the raw chicken and brush that on at the end.
The Best Woods for Smoking Chicken Kabobs
For most chicken and turkey recipes, we generally go for a milder smoke flavor by choosing oak or fruitwood pellets.
Pecan, apple, beech and cherry all give great results.
On our Pit Boss pellet grill we used these apple pellets and got a nice mild smoke flavor on our smoked chicken kabobs.
- 100% all natural hardwood pellets
- The flavor is mild and fruity with a subtle sweetness that taste best with poultry, pork, seafood and lamb
- Free of artificial flavors, spray scents, glues, or chemic
Best Times and Temperatures for Smoked Chicken Kabobs
When smoking chicken kabobs, we want to choose a good temperature that will be low enough to keep the marinade from burning, but high enough to keep the lean white meat chicken from drying out before it cooks.
Since sugar starts to burn in the 325°F to 350°F range, we chose 300°F for our smoking temperature to be safe.
We also found cooking a little lower gave the chicken kabobs more time to absorb smoky flavor, and also gave the vegetables enough time to cook as well.
We smoked our chicken kabobs at 300°F, but if your smoker maxes out at 275°F, like with a Masterbuilt electric smoker, you can definitely cook them at that temperature instead.
How Long Does it Take to Smoke Chicken Kabobs?
Our smoked chicken kabobs took about 1 hour to fully cook at 300°F on our Pit Boss pellet grill.
Make sure to check with an instant read thermometer to see if certain pieces of chicken are cooking faster than others.
The smoked kabobs may need to be rotated around depending on how even the heating is of your grill or smoker.
We made sure to frequently rotate and flip the smoked chicken kabobs every 15 minutes or so to keep all the pieces and skewers cooking evenly.
Target Internal Temperature for Smoked Chicken Kabobs
You HAVE to use a good instant read meat thermometer to know where the internal temperature is of your smoked chicken kabobs.
If you don’t yet own an instant read thermometer, ThermoPro makes a pretty good one.
Bring the internal temperature of your smoked chicken kabobs up to at least 160°F.
You want to ideally get the internal temperature close to 165°F, but they will continue to rise in temperature after you remove them, especially on the hot metal skewers, so taking them off at 160°F is fine.
When checking the temperature of the smoked chicken, choose a larger piece on one of the kabobs.
Don’t stick the temperature probe completely down to the metal skewer or you will be reading the temperature of the metal, not the meat.
Push the probe into the chicken about 3/4 of the way towards the skewer but not touching the skewer itself for the most accurate reading.
Serving Smoked Chicken Kabobs
Once the chicken kabobs have finished cooking, you can transfer them to a cutting board or serving platter.
Let them rest for about 5-10 minutes.
Sprinkle the kabobs with chopped fresh parsley for a little extra color.
We like to serve our kabobs with Jasmine rice, although any rice will do.
You can remove the meat and veggies from the skewers by running a fork down the skewer.
We also like to make up a quick honey soy sauce with 2 Tbsp of honey and a 1/4 cup of soy sauce to drizzle over the chicken, veggies and rice.
What Other Foods Can I Smoke?
Looking for some more great recipes for that grill or smoker?
Check out some of our favorites below for inspiration!
More Poultry
- Pit Boss Smoked Whole Chicken
- Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Breasts
- Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Legs
- Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Wings
- Pit Boss Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast
- Traeger Smoked Whole Chicken
- Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts
- Traeger Smoked Chicken Legs
- Traeger Smoked Chicken Wings
- Traeger Smoked Boneless Turkey Breast
- Smoked Whole Chicken in Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
- Smoked Chicken Breasts in an Electric Smoker
- Smoked Chicken Thighs in an Electric Smoker
- Smoked Chicken Legs in an Electric Smoker
- Smoked Turkey in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
- Smoked Turkey Burgers
- Smoked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Smoked Chicken Tenders
- Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
- Smoked Pulled Chicken
- Beer Can Chicken on a Pellet Grill
- Spatchcocked Chicken on a Pellet Grill
- Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey Breast
- Pellet Grill Turkey
- Easy Smoked Turkey Legs
- Spatchcocked Smoked Turkey on a Pellet Grill
- Smoked Turkey Wings
- Smoked Turkey Thighs
- Smoked Turkey Tenderloins
- Smoked Turkey Soup
- Smoked Turkey Sandwiches
- Smoked Chicken Salad
- Trash Can Turkey – OK, technically not made on a grill or smoker but one of the most fun ways there is to cook a Turkey…at over 700 degrees in only 2 hours!
Pork
- Traeger Baby Back Ribs
- Traeger Smoked Pulled Pork
- Traeger 3-2-1 Pork Ribs
- Traeger Smoked Pork Loin
- Traeger Smoked Pork Spare Ribs
- Pit Boss Pulled Pork
- Pit Boss Smoked Baby Back Ribs
- Pit Boss Smoked Pork Loin
- Pit Boss 3-2-1 Ribs
- Camp Chef Pulled Pork
- Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Pulled Pork
- Masterbuilt Baby Back Ribs
- Pellet Grill Smoked Pork Chops
- Pellet Grilled Bratwurst
- Gas Grilled Bratwurst
- Smoked Fresh Holiday Ham
- Spiral Sliced Smoked Hot Dogs
- Smoked Bratwurst with Beer Braised Onions
- Roasted Pig in Your Backyard
Beef
- Traeger Smoked Prime Rib
- Traeger Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream
- Traeger Smoked Beef Brisket
- Traeger Smoked Chuck Roast
- Traeger Smoked Pot Roast
- Traeger Smoked Beef Short Ribs
- Pit Boss Beef Brisket
- Pit Boss Smoked Beef Tenderloin
- Pit Boss Smoked Prime Rib
- Pit Boss Smoked Chuck Roast
- Pit Boss Smoked Beef Ribs
- Pit Boss Smoked Tri-Tip Roast
- Pit Boss Grilled Hamburgers
- Camp Chef Smoked Beef Brisket
- Masterbuilt Smoked Chuck Roast
- Masterbuilt Beef Brisket
- Perfect Smoked London Broil
- Smoked Ribeye Roast
- Smoked Corned Beef
- Smoked Ribeye Steaks
- Smoked Filet Mignon
- Hot and Fast Pellet Grill Beef Brisket
- Pellet Grilled Steak
- Perfect Grilled Hamburgers
- Smoked Eye of Round Roast Beef
- Easy Smoked Flank Steak
- Smoked Tomahawk Steaks
- Smoked Bottom Round Roast
- Smoked Sirloin Tip Roast
- Smoked Rump Roast
Seafood
- Pit Boss Smoked Salmon
- Traeger Smoked Salmon
- Honey Smoked Salmon
- Smoked Oysters in a Garlic White Wine Sauce
- Smoked Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce
- Smoked Lobster Tails
- Easy Smoked Tilapia
- Perfect Smoked Halibut
- Smoked Mahi Mahi Fillets
- Smoked Swordfish Steaks
- Smoked Crab Legs with Cajun Clarified Butter
- Smoked Mackerel with Maple Balsamic Glaze
- Smoked Catfish with Cajun BBQ Rub
- Smoked Red Snapper with Blackening Rub
- Smoked Trout
- Smoked Tuna Steaks
Lamb
- Smoked Leg of Lamb with Guinness Marinade
- Smoked Lamb Chops with a Balsamic Butter Sauce
- Smoked Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary or Smoker
- Smoked and Pulled Lamb Shoulder with a Turkish Spice Rub
- Smoked Lamb Shanks
Fun Entrees
Sides and Desserts
- Pit Boss Corn on the Cob
- Pit Boss Smoked Mac and Cheese
- Pit Boss Smoked Baked Beans
- Pit Boss Smoked Queso Dip
- Traeger Smoked Baked Beans
- Traeger Smoked Corn on the Cob
- Traeger Smoked Mac and Cheese
- Smoked Mashed Potatoes
- Smoked Potato Salad
- Smoked Baked Potatoes
- Smoked Twice Baked Potatoes
- Smoked Cornbread
- Smoked Asparagus
- Easy Smoked Broccoli
- Smoked Cauliflower
- Smoked Green Beans
- Sticky Smoked Sweet Potatoes
- Smoked Pineapple in a Maple Bourbon Sauce
- Smoked Carrots with a Honey Balsamic Glaze
- Smoked Brussel Sprouts
- Smoked Cabbage
- Smoked Hard Boiled Eggs
- Smoked Deviled Eggs
- Smoked Egg Salad
- Smoked Cream Cheese
- Smoked Cream Cheese Dip with Bacon and Cheddar
- Smoked Pig Shots
- Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
- Smoked Garlic
- Frozen Pizza on a Pellet Grill
- How to Steam Tamales
- Masterbuilt Smoked Cheese
- Smoked Gouda Cheese
- Smoked Peaches
- Smoked Peach Cobbler
- Smoked Chocolate Chips
- Smoked Chocolate Chip Cookies
Smoked Chicken Kabobs with Honey Garlic Marinade
Equipment
- 1 Grill or Smoker set up for INDIRECT heat
- 8 Metal or Bamboo Skewers 8 to 12 inches
- Large Bowl or Tray for soaking wooden skewers
- Large Cutting Board
- Large Plastic Bag for marinating chicken
- Silicone Basting Brush
- Heat Proof Grilling Gloves
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Marinade
- 3 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
- ⅓ Cup regular or reduced sodium Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
- ⅓ Cup Honey
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
Vegetables
- 5 Bell Peppers of various colors, seeded
- 2 Red or Yellow Onions
- 1 package Whole White Mushrooms
Honey Soy Sauce Drizzle
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- ¼ Cup Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
For Serving (optional)
- White or Jasmine Rice cooked
- Flat-Leaf Parsley chopped
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1.5-inch cubes and place into a large resealable plastic bag. Mix together the marinade ingredients
- Pour the marinade ingredients over the chicken in the bag. Marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Preheat the Grill or Smoker and Prepare the Skewers
- Set your grill for smoker for 300°F with indirect heat.
- If using wooden bamboo skewers, soak the skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes while chopping the vegetables.
- Cut the peppers and onions into 1.5-inch pieces. Keep the mushrooms whole. Remove the marinated chicken from the bag.
- Skewer the chicken and veggies onto the metal or wooden skewers (after soaking). Thread the chicken and veggie pieces onto the skewers, alternating the chicken and veggies to give color variety to the smoked chicken kabobs.
Smoke the Chicken Kabobs
- Once the grill or smoker is up to temperature, add your wood smoking chips to the loader if using an electric smoker, or a wood chunk to the hot coals if using charcoal. If using a pellet grill, we prefer using apple or cherry pellets.
- Place the kabobs on the grill or smoker and brush on left over marinade for the first 20 minutes but not after that.
- Smoke the chicken kabobs for about 1 hour, rotating and flipping every 15 minutes for even cooking.
- Use an instant read thermometer to chec when the internal temperature of the chicken is 160-165°F. The veggies should alos be soft at this point and you can remove the kabobs and place on a cutting board or tray to rest and cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Top the finished kabobs with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Serving the Smoked Chicken Kabobs
- While the kabobs are smoking, make the rice and whisk together honey and soy sauce for the drizzle.
- Carefully remove the the chicken and veggies from the skewers and serve over rice with the honey soy sauce drizzle if desired.
