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Home » Recipes » Middle Eastern

Garlic Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs

Updated: Sep 6, 2025 Published: Sep 6, 2025 by Lola Jay This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Garlic Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs — the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever settled for dry, bland chicken. The secret? Yogurt. It tenderizes like a dream, carries all that garlicky flavor deep into the meat, and creates those golden, slightly charred edges you think only kebab shops can pull off.

Garlic yogurt marinated chicken kebab with rice and creamy sauce, garnished with parsley, served in a green bowl.

This is one of my husband’s favorites—it reminds him of home. He grew up on garlic-marinated chicken over yogurt, and every time I make this, it’s like bringing a little taste of that comfort straight to our table. For me, it’s a weeknight winner: minimal prep, big flavor, and a whole lot of happy silence at the dinner table (aka the universal sign of success). This pairs perfectly with the very flavorful Lebanese Vermicelli Rice!

The marinade takes 5 minutes, then the chicken just does its thing while you handle the rest of life. Thread onto skewers, grill or sear, and don’t skip the simple garlic yogurt sauce—it’s the drizzly, dippy magic that ties it all together.


Jump to:
  • 💛 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Garlic Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs Video
  • Garlic Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs Ingredient Highlights
  • Instructions
  • Substitutions & Variations
  • FAQ
  • More Recipes You'll Love
  • ⭐️ Recipe
  • Storage & Reheating

💛 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Total crowd-pleaser – Serve it at a family dinner or double the batch for a backyard party, this recipe disappear fast.

Juicy chicken every time – The yogurt marinade is your secret weapon for tender, flavorful bites that never go dry.

Big flavor, little effort – With garlic, lemon juice, and shawarma spices, it tastes like you marinated it for hours (because maybe you did… but with zero stress).

Grill or stovetop friendly – No BBQ? No problem. A hot skillet does the trick and still delivers that golden sear.


Garlic Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs Video

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Garlic Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs Ingredient Highlights

Lemon juice – Adds brightness, cuts the richness… and comes with a warning: don’t over-marinate or your chicken might go mushy. 2–4 hours is perfect.

Chicken breast – Cut into medium chunks (about 2 inches) so they cook evenly and don’t dry out. Too small = dry. Too big = raw centers. Goldilocks zone, always.

Greek yogurt – The magic marinade base. It tenderizes, adds creaminess, and sticks to the chicken like it was meant to be there.

Garlic – Four big cloves in the marinade, more in the sauce—because subtlety is not the goal here.

Shawarma seasoning – Your shortcut to smoky, earthy, warm flavor without a full spice drawer clean-out. You can also make your own shawarma seasoning if store-bought is not an option.

💡 Pro Tip: Make extra garlic sauce to dip EVERYTHING in 🙂

Ingredients for shawarma include chicken, rice, Greek yogurt, vermicelli, lemon, garlic, olive oil, and spices.

Instructions

Full recipe and instructions in the recipe card at the end of post

Gloved hand handling raw chicken pieces on a wooden board for cooking preparation.

Step 1: Slice the chicken into 2" pieces.

Marinating chicken pieces with yogurt and spices in a bowl, using a gloved hand for mixing on a wooden surface.

Step 2: Stir together yogurt, garlic, olive oil, spices, and lemon. Toss in chicken chunks.

Woman in striped top preparing a dish in a cozy kitchen.

Step 3: Chill 30 minutes to 4 hours.

Golden brown chicken pieces sizzling in a pan.

Step 4: Pan-sear 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F). Rest before serving.

Creamy yogurt being scooped from a colorful bowl with a black spatula.

Step 5: Mix yogurt, garlic, lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper. Stir and drizzle over kebabs.

Bowl of spiced chicken over rice topped with yogurt sauce, next to a bowl of plain chicken, on a woven mat.

Step 6: Pile kebabs on a platter, scatter with parsley or sumac if you like, and dig in.


Substitutions & Variations

Chicken swap – Thighs totally work here. Even juicier, slightly richer, and harder to mess up.

Don't have a grill? - A cast iron skillet gives a gorgeous sear and keeps the weeknight vibes alive.

No shawarma spice? No tears. Just use a mix of cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika. Add a pinch of cinnamon if you’re feeling fancy. See my homemade shawarma spice recipe.

Want it spicy? Toss in a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes. You’ll thank yourself later.


Garlic yogurt marinated chicken kebab with creamy sauce on basmati rice, garnished with fresh herbs in a bowl.

FAQ

Can I use skewers and grill it?

Absolutely! Just soak the skewers in water first. Cook on the grill until internal temperature reaches 165F.

Can I bake these?

Yes — 400°F for 16–18 minutes, broil for the last 2 minutes to get some char.

Can I make them ahead?

Marinate the chicken the day before, then cook right before serving. But if marinating for more than 4 hours, skip the lemon juice and add it in before cooking.

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Thank you message with Instagram handle for recipe feedback and ratings, featuring five-star icons.

⭐️ Recipe

Garlic yogurt marinated chicken kebab with rice and creamy sauce, garnished with parsley, served in a green bowl.

Garlic Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs

Garlic Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs — the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever settled for dry, bland chicken. The secret? Yogurt. It tenderizes like a dream, carries all that garlicky flavor deep into the meat, and creates those golden, slightly charred edges you think only kebab shops can pull off.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: chicken kebab
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 350kcal
Author: Lola Jay

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 1.5 lbs chicken breast cut into 2-inch chunks
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt whole milk preferred
  • 4 large garlic cloves crushed
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon shawarma seasoning
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

For the Garlic Yogurt Sauce

  • 1.5 cups Greek yogurt whole milk
  • 2 garlic cloves finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Make the Marinade

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, crushed garlic, olive oil, shawarma seasoning, and lemon juice. Add chicken chunks and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
    ½ cup Greek yogurt, 4 large garlic cloves, 2 tablespoon shawarma seasoning, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Make the Garlic Yogurt Sauce

  • In a medium bowl, mix Greek yogurt, grated garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    1.5 cups Greek yogurt, 2 garlic cloves, Juice of ½ lemon, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Cook the Kebabs

  • Grill method: Preheat grill to medium-high. Soak skewers in water and then skewer the chicken. Grill skewers 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temp 165°F).
  • Stovetop method: Heat a cast-iron skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Sear chicken 4–5 minutes per side until caramelized and cooked through.
    1.5 lbs chicken breast, 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • Oven and Air-fry method: Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 16–18 minutes, broil 2 minutes at the end for char.

Rest & Serve

  • Let chicken rest for 5 minutes after cooking. Serve kebabs with garlic yogurt sauce on the side or drizzled over. Garnish with parsley or sumac if desired.

Video

Notes

Nutrition calculations are only estimates.

Storage & Reheating

  • Fridge – Keeps 3 days. Store chicken and sauce separately.
  • Reheat – Quick skillet warm-up or 45 seconds in the microwave.
  • Meal prep – Great cold in wraps or grain bowls.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 778mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg

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Smiling woman holding a delicious sandwich with fresh ingredients.

Hi, I'm Lola

Just your not so average girl next door who loves all things food. I was born in Paris, France to a tribe of women who love to cook and bake! I bring you quick and easy recipes from all over the world, but my heart (and taste buds) belong to Mediterranean cuisine. As a mom and stepmom to four kids, quick and delicious is my goal!

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