These chicken fajita kabobs are a favorite at our house, mostly because they check all the boxes. Chicken fajita skewers are easy to make, packed with flavor from the fajita marinade, and they just look colorful. Kids love them, adults devour them, and you can throw them on the grill with for a meal that makes everyone happy.
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Why We Love Chicken Fajita Kabobs
- Great For Sharing At a BBQ – Skewers like this always make a pretty statement at a bbq, they are flavorful and colorful. I like to make these skewers with a beef or a pork option like burgers, foil packets or hot dogs to give a little variety. It’s also pretty easy while you are preparing to cut an extra pepper and add some mushrooms for any vegetarians.
- Budget Friendly Making Them Yourself – Listen, I’ve seen the prices at stores in the cases for store made skewers and they bust my budget if I’m buying more then two. Making the skewers yourself can be much more economical if you are feeding more then just one person. You can easily turn any leftovers into chicken fajita wraps the next day.
- Food On A Stick = Fun For Kids – Something about putting food on a stick always makes it a little more fun. You might just encourage your kid to gnaw on a piece of pepper if they can enjoy it from a stick. It’s a little novel for them, but also delicious.
Ingredients For Chicken Fajita Marinade And Kabobs
- chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces, boneless skinless
- olive oil
- oregano
- cumin
- garlic powder
- cayenne pepper
- black pepper
- salt
- lime juice only from the lime, fresh lime juice tastes best in this recipe
- red bell peppers cut into 1-inch pieces
- green bell peppers cut into 1-inch pieces
- red onion cut into 1-inch pieces
How To Make This Chicken Fajitas Recipe
- Cut the peppers and onions into one inch pieces, then set to the side. Prep the chicken by cutting it into one-inch pieces. Add the chicken pieces and oil in a large bowl with a cover or a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.
- In a small bowl, combine the oregano, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Mix the seasoning until combined.
- Add the lime juice and seasoning into the bowl or bag over the chicken to finish the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in the marinade in the refrigerator and marinate chicken for at least one hour.
- When ready to grill, thread the chicken, bell peppers and onions onto kabob sticks, alternating between chicken and vegetables. Leave around two inches of stick exposed to hold the kabobs. A little extra oil can be brushed lightly on the vegetables if desired to keep them more tender. Discard the marinade, as you can’t use it again once the raw chicken and peppers has been in it.
- Place the kabobs on a hot grill and cook over indirect/medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Flip the kabobs halfway through the cook time. Chicken is done once cooked all the way through with no pink on the inside and the inside of the chicken measures 165 degrees with a meat thermometer. The outside should be a golden brown. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Variations For Chicken Skewers
Change the Protein – Pieces of pork tenderloin, pork loin, shrimp or steak can be substituted for chicken, but how long you cook the skewer may adjust a little.
Try Other Veggies– Add fresh mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes or even fresh pineapple to these skewers. You can also swap in any color of bell pepper, but the skewers will look more colorful if you vary the peppers. Red, yellow or orange bell peppers also tend to be slightly sweeter then green bell pepper, which sometimes works better for kids. You can also use white or sweet onions in place of purple onion
Leave Out The Heat OR Make The Dish Spicier – Cayenne pepper can be left out. I’ve found even picky eaters usually like it with just a tiny bit of cayenne which adds to the flavor, but it can be removed. You could also carefully add more cayenne peppers, or add a little hot sauce or chopped spicy pepper to the marinade.
How Long Should I Marinate These Chicken Skewers?
Marinating these chicken skewers for about an hour will give you plenty of flavor. You can marinated the chicken overnight if you want to prep ahead.
I don’t recommend marinating the chicken for longer then 24 hours. The lime juice in the marinade starts to break down the chicken too much and can make the texture kinda mushy. The texture of the chicken is pretty important to having a great dinner.
Once I tried grilling the chicken two days later as our dinner plans changed, and that’s when I discovered the texture wasn’t as great. I thought maybe my chicken had gone bad, but it didn’t make sense because it was newly purchased plus still smelled and looked fine. I looked it up and discovered pros in the kitchen don’t recommend marinating most meat longer then 24 hours. The acid in the marinade can really change the chicken if left too long, but it’s that same process that also makes it juicy so don’t leave out the lime!
I have found the most success with this recipe marinating the chicken and vegetables for about an hour for maximum flavor and tenderness.
How Do I Keep Bamboo Skewers From Burning?
If you are using bamboo skewers on the grill, they can easily char a little on the grill and burn. Soak your bamboo skewers in water for at least 10-15 minutes, but for up to an hour.
After soaking your skewers, then thread the chicken and vegetables onto the bamboo. The water keeps them from burning.
Metal skewers can also be used, and don’t have the same burning or charring issue. Metal skewers are a little harder to eat straight from the skewer as they get very hot, so I recommend removing them from the skewers for eating if you use metal.
How Long Do I Grill The Chicken?
Once marinated and on the skewers, these chicken kabobs only need 10-15 minutes on the grill over medium heat. Chicken should be cooked through, no longer pink in the center. The inside will reach 165 when tested with a meat thermometer.
What To Serve With Grilled Chicken Fajita Skewers
My favorite way to eat these kabobs is straight off the grill to my plate! These kabobs are delicious for a backyard BBQ. Serve them with fresh corn on the cob, salad, and with some cold watermelon. Black bean and corn salsa, fresh guacamole, pico de gallo or blender salsa with some chips are also all delicious on the side. The super tasty corn dip can be served hot or cold. Or try the cheesy Rotel dip in the slow cooker which will help keep it warm at the bbq.
If you are making them for a crowd and make these pineapple pork skewers too with juicy bites of pork tenderloin, or Cajun Kabobs for a kick of flavor! I also will marinate some vegetables seperatly and swap chicken for mushrooms for any vegetarians. Then cook the veggie skewers before you cook the other
You can pull these kabobs off the skewers and place all of that goodness in your favorite taco shell (soft or hard). Also try throwing leftovers over flavored rice in a bowl, over nachos, or as the meat in a quesadilla with a little sour cream or salsa for a fast lunch.
You can also serve more typical BBQ sides with these grilled chicken kabobs. Try the pesto pasta salad, Italian pasta salad or loaded baked potato salad.
Can I Bake These Chicken Fajita Kabobs In The Oven?
Bake chicken kabobs in the oven preheated to 350 degrees for 25- 30 minutes on a lightly oiled pan.
If you have chicken on the bone, my oven-baked chicken drumstick recipe will give you an idea of how long to cook. You can use this marinade with the chicken legs too!
How Long Will These Grilled Chicken Kabobs Last?
Expect these kabobs will last about 3 days if stored in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend removing the chicken and vegetables from the sticks to store them.
You can reheat leftovers in the microwave, air fryer or oven. Do not reheat in the microwave if using metal skewers, you must remove them from the skewers before reheating.
More Recipes From The Grill
Grilled Chicken Kabobs (With Fajita Marinade)
These juicy and tender chicken kabobs are perfect straight off the grill or baked in the oven. Marinated in a blend of Mexican fajita flavors, everyone will love this delicious dinner packed full of flavorful chicken, peppers, and onions.
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Cut the peppers and onions into one inch pieces, then set to the side. Prep the chicken by cutting it into one-inch pieces. Place raw chicken pieces and oil in a large bowl with a cover or a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.
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In a small bowl, combine the oregano, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Mix the seasoning until combined.
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Add the lime juice and seasoning into the bowl or bag over the chicken. Place the chicken in the marinade in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
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When ready to grill, thread the chicken, bell peppers and onions onto kabob sticks, alternating between chicken and vegetables. Leave around two inches of stick exposed to hold the kabobs. A little extra oil can be brushed lightly on the vegetables if desired to keep them more tender.
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Place the kabobs on a hot grill and cook over indirect/medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Flip the kabobs halfway through the cook time. Chicken is done once cooked all the way through with no pink on the inside and the inside of the chicken measures 165 degrees with a meat thermometer. Serve and enjoy!
If using bamboo kabob sticks soaking them ahead of time can help to keep them from burning. Place bamboo kabob sticks in a container with water and soak for at least 15-30 minutes while the chicken is marinating. It is ok to soak them for up to an hour while the chicken marinades.
This recipe can make anywhere from 10-12 skewers depending on the size of your vegetables, and how big you cut the chicken.
Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 315mg | Potassium: 383mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 910IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
