Traeger Chicken Kabobs
There’s something about food on a stick that just feels like summer, and these Traeger chicken kabobs take that feeling to the next level. These kabobs are colorful, juicy, and guaranteed to disappear faster than you can flip them!
Tender, juicy chunks of chicken, marinated until they’re bursting with bright lemon, aromatic garlic, and earthy oregano, are then threaded onto skewers with sweet bell peppers, savory mushrooms, and onion. As they hit the smoky heat of the Traeger grill, the marinade locks in every drop of flavor while giving each bite that perfect touch of wood-fired smokiness.
Fire up the grill because your new favorite kabobs are just minutes away. My step-mom makes these and always makes them look so easy – I had to give it a try myself and the recipe is SO easy!
What are traeger chicken kabobs?
These smoker chicken kabobs consist of 1-inch pieces of marinated chicken tenders with veggies, and then grilled until cooked through with delicious grill marks on all sides.
They’re perfect for serving with classic BBQ sides. Their rich texture and smokey flavor make them a crowd-pleasing favorite.
Why you’ll love traeger chicken kabobs
- Super easy to assemble with a simple marinade and veggies you already likely have on hand.
- The perfect summer dish – enjoy as a main meal or appetizer.
- The marinade makes the chicken super juicy while the veggies add a boost of nutrition.
Ingredients needed to make traeger chicken kabobs
- Chicken tenders: Cut in small pieces. You could also use chicken breast.
- Marinade: A combination of olive oil, crushed garlic, dried oregano, salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Veggies: A large onion (red or sweet), cremini mushrooms, and bell peppers.
How do you make traeger chicken kabobs?
Prepare the chicken:
- Cut chicken tenders (or breast) into 1-inch chunks. Place the pieces in a zip-top bag, food storage container, or 9×13-inch baking dish.
Marinate chicken:
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, crushed garlic, dried oregano, salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until combined.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 48 hours. The longer marinating gives more flavor.
Prepare the veggies:
- While the chicken marinates (or just before skewering), wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and trim the stems if desired.
- Cut bell peppers and onion into 1-inch pieces.
Assemble the skewers:
- Lightly spray bamboo skewers with avocado oil (or another cooking spray).
- Thread the skewers, alternating chicken, mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper as you go.
- Lay the filled skewers on a baking sheet. (You can assemble them ahead and refrigerate until grilling time.)
Grill and serve:
- Preheat your Traeger grill to 400°F.
- Place skewers on the grill and cook for 20–25 minutes, flipping once halfway through to get grill marks on both sides.
- Remove skewers with tongs.
- Let them cool slightly before handling, especially if using metal skewers.
Serving
For a complete meal, enjoy these juicy chicken traeger kabobs with comforting BBQ sides, such as Creamy Jalapeno Coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread. Alternatively, if you’re in the mood for something a bit brighter or lighter, pair your kabobs with grilled corn on the cob, Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta, pickled veggies, roasted asparagus, quinoa salad, roasted sweet potatoes.
These traeger chicken kabobs also make mouth-watering party snacks and appetizers alongside your favorite dips and finger foods, such as Boat Dip Recipe, Grilled Zucchini Corn Toasts, Italian Sliders, and more!
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Leftover traeger chicken kabobs keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Once cooled, remove the grilled chicken from the skewers and place into an airtight container to freeze for up to 2–3 months. I don’t recommend freezing the leftover veggies as these won’t hold up well to the freezing and thawing process.
- Reheat: Cover your leftover chicken kabobs with foil and reheat them in the oven at 275°F for 15-20 minutes, then uncover and cook at 400°F for 3-5 minutes.
- Make ahead: You can marinate the chicken pieces anywhere from anywhere from 1 hour to 48 hours in the fridge before smoking. You can also assemble the kabobs the day before and store in the fridge, covered, until ready to smoke.
- Use a high-smoke point oil: Using avocado oil spray to coat the grill grates in a smoker (or any grill) is a great choice as it has a high smoke point which won’t burn easily. It also has a mild flavor and won’t overpower the chicken kabobs. Lastly, it creates a good non-stick surface so that your assembled kabobs can flip easily. Grapeseed oil spray is a good alternative.
- Let the chicken rest: Resting the smoked chicken kabobs allows the juices inside to redistribute so that the meat remains moist and flavorful and you don’t end up with a plate full of leaked juices.
- Tent with foil: While optional, you can loosely tent the smoker chicken kabobs while they rest so that they don’t cool down too much before serving.
- Test for doneness: Chicken is safe to eat when a meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 165°F at its thickest section.
- Uniform pieces: Make sure to cut the chicken and veggies in uniform pieces so that the kabobs cook at an even rate and look more presentable.
- Wet the skewers: You can soak the bamboo skewers in water before assembling the kabobs to prevent them from burning while grilling. If you use metal skewers, make sure they have cooled a bit before handling.
Variations:
- Cut of chicken: Chicken tenders are the best cut of chicken for making kabobs, but you can use chicken breast instead. Even though this cut of chicken is lean, the marinade will prevent it from drying out.
- Double the recipe: Smoke more chicken kabobs when feeding a crowd. Make sure to tent the cooked kabobs as you go along to keep them warm.
- Marinade: Use a store-bought marinade for convenience or make your own from scratch by following this simple recipe. Adjust the spices to give your chicken pieces a kick of heat or a different flavor profile.
Put your traeger to good use this summer by trying my Traeger Ribeye Steak, Traeger Chicken Thighs, and Traeger Pork Tenderloins with Harissa Marinade.
More summer chicken dishes you may want to try:
- Best Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Mexican Chicken Marinade
- Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken
- Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad
- Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Get the Recipe:
Traeger Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken tenders, cut in small pieces (optional to use chicken breast)
- ½ cup olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 large onion, red or sweet
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms
- 3 bell peppers
Equipment
- 1 pkg bamboo skewers for grilling
Instructions
- Cut chicken tenders (or breast) into 1-inch chunks. Place the pieces in a zip-top bag, food storage container, or 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, crushed garlic, dried oregano, salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until combined.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 48 hours. The longer marinating gives more flavor.
- While the chicken marinates (or just before skewering), wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and trim the stems if desired.
- Cut bell peppers and onion into 1-inch pieces.
- Lightly spray bamboo skewers with avocado oil (or another cooking spray).
- Thread the skewers, alternating chicken, mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper as you go.
- Lay the filled skewers on a baking sheet. (You can assemble them ahead and refrigerate until grilling time.)
- Preheat your Traeger grill to 400°F.
- Place skewers on the grill and cook for 20–25 minutes, flipping once halfway through to get grill marks on both sides.
- Remove skewers with tongs.
- Let them cool slightly before handling, especially if using metal skewers.
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Storage: Leftover traeger chicken kabobs keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Once cooled, remove the grilled chicken from the skewers and place into an airtight container to freeze for up to 2–3 months. I don’t recommend freezing the leftover veggies as these won’t hold up well to the freezing and thawing process.
- Reheat: Cover your leftover chicken kabobs with foil and reheat them in the oven at 275°F for 15-20 minutes, then uncover and cook at 400°F for 3-5 minutes.
- Make ahead: You can marinate the chicken pieces anywhere from anywhere from 1 hour to 48 hours in the fridge before smoking. You can also assemble the kabobs the day before and store in the fridge, covered, until ready to smoke.
- Use a high-smoke point oil: Using avocado oil spray to coat the grill grates in a smoker (or any grill) is a great choice as it has a high smoke point which won’t burn easily. It also has a mild flavor and won’t overpower the chicken kabobs. Lastly, it creates a good non-stick surface so that your assembled kabobs can flip easily. Grapeseed oil spray is a good alternative.
- Wet the skewers: You can soak the bamboo skewers in water before assembling the kabobs to prevent them from burning while grilling. If you use metal skewers, make sure they have cooled a bit before handling.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
