Air Fryer Chicken Kabobs

Air Fryer Chicken Kabobs are incredibly delicious! A honey soy marinade makes the air-fried chicken flavorful and tender. Load up skewers with marinated chicken and veggies, air fry, and dinner is done in a jiffy.

Overhead view of air fryer chicken kabobs on a square white platter.


This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Quick and Easy Chicken Kabobs

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to cook kabobs in your air fryer? Well, yes, it is, and it’s a quick and easy process. In fact, you can make any kind of kabobs on skewers in your air fryer – beef, lamb, pork, shrimp, fruits, and vegetables.

Note that kabobs can be spelled kebabs or kababs – they are the same thing, just different arrangements of vowels.

Air fryer chicken skewers make for a light and refreshing meal – perfect not just for spring or summer but for any time of the year. Tender breast pieces of chicken and vegetables are marinated in simple spices and then air fried until tender and juicy. 

Why You Should Try This Chicken Kabobs in Air Fryer Recipe

You can dispense with the grill and make these air fryer chicken kabobs in your kitchen quickly and easily. They are so good everyone will think they were grilled! In fact, if you want a grill mark on your air fryer chicken kabobs, place them on a trivet/rack inside the air fryer basket.

One of the pleasures of cooking with an air fryer is that you can cook indoors when it’s too hot outside to barbeque. This chicken shish kabobs in air fryer recipe gives you a great appetizer or a healthy and delicious dinner the whole family will love.

Is Air-Fried Chicken Healthy?

Air frying uses 80% less fat than traditional frying, making it a much healthier alternative. The usual deep-fried recipe needs 2 to 3 cups of oil, whereas with the air fryer, you only need about a tablespoon. 

Air Fryer Chicken Kebabs – Ingredients You Will Need

Here’s a handy list for this chicken kabobs recipe. The exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below.

  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Honey
  • Soy sauce
  • Olive oil
  • Zucchini
  • Red onion
  • Yellow bell pepper
  • Green bell pepper
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Garlic
  • Paprika
  • Salt and pepper
  • Cilantro or parsley for garnishing
Air fryer chicken kabobs ingredients.

How to Make This Chicken Kabobs in Air Fryer Recipe

These air fryer chicken skewers are easy to put together. Here are the basic steps: 

  1. Combine the honey, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, and seasonings.
  2. Pour the mixture over the chicken (reserving 1/4 cup). 
  3. Cover and marinate for 30 to 60 minutes.
  4. Assemble the kabobs. 
  5. Cook in the air fryer at 375°F for 15 minutes. Halfway through, flip the kabobs and brush with the remaining sauce.
Collage of making air fryer chicken kabobs.

Recipe Notes

  • Cut the chicken and vegetables into even-sized pieces, so they cook evenly
  • You can reserve a portion of the sauce for dipping (or make extra). However, be sure it’s not any sauce that has touched the raw chicken but a new or completely reserved portion.
  • Be sure to first measure your wooden skewers to make sure they fit inside the air fryer.
  • Soak wooden skewers in water for a few minutes while the chicken is marinating. This will stop them from burning during cooking.
  • If you use metal skewers, be careful not to burn your hands when picking them up from the air fryer.
  • Your skewers will be hot while rotating, so be sure to wear protection.
  • Depending on your combinations, you may have leftover pieces of veggies. Consider creating veggie-only kabobs with those.
  • The ingredients on the kabobs will shrink slightly while cooking.
  • Some juices will drain below the basket. Collect and spoon them over the kabobs. Or keep for other uses.
Air fried chicken kabobs on a white plate.

Recipe Variations

These air fryer chicken shish kabobs have the advantages of being keto and low-carb. Here are some ways to change them up if you choose:

  • Use other veggie combos – mushrooms, carrots, small florets of cauliflower and broccoli.
  • If you like heat, add some hot peppers.

You can also vary the marinade for this air fryer chicken kabob recipe. Here are some suggestions:

Lemon Garlic Marinade

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (from 2 fresh lemons)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Greek Yogurt Marinade

Marinate for a few hours as the yogurt’s mild acidity will tenderize the chicken.

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, turmeric, cayenne, and paprika
  • Salt and paper
  • Juice of a lemon (1/2 for the marinade and 1/2 for squeezing over the cooked kabobs

Apple Ginger Marinade

Ancho Chili Marinade

Ancho chilies, cumin, oregano, garlic, onion. Get the ancho chili chicken marinade recipe.

How to Serve Air Fryer Chicken Kebabs

Chicken kabobs are great as an appetizer when entertaining, or as a light dinner the whole family will appreciate.

Serve your air fryer chicken kabobs over buttery rice, wild rice, or with tortillas or garlic bread to round out the meal.

The following side dishes would pair well with air-fried chicken kabobs:

How to Store Air Fryer Chicken Shish Kabobs

Fridge: Leftover cooked chicken kabobs can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Frozen cooked kabobs will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheat: If the kabobs are frozen, allow them to thaw first. You have several reheating options. Click here for information on how to prevent your chicken kabobs from drying out when reheating.

How to Flash Freeze Kabobs 

You can enjoy this family-friendly dinner on a busy weeknight. Make batches of kabobs ahead of time, pop them in the freezer, then air fry straight from frozen – no thawing required! Yes, it really is that easy. Here’s what to do:

  1. Freeze your kabobs in a single layer on a baking sheet before packaging them for long-term storage. This will ensure they freeze quickly and evenly.
  2. After your kabobs are flash-frozen, wrap the whole baking sheet in heavy-duty aluminum foil, or move the frozen skewers to zip-top freezer bags. 
  3. When cooking from frozen, add an additional 8 to 10 minutes of cooking time. 
Four air fryer chicken kabobs.

Favorite Air Fryer Recipes

Check out more of my easy chicken recipes and the best air fryer recipes on CopyKat!

Overhead view of air fryer chicken kabobs on a square white platter.

Air Fryer Chicken Kabobs

Air-fried chicken kabobs are delicious, healthy, and easy to make for dinner.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Air Fryer Recipes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chilling: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 228kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breast cubed into 2″ pieces
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 zucchini chopped
  • ½ red onion cut into large chunks
  • 1 yellow bell pepper cut into large chunks
  • 1 Green bell pepper cut into large chunks
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, and seasonings. Mix until well blended.
  • Pour the mixture over the chicken, reserving about ¼ cup for later. Cover and allow to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • When the chicken is ready, begin to assemble your kabobs. Add a piece of chicken, followed by tomatoes, zucchini, onion, and peppers. Or create a combination of your choice.
  • When all of your kabobs are assembled, place 3-4 (depending on your air fryer size) in the bottom of the air fryer.
  • Air fry the kabobs at 375°F for 15 minutes. Halfway through, flip the kabobs, brushing the other side of the chicken pieces with the remaining sauce.
  • When the kabobs are done, serve immediately as a main course or appetizer.

Notes

You can also reserve a portion of the sauce for dipping. However, be sure it’s not sauce that has touched the raw chicken but a new or completely reserved portion.
Be sure to measure your wooden skewers to make sure they fit inside the air fryer before you continue.
Your skewers will be hot while rotating, be sure to wear protection.
The ingredients on the kabobs will shrink slightly while cooking.
Depending on your combinations, you may have leftover pieces of veggies. Consider creating veggie kabobs for those.
Be sure to cut all the veggies into a similar size to the cubed chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1987mg | Potassium: 635mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 604IU | Vitamin C: 98mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

REVEALED: Copycat Secrets for 2023

free email bonus

Yes, you CAN make it at home! I'll show you how.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




homemade Olive Garden Asiago Torgelloni Alfredo with chicken on a plate

Copycat Recipe Secrets for 2024

REVEALED:

Yes, you CAN make it at home! 
I'll show you how.

FREE EMAIL BONUS