These Air Fryer Chicken Kebabs are a meal that the whole family are going to love. Juicy and succulent chicken coated in a smoky seasoning and ready in just 20 minutes. Chicken Kebabs in the air fryer are the BEST was to cook them, as they get crispy on the outside, but still juicy tender chicken inside.
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We are big fans of any kind of chicken on a stick, but these air fryer chicken skewers (or chicken kebabs - whatever you want to call them) are up there as some of the best.
SO simple to make, as you just mix everything in a bowl, easy to adapt with different seasoning, and cooks in just 20 minutes and you get the most perfectly cooked, juicy, air fryer kebabs.
If you are looking for more air fryer chicken recipes, then why not try our crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, juicy Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks, delicious Buffalo Chicken Thighs or our super simple Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken - We used boneless and skinless chicken thighs, as they give the juiciest results. You can use chicken breast instead, which is leaner, but you won't get the same flavour. It tends to dry out quicker in the air fryer too.
- Oil - A good quality olive oil.
- Lemon - This adds a lovely freshness to the marinade.
- Salt and pepper - Generously season.
- Yogurt - This is the base of the marinade as it tenderises the chicken and keeps it juicy.
- Paprika, garlic, onion and cayenne - This is what we have used as our seasoning blend and it adds an amazing smoky and spicy flavour. Feel free to adjust the spice depending on your preferences.
Variations
Vegetables - We kept these kebabs as just chicken, but you could add a bit of vegetable in between each piece of chicken. Veggies that work well are red onion, bell peppers, aubergine (eggplant), courgette (zucchini) and mushrooms.
Protein - You don't have to use chicken, you can swap it for beef, pork or even lamb. This would change the cooking time and the nutritional information though.
Seasoning - Really, anything goes when it comes to marinated chicken kebabs in the air fryer. Whatever your favourite seasoning blend is, it will work on kebabs in air fryer. You could use Italian seasoning, Fajita Seasoning, Peri Peri Seasoning or Cajun Seasoning. You could even mix some curry paste in with the yogurt for more of an Indian flavour.
Sauce - If you want to take the flavour up a level, then a couple of minutes before the air fryer chicken kebabs are cooked, brush them with our Healthy Homemade BBQ Sauce and put them back in the air fryer. SO good. You could do this with buffalo sauce too or even a drizzle of honey.
How to Make Chicken Kebabs in the Air Fryer
- Step 1: Chop the chicken and trim off any large bits of fat. Put all the ingredients into a bowl.
- Step2 : Mix well to coat all of the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Step 3: Thread the chicken onto skewers.
- Step 4: Put the skewers into your air fryer. You may need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Step 5: Cook at 200°C for 10 minutes, then flip the skewers over.
- Step 6: Cook for a further 10 minutes at 200°C.
Serving Suggestions
These air fryer kebabs are so good for feeding a crowd, and great for entertaining. We like to make up a big board piled high with kebabs and add the traditional sides.
Like in the photo, we served them with flatbreads, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber, Kebab Shop Chilli Sauce, Kebab Shop Garlic Sauce, and Air Fryer Aubergines. Some homemade Tzatziki also goes really well with them.
How Long To Cook Chicken Kebabs In The Air Fryer
Every air fryer cooks differently. They only took 20 minutes in our air fryer, but they might be done in 18 minutes in yours, or even take up to 24 minutes. So check them from 18 minutes.
The best way to ensure that it is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. Chicken is cooked when it has an internal temperature of 75°C/167°F at the thickest part of the meat.
Storage
Store: Leftover air fryer chicken kebabs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can even freeze them before they have been cooked and cook them from frozen - just add an extra 8-10 minutes to cooking time. You can freeze them after they have been cooked, but they do tend to get a little dry after thawing and reheating.
Defrost: Defrost them in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: You can reheat them in the air fryer until heated through.
Tips for the BEST Air Fryer Chicken Skewers
- Chop your chicken pieces into the same size pieces so that they all cook at the same rate.
- Make sure you set aside 30 minutes (15 minute minimum) for marinating the chicken, as it really does make a difference. You can marinate it overnight if you like.
- You need to make sure that your skewers fit in your air fryer before you start assembling them.
- If you are using wooden skewers, then soak them in water for 30 minutes before using them, as this will stop them burning in the air fryer. If using metal skewers, make sure you pick them up with tongs to stop you burning yourself.
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket. You need to make sure there is enough room for the air to circulate around them so they get nice and crispy when you air fry them. You can always cook them in batches if needed, as they need to be in a single layer.
- Check your air fryer instructions, as some need to be pre-heated first.
- Lightly oil the chicken skewers before they go in the air fryer. This is to stop them from sticking to the basket.
Frequently Asked Questions
We really can't rate the Ninja Foodi Max Duel highly enough. It has a huge 9.5 litre capacity, that allows you to cook two different things at once and it has 6 different cooking functions. It is 65% more efficient than an oven and uses 75% less fat than traditional cooking. And, it is also dishwasher safe.
Yes! We recommend you do! You can marinate the chicken in advance and you can even thread the skewers and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. They might need a couple more minutes if cooking straight from the fridge.
More Chicken Skewer Recipes
If you've tried this air fryer kebabs recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken thighs - skinless & boneless; cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoon of Olive oil
- 0.5 Lemon - juice only
- 2 pinch of Sea salt
- 2 pinch of Ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoon of Plain yogurt
- 0.5 tablespoon of Paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon of Garlic granules
- 0.5 teaspoon of Onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon of Cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients into a bowl.
- Mix well to coat all of the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Thread the chicken onto skewers.
- Put the skewers into your air fryer. You may need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Cook on the Air Fry setting at 200°C/400°F for 10 minutes, then flip the skewers over.
- Cook for a further 10 minutes on the Air Fry setting at 200°C/400°F.
Recipe Video
Recipe Tips
- Chop your chicken into the same size pieces so that they all cook at the same rate.
- Make sure you set aside 30 minutes (15 minute minimum) for marinating the chicken, as it really does make a difference. You can marinate it overnight if you like.
- You need to make sure that your skewers fit in your air fryer before you start assembling them.
- If you are using wooden skewers, then soak them in water for 30 minutes before using them, as this will stop them burning in the air fryer.
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket. You need to make sure there is enough room for the air to circulate around them so they get nice and crispy. You can always cook them in batches if needed.
- Check your air fryer instructions, as some need to be pre-heated first.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Charah says
Perfectly seasoned and cooked to juicy perfection, thanks for sharing.
TAYLER ROSS says
I made these chicken kabobs for dinner last night and they were perfect! I loved using my air fryer instead of the grillq
dana says
These turned out great in the air fryer! So tender, juicy, and flavorful. Thanks for the recipe!
Beth says
Making these in the air fryer is the best thing ever! They cook so fast, and they're so juicy on the inside and nicely crusted on the outside. Fantastic.