Air Fryer Chicken Skewers (Shish Kebab)

Two chicken shish kebabs on sticks laying on top of salad and pitta bread on a white plate.

5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Chicken Skewers (Shish Kebab)

These Air Fryer Chicken Skewers are deliciously tender and juicy and make the perfect filling for a shish kebab (or kabob). No air fryer? You can easily cook these under the grill too!

Prep Time15

Cook Time17

Marinating Time30

Total Time1 2

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: International

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: skewers

Calories: 127kcal

Author: Lauren Woodger

Equipment

Ingredients

For The Skewers

3 medium chicken breasts chopped into equal chunks
½ medium green pepper chopped into square chunks
½ medium yellow pepper chopped into square chunks
1 small red onion chopped into square chunks
olive oil spray

For The Marinade

60 g dairy free coconut yoghurt or any plain unsweetened yoghurt
1 teaspoon garlic paste or 2 crushed garlic cloves
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Zest from 1 lemon

Metric - Us Customary

Instructions

If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.
In a large bowl, mix together the coconut yoghurt, garlic paste, turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and lemon zest to make the marinade.
Cut the chicken into chunks, add to the bowl and toss to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or ideally overnight).
Whilst the chicken is marinating, chop the peppers and onions into equal sized squares.
Preheat the air fryer to 175˚C / 350˚F or grill to 180˚C.
Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers, alternating between the different ingredients.

If Using The Air Fryer

Spray the air fryer tray with some olive oil and give the kebabs a spray too and cook for 15-17 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F (74˚C), Turn them halfway through.

If Using The Grill

Grill the skewers for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through.
Serve the chicken kebabs with some pitta, salad and chilli sauce for extra authenticity

Notes

Tips & Tricks

If you are using wooden skewers, you will need to soak them in water for 10 minutes or so prior to using them so they don’t burn when in the air fryer or under the grill.
Try and cut the chicken breast into equal size chunks, this way it should all cook evenly.
Use a meat thermometer to check if the chicken is cooked. Once it reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F (74˚C) it is safe to eat. No more tough, overcooked dry chicken - trust me, it will be a game changer!
Keep checking the chicken every few minutes, as timings will vary with different makes and models of air fryers. This recipe was cooked in the Instant Pot Vortex Plus.

Serve with pitta bread (gluten free if needed) stuff it with some shredded iceberg lettuce, kebab shop red cabbage, raw sliced onion, tomatoes and cucumber.

Lay your chicken skewers on top, squirt over some chilli sauce, squeeze over a wedge of lemon and tuck in!

If using metal skewers you will need to make sure they are short enough to fit in your air fryer, if using wooden ones you can snap them to fit.

Nutrition