Keto Chicken Shish Kabobs Recipe

Enjoy these delicious low carb chicken shish kabobs right off the skewers — no forks needed! Tender chicken thighs are marinated and then grilled for an easy summer dish with tons of flavor.

I love grilling when the weather’s nice. It’s an easy way to cook with minimal clean up. And it adds delicious flavor to everything you make!

These low carb chicken shish kabobs are one of my favorites. With the Mexican spice blend and bell pepper slices, they taste like fajitas on skewers. 

And the recipe is so easy to make! The marinade comes together in minutes, then the chicken and vegetables marinate for a day. Once everything is ready, just assemble the skewers and grill them up!

Marinating the meat for a day will give it the best flavor. So this recipe does require some planning ahead, but the steps are quite simple.

Also, smaller pieces allow the marinade to soak into more of the meat. It’s hard to grill small pieces of meat by themselves. But when they’re on a skewer, it’s no problem!

This means you’ll end up with super flavorful pieces of chicken. Then, cooking them on the grill adds that delicious smoky flavor.

It’s the kind of dish you’ll want to make all summer long!

How to make low carb chicken shish kabobs

This easy summer recipe is simple to prep and serve.

• Season the chopped thighs. In a large bowl, season the chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne powder and half of ground cumin seed. Add the chopped garlic on top.
• Let the meat absorb the delicious spices. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for 1 hour.

• Prepare the rest of the shish kabob marinade. Mix together the sweetener and the apple cider vinegar.

• Transfer chicken to a gallon size zipper bag with additional seasoning. Add in celery leaves, lime juice, and the apple cider vinegar mixture.

• Add peppers and onion (if using) to the gallon bag and seal. A mixture of red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and jalapeño or green chili are used.
• Place bag in the refrigerator to marinate. Allow at least 24 hours for the flavors to soak in.

• Layer each kabob stick with alternating pieces of meat and vegetable slices to form chicken shish kabobs. Top each with a sprinkling of smoked paprika and the remaining cumin. Once finished, don’t discard the bag of marinade.

• Grill for about 5 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Baste with the leftover marinade as you go.

That’s it! Once they’re cooked, your shish kabobs will be ready to enjoy right away.

Making chicken kabobs in the oven

If you don’t have a grill or the weather isn’t cooperating, you can also make chicken kabobs in the oven!

Soak the kabob sticks in water to prevent them from burning. Then, follow all the normal steps until you’ve threaded the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers. 

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, place a baking rack on top, then put the kabobs on the rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 450°F, turning halfway through, until chicken is cooked through.

What is a shish kabob?

Shish kabob comes from Turkish words meaning “skewer” and “roast meat.” It can also be spelled shish kebab.

I really love the flavors I get from this chicken recipe. However, steak is another delicious option! Or, for a lighter dish, you could try shrimp kabobs.

Feel free to try out other meats for this recipe.

What vegetables should you add?

To keep my chicken shish kabob recipe low carb, I like to use peppers. You can add onions if you prefer, but I tend to leave them out.

The combination of peppers and the spices provide a delicious fajita flavor!

You can use more vegetables if you like. Zucchini slices, yellow squash slices, mushrooms, and tomatoes are other popular options.

Just be aware that the vegetables and the quantity you use will change the amount of carbs in the dish.

Other recipes to try

Looking for more tasty and flavorful low carb chicken recipes? Check out a few of these favorites:

• Keto Chicken Nuggets are always a big hit with the kids because they taste just as good as regular nuggets!
• Paleo White Chicken Chili is a thick, hearty soup made without dairy that’s perfect for chilly days.
• Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry made with broccoli is low carb, paleo friendly, and easy to whip up!
• Thai Chicken Salad is so delicious and simple to prepare with budget friendly ingredients.
• Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole comes together quickly for a hearty weeknight dinner that’s satisfying and full of flavor!

Keto Chicken Shish Kabobs Recipe

If you’re looking for a way to enjoy fajitas on the grill, give these keto chicken shish kabobs a try. For more low-carb outdoor cooking, you may also enjoy an easy foil pack Cajun chicken and veggies.

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Chicken Fajita Kebabs

Author: Lisa MarcAurele

3.67 from 6 votes

Fire up the grill for these yummy marinated chicken fajita kebabs skewers. You’ll love them as a low carb appetizer or meal. Perfect for summer barbecue!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time8 mins

Total Time18 mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

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Servings 6

Calories 158

Ingredients

• ▢ 6 skinless chicken thighs chopped into pieces
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon cayenne powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin seed
• ▢ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ¼ cup lime juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Sukrin Gold or 5 drops SweetLeaf stevia clear
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic chopped
• ▢ 1 medium green bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 1 medium red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 1 jalapeño or green chili
• ▢ ½ cup celery leaves
• ▢ 2 tablespoons to 3 water
• ▢ salt & pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 medium red onion optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Season chicken thigh fillet with salt, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne powder and half of ground cumin seed. Top with garlic. Marinate for 1 hour inside the refrigerator then transfer to a ziplock plastic bag.
• Add sweetener (Sukrin Gold or stevia) to apple cider vinegar.
• Drizzle lime juice and apple cider vinegar mixture over seasoned chicken fillet.
• Add celery leaves, red bell pepper, green bell pepper,jalapeño or green chili, and onion (if using)
• Marinate seasoned chicken fillet for 24 hours.
• Arrange pieces on a barbeque stick. Get one piece of chicken fillet, add celery leaf on one side and fold then place on a stick. Do this to all the chicken fillet. Alternately add chicken and bell pepper onto the stick. Add in red onion slices if using.
• Sprinkle smoked paprika and the remaining cumin.
• Grill for about 5 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Use the remaining marinade mixture for basting.
• Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional data based on 6 skewers

Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart

Nutrition

Serving: 1skewer | Calories: 158 | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1070IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Additional Info

Net Carbs: 4 g | % Carbs: 10.7 % | % Protein: 59.1 % | % Fat: 30.2 % | SmartPoints: 3

Values

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(
    [serving_size] => 1
    [calories] => 158
    [carbohydrates] => 6
    [protein] => 22
    [fat] => 5
    [saturated_fat] => 1
    [cholesterol] => 107
    [sodium] => 197
    [fiber] => 2
    [sugar] => 2
    [serving_unit] => skewer
    [potassium] => 424
    [vitamin_a] => 1070
    [vitamin_c] => 46
    [calcium] => 22
    [iron] => 1
)

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Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

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Originally Published: August 12, 2016… Last Updated: June 2, 2020