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Easy Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

ByStephanie Wilson Updated on
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Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers, also called chicken teriyaki kabobs, are a simple, savory-sweet grilling recipe made with tender chicken, peppers, onions, zucchini, and an easy homemade teriyaki marinade. They're colorful, quick to prep, and perfect for summer dinners, cookouts, and BBQs.

Love teriyaki flavors? Try this easy Teriyaki Steak and Rice recipe, or for a more classic grilled chicken flavor, try this easy Grilled Chicken Marinade made with lemon, honey, garlic, and herbs.

Top view of Teriyaki Chicken Skewers on a slate board with grilled zucchini bell peppers and onions

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What I Love About This Recipe

Living near Seattle, teriyaki has always felt like a local favorite. It's the kind of quick, savory-sweet dinner we love as much as pizza or burgers - especially when threaded onto skewers with summer vegetables and cooked on the grill.

This easy teriyaki chicken kabob recipe uses simple ingredients and is perfect for summer grilling parties, game day tailgating, or picnics at the park. I love that the chicken, peppers, onions, and zucchini all cook together on the grill for a colorful, flavorful dinner with very little fuss.

If you love quick weeknight dinners with Asian inspired sauce, try this easy chicken and broccoli recipe for meals in 15 minutes or less.

Tips for Grilling Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs

  1. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are flavorful and stay juicy on the grill. Chicken breasts also work, but they can dry out more quickly, so watch the cooking time carefully.
  2. Cut the chicken into at least 1-inch cubes, preferably 1-½ inch cubes. If the thighs are difficult to cube, cut them into long strips and fold them over on themselves when skewering.
  3. Do not marinate longer than 3 to 4 hours. The chicken can become too soft or dry in texture if left too long in the marinade.
  4. Make sure the meat and veggies are cut to a similar size.
  5. When cooking with wooden skewers, look for bamboo. And be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Thread the skewer so that the meat and veggies bump up against each other for even cooking.
  7. Set up two zones on your grill, a hot side and a cool side. Begin cooking on the hot side and as they begin to char, move to the cooler side to finish cooking.
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Top view of chicken skewers on a slate serving board with watermelon and pasta salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use the same vegetables?

No! I've just chosen these as they cook best on skewers, but anything cut to a similar size that tastes great on the grill will work! I often add juicy chunks of pineapple to the skewers, too!

Can I use a pre-made teriyaki marinade?

Of course! But I like making it from scratch as I think it tastes better, and I can control which ingredients go into it.

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work well for teriyaki chicken kabobs. Cut them into even pieces and grill just until cooked through so they stay juicy.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers close up with bell peppers, onion and zucchini.
Four teriyaki chicken skewers with grilled vegetables are arranged on a rectangular slate serving platter, placed on a rustic wooden surface.
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Grilled Chicken Teriyaki Skewers

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers, a savory and sweet BBQ favorite, is an easy go-to dinner idea everyone will love, all season long.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 kabobs

Equipment

Ingredients

Marinade:

  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon seasoning salt

Meat:

  • 1 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 32 1 to 1-½ inch pieces

Veggies:

  • 12 fresh mushrooms whole
  • small zucchini or summer squash cut into 8, 1-inch pieces
  • large peppers cut into pieces
  • large onion cut into wedges
  • 12 cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  • Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large, resealable plastic food bag. Reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade; set aside. Add the chicken pieces. Tightly seal the bag. Turn the bag several times to coat chicken well. Place in 13 x 9-inch pan. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, about 3 hours. Refrigerate the reserved marinade.
  • When you're ready to grill, drain the meat and discard the marinade. On metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternate meat, mushrooms, zucchini, green pepper, onion, and tomatoes.
  • Place the kabobs onto the grill. Grill, turning and brushing occasionally with the reserved marinade until chicken reaches at least 175°F. or until juices run clear when pierced with a fork (15 to 20 minutes).
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Notes

If you're using wooden skewers soak them in advance of assembly to make sure they don't catch fire and burn on the grill.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 874mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g
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Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Stephanie Wilson

Cookbook Author, Food Writer, and Chef

Stephanie Wilson is the founder of 31Daily.com, where she shares seasonal recipes, weekly meal plans, and teatime favorites to help readers gather around the table with joy. A certified private chef, cookbook author, and longtime event planner, she brings over 20 years of experience in catering, food writing, and media production—including network television work as a producer, director, and writer. Her work has been featured by Today.com, The Kitchn, Parade, and more.

5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

  2. Deeeelish! I only had about an hour to marinate and still turned out so flavorful. I used the couple of tablespoons of the marinade set aside for basting to pour over my veggies as I don't put them on skewers before grilling and was more than enough for 8 cups of veggies.

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