Peruvian Style Oven Chicken Kabobs

Eating Works @eatingworks
by Eating Works @eatingworks
6 kebobs
25 min

You’re going to absolutely love these Peruvian style chicken kabobs because they bring the flavor and convenience of grilled chicken into your kitchen. You don’t need to stand out in the rain or face icy weather to enjoy the smoky South Western flavor of chicken kabobs.

oven chicken kabobs, Peruvian Style Oven Chicken Kabobs

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Table of Contents







Peruvian Style Oven Chicken Kabobs


You can get the same taste by making them in your oven! In this post I’m going to show you how to make the juiciest, tenderest and most flavorful Peruvian style chicken kabobs right in your oven!

Peruvian style chicken oven kabobs on a grill pan with pickled red onions and a white dipping sauce
Why You’ll Love These Baked Peruvian Chicken Kabobs


  • Gluten Free
  • Paleo Friendly
  • Clean
  • Few Ingredients
  • Little Clean Up
  • Almost No Prep
  • Soy Free
  • Nut Free
  • Dairy Free
  • Keto Friendly
  • Low Carb Friendly


Do You Have To Grill the Chicken Before Putting It In The Oven?


While I like to grill my chicken before putting it in the oven you don’t have to. Searing the chicken kabobs on the grill pan will create a nice sear on the outside of the chicken. This sear adds a great smokey flavor to the kebobs similar to grilling. However if you skip this step the kabobs will still taste great!

They will just take longer to cook. So in order to compensate for that add another 20 minutes to the cook time. Just be vigilant and constantly check the chicken. You don’t want to over cook them!


Ingredients for Peruvian style oven chicken kabobs


  • Chicken Breasts
  • Lemon
  • Olive Oil
  • Peruvian Spice Blend


What Is Peruvian Spice Blend?


The Peruvian Spice Blend is a seasoning rub that developed and sell on Eating Works. It’s a South Western inspired spice blend is the secret weapon that brings simple food to life. Peruvian spice blend is perfect to use as a rub for chicken or fish but it’s versatile enough to use on vegetables, dips, dressings and even in stews!

jar of Peruvian spice blend

You can read more about the blend here!


Where Can You Buy Your Own Bottle?


You can purchase a bottle of Peruvian Spice Blend here!


Do I Have to Buy Peruvian Spice Blend To Make Oven Chicken Kabobs?


Nope! If you want to make these oven roasted chicken kabobs with what you have on hand you can make your own Peruvian spice blend!


How To Make Your Own Peruvian Spice Blend


The ingredients for 1 serving of the blend can be found in the recipe card for my popular Peruvian Salmon Recipe. Scroll to the bottom of the post to find the exact recipe in the recipe card.


How to make Peruvian style bakes chicken kabobs


Here are the simple step by step instructions to follow to make perfectly crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside Peruvian style oven chicken kabobs. For the full ingredient amounts check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post!


  • Step 1: Soak wooden skewers in water and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a sharp boning knife slice the chicken into one inch cubes.
  • Step 2: In a ziplock bag combine the chicken, lemon, olive oil and spices. Shake the bag to combine ingredients and let marinate in the fridge for 4 to 12 hours.
  • Step 3: Place 4 pieces of chicken on skewer. Heat a large grill pan and sear the skewers for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the grill pan with the kabobs to the oven. Rotate the kabobs every 7 minutes. Cook for 15 minutes total.
step by step photos showing how to slice chicken and marinate it.
step by step photos showing how to grill chicken kabobs on a grill pan
Equipment to make Peruvian style oven chicken kabobs


Part of what I love about this chicken recipe is that you don’t need any fancy equipment! You’re going to need the basics like a:


  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Measuring Spoon
  • Oven Safe Grill Pan
  • Wooden Or Metal Skewers


Alternatives to Oven Safe Grill Pan


There is one special ingredient that I do recommend. An oven safe grill pan. Using an oven safe grill pan will allow you to sear the kabobs on the stove top before finishing them in the oven. All without having to transfer the kabobs to baking sheet. Grilling the kabobs first is a great way to add extra smokey grilled flavor.

An oven safe grill will reduce cleanup and mess by limiting the number of pans you have to clean.

Peruvian style chicken oven kabobs on a grill pan with pickled red onions and a white dipping sauce

What Can You Use If You Don’t Have An Oven Safe Grill Pan?


  1. Grill Pan That Is Not Oven Safe: If you don’t have an oven safe grill pan don’t sweat it! You can grill the kabobs on a regular grill pan and then transfer them to a foil lined baking sheet.
  2. No Grill Pan: If you have no grill pan you can skip the searing step and simply roast the kabobs in the oven on a foil lined baking sheet. Just add 20 minutes to the cook time. Or you can use a skillet to sear the kabobs instead of a grill pan.


Ingredient Substitutions for Baked Peruvian Chicken Kabobs


Another great thing about this recipe is that it’s so versatile that you can easily substitute almost any ingredient. Think of the recipe as a basic framework for how to make the perfect oven roasted chicken kabobs. You can swap out the spice blends, the type of oil or even the kind of chicken and still have great tasting skewers.


  • Chicken Breast: I like using boneless and skinless chicken breast because it’s easy to work with. But you could use chicken thighs. You’ll just have to trim the skin off.
  • Lemon: You can use lime instead or a splash of vinegar.
  • Olive Oil: If you don’t have olive oil on hand you can use butter, ghee or coconut oil.


Tricks for making oven chicken kabobs


Making chicken kabobs in the oven may seem intimidating at first. I know that I was a bit skeptical about making kabobs in the oven instead of on the grill. I hate making messes in my kitchen. Kabobs always come out great on the grill and there is no mess! But I was shocked at how gleaming a few tricks made the process easy and clean. Here are my top tips for making amazing baked chicken kabobs in the oven!


Soak skewers


I recommend using wooden skewers for easy clean up. Since wood tends to burn you should soak them in water before you use them. Soaking the skewers in water for 10 minutes will prevent them from burning. If you’re in a rush just give them a quick rinse under a running faucet.


Marinate Chicken


There are three main reasons why it’s always a good idea to marinate chicken before baking it. Marinating chicken before you cook it will:


  • Make it More Tender (tenderize)
  • Add Moisture which will prevent the chicken from drying out in the oven.
  • Add flavor. Marinating chicken will allow the flavors from the marinade to absorb into the meat. This adds flavor to the whole piece of chicken instead of just flavoring the surface.


How Long to Cook Chicken for Baked Chicken Kabobs


  • 165 internal temp


Tips for Easy Clean Up


The biggest reason I like making these Peruvian Chicken Kabobs is because the clean up is easy. With these tips and tricks you can make chicken kabobs with virtually zero mess to clean up.


Disposable Kabob (Wooden Skewers)


Use disposable wooden skewers so that you can chuck them in the trash when you’re done. I like using wood skewers because you don’t have to worry about running out of skewers like you would if you used metal ones. The most obvious reason I prefer wood is because you don’t have to clean them.

Make sure you soak the skewers in water before cooking to prevent them from burning.


Aluminum Foil


If you don’t use aluminum foil to line your grill pan you’re going to have a greasy mess. Of course you can use course salt to clean your grill pan after you cook the kabobs. But why would you want to? Line the grill pan with aluminum foil to protect the cooking surface from getting dirty. When you’re done simply toss the foil and put away your clean grill pan.


Marinate in a Plastic Bag


For the sake of making pretty photos I marinated the chicken in a mixing bowl. I make this recipe for my family all of the time. When I’m cooking oven roasted chicken kabobs during the week I use a ziplock bag to marinate them so that I can just toss the bag when I’m done.

Using a ziplock bag or another brand of plastic bag will also keep your fridge clean. Sealing the bag will prevent unwanted spills in the fridge.


What Does Kabob Mean?


A kabob (also sometimes spelled “kebab”) means a meal that consists of chunks of meat, fish, or vegetables which are roasted or grilled on a skewer.


What Marinade is Best for Chicken Kabobs?


The best kind of marinade for chicken kabobs is one that has flavors you enjoy! A good marinade is always made up of three ingredients:


  1. A fat for moisture.
  2. An acid for flavor and to tenderize the chicken.
  3. Dried and fresh spices and herbs to add flavor.


As long as you have a fat like olive oil, an acid like vinegar or citrus and spices your chicken kabobs will always come out tasting amazing.

When choosing a fat make sure to use one that remains liquid in cold temperatures. You’ll need to marinate your chicken kabobs in the fridge to prevent food spoilage.

So a fat that will stay liquid in colder temperatures will help keep the chicken coated. Butter would not be a good choice since it would harden and not coat the chicken evenly.


How Long Does it Take to Cook Chicken Kabobs in the Oven?


Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees in order to be done. In a 400 degree oven chicken kabobs will take 15 minutes to cook if they were seared on a grill pan first. If the kabobs were not started on the stove top they will take 40 minutes.

The time could vary depending on how big the pieces of chicken are. The smaller the pieces are the faster they will cook. It’s best to stay on top of the skewers to make sure that they don’t get over cooked.


Can You Put Wood Skewers in the Oven?


Yes you can put wooden skewers in the oven. Soak them in water first for 10 minutes so they don’t burn.


How to Store Leftover Oven Baked Peruvian Chicken Kabobs


You can store left over chicken kabobs in the fridge for 3-5 days before they go bad. Make sure to store them in an air tight container. They may dry out in the fridge so add more olive oil to them before you heat them up or serve with a sauce. Like this amazing spicy green tahini sauce!

green tahini sauce on a spoon
What Vegetables Can I Use for Kabobs?


The best kinds of vegetables you can use for chicken kabobs are vegetables that are easy to grill and wont fall apart. Including:


  • Peppers
  • Onions
  • Zucchini
  • Cherry Tomato
  • Broccoli
  • Scallion


Vegetables that wouldn’t work well include:


  • Lettuce
  • Sweet Potato
  • Cucumber
  • Collard Greens


Can You Use the Broiler to Make Kabobs in the Oven?


Yes, you can use the broiler to make kabobs in the oven. The broiler will speed up the cooking time and help add some grilled flavor into the chicken. Just be careful that the broiler doesn’t burn the top of your kabobs before they are done cooking.

You can prevent burning by:


  • Rotating the kabobs every five minutes.
  • Adding extra olive oil to the kabobs.
  • Covering them with tin foil.


Which Oven is Best for Kabobs?


All ovens are great for kabobs. You can use an electric oven, an air fryer or a convection oven. When I’m only cooking for one I will pop these into a toaster oven.


How do you tell if kebobs are cooked


You can tell chicken kebobs are cooked if the internatl temperature is 165 degrees. Another way to tell is by touching the meat. The chicken should have a consistency similar to the skin on your palm.

If you are still not sure you can slice into one of the pieces of chicken with a knife. If the inside of the chicken is not pink or red then it is safe to eat!

The outside of the chicken will appear golden brown. If it turns black that means it’s over cooked or even burnt!


Can you cook shish kabobs on the stove or in the oven?


Yes you can cook shish kabobs on both the stove and in the oven just like you would in a grill!


Can you cook kabobs in foil?


Yes you can cook kabobs in foil. Using foil to line your grill pan will prevent the oils and drippings from the chicken from making a greasy mess! Aluminum foil is naturally semi non-stick so your chicken won’t get stuck. Also foil is naturally oven and grill safe!


Chicken Kabobs goggle web story!

Peruvian Style Oven Chicken Kabobs
Recipe details
  • 6  kebobs
  • Prep time: 5 Minutes Cook time: 20 Minutes Total time: 25 min
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Ingredients

  • 2 Chicken Breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1/2 Lemon juiced
  • 2-4 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp Peruvian Spice Blend
Instructions

Soak wooden skewers in water and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a sharp boning knife slice the chicken into one inch cubes.
In a ziplock bag combine the chicken, lemon, olive oil and spices. Shake the bag to combine ingredients and let marinate in the fridge for 4 to 12 hours.
Place 4 pieces of chicken on skewer. Heat a large grill pan and sear the skewers for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the grill pan with the kabobs to the oven. Rotate the kabobs every 7 minutes. Cook for 15 minutes total. .
Eating Works @eatingworks
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