Grilled Butter Chicken Kabobs Recipe

Closeup on a butter chicken kabob over rice with butter sauce on the side.

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Grilled Butter Chicken Kabobs Recipe

Grilled Butter Chicken Kabobs are smoky, tender, and packed with warm spices from a yogurt marinade that keeps the chicken juicy. Finished with a rich, silky butter‑tomato‑coconut sauce, they’re perfect over rice with grilled veggies and plenty of naan!

Course Grilling, Main Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword grilled butter chicken kabobs

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 515kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade:

2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts - sliced into cubes
2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt - full-fat or 2% is fine

For the sauce:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large red onion - chopped
2 medium jalapeños - seeds removed and chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh ginger - minced
4 cloves garlic - minced
2 teaspoons EACH ground cumin, turmeric, garam masala
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to serve
1/4 cup fresh cilantro - chopped
15 oz. tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
15 oz. full-fat coconut milk
2 Tablespoons lemon juice - freshly squeezed

Other:

1 large onion
2 medium bell peppers - any color
white rice and fresh naan - to serve

Instructions

Prep chicken. Slice chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and place in a mixing bowl.
2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Add marinade ingredients. To the bowl with the chicken, add the seasonings (ground cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garam masala, salt, pepper) and Greek yogurt. Mix until well combined.
2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons turmeric, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
Refrigerate chicken. Place prepared chicken (with marinade) in the refrigerator (covered) for at least two hours or overnight.
Make sauce. Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add butter and when melted, add the red onion and jalapeños and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Then add the ginger and garlic and stir for another minute. Add chopped cilantro, seasonings (ground cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garam masala plus salt and pepper to taste) – and stir well.
Add tomato sauce and bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Then add coconut milk and fresh lemon juice and heat through. Pour sauce into a large blender and puree until smooth.
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 large red onion, 2 medium jalapeños, 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons EACH ground cumin, turmeric, garam masala, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, 15 oz. tomato sauce, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 15 oz. full-fat coconut milk, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Prep the vegetables for skewering. Cut the onion and bell peppers into bite‑sized chunks so they thread easily and cook evenly.
1 large onion, 2 medium bell peppers
Assemble kabobs. Assemble the kabobs by threading the marinated chicken and all your veggies onto metal skewers. Mix and match the colors and textures however you like – there’s no wrong way to build them. Just aim for even spacing so everything cooks at the same pace and gets those great grill marks.
Light outdoor grill. Light your backyard grill (we use our Big Green Egg) to medium-high heat. Make sure it’s hot before adding kabobs to the grill grates.
Grill butter chicken kabobs. Place the kabobs on the grill and cook them over medium‑high heat, turning every few minutes so all sides get nicely charred. Keep rotating until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are tender.
We use a digital thermometer to test the internal temperature and remove when chicken registers 160 degrees F, allowing for a few extra degrees of carry-over cooking.
Serve. Serve kabobs over some prepared white rice with a ladle of the sauce, chopped cilantro, and fresh naan bread.
white rice and fresh naan

Notes

Prep ahead: You can marinate the chicken and make the sauce the day before. Just reheat sauce to serve.
Adjust the spices as you like. If you want more heat, include some of the jalapeño seeds and more cayenne pepper. If you want less heat, reduce jalapeño and cayenne pepper.
Store leftover chicken kabobs in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days. We often meal prep and store in small containers over some rice.

Nutrition