Easy Baked Chicken Kebabs Oven And Air Fryer

The best part about this appetizer is how quickly they bake – in just 10 minutes! And even faster if using an air-fryer! These juicy and flavorful kebabs are sure to be a hit at your next event! They’ve been my go-to lately – I most recently served them at a Diwali Dinner Party. You can make these a day ahead and then reheat them the day of your party – either on a pan or in the oven. They are easy and quick to make, taste delicious, and go perfectly with my sweet and spicy Tomato Chutney.

Chicken Kebab Ingredients

These flavorful patties are made with ground chicken, onion, cilantro, garlic, and spices. They’re easy to assemble and quick to bake.

Can I Use the Air-Fryer to Make Kebabs?

You can bake, air-fry, or pan-fry these kebabs. I’ll include all three methods in the recipe card below. While testing this recipe, I tried all three methods and found baking to be the easiest method and there was nearly no difference in flavor between baking vs. pan-frying, which was surprising considering that to pan-fry, you need oil or ghee. I will say if you like using an air-fryer, go for it. The patties turn out great – the only downside is that you can only fit a few in the air-fryer at a time. Still, not a bad option if you’re meal prepping and just wanting to cook a few for the family.

How to Make Kebabs:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out anywhere from 33 to 35 patties. You’ll want to roll and flatten them into thin patties, especially if you’re making these for a crowd. You can also always make these into thicker patties or burgers, you’ll just need to adjust the baking time – for example, if you double the thickness, you’ll need to double the bake time too (approx 22 minutes). And then bake! These patties can take anywhere from 10 to 12 minutes at 350F.
Because ground chicken is made up of both dark and light meat, you can always add an extra few minutes and it won’t hurt or overcook the meat. If you have a digital thermometer, you want the meat to reach an internal temperature of 165F.

Can I Use Another Type of Ground Meat?

I’ve tested this recipe with ground chicken and ground turkey and trust me, ground chicken is WAY tastier. Ground turkey is fine, but it’s leaner and drier. The chicken kebabs turn out really soft and perfect.