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These Moroccan Chicken Skewers are packed with warm spices, bright citrus, and garlic, from a quick marinade, then grilled over high heat until lightly charred and perfectly juicy. Finished with a vibrant, fresh herb sauce, they’re the kind of meal that feels impressive enough for a dinner party but easy enough for a casual weeknight grill session for a busy family!
If you love bold flavors and easy grilling recipes, you’re gonna love this recipe!
After traveling through Morocco last year, I truly couldn’t stop thinking about the flavors. Nearly every meal had layers of spice, fresh herbs, citrus, smoke, and vibrant sauces that somehow felt both comforting and exciting. I loved it!
These grilled Moroccan chicken skewers are inspired by that trip, using our homemade Moroccan Spice Blend as the base for a bright, savory, quick, and easy marinade. The chicken grills quickly over high heat, then gets finished with a fresh herb sauce that honestly deserves to be drizzled on everything. I’m not even lying. The first time I made it, my husband made me promise to make it again the next day to drizzle over grilled veggies. If that’s what it takes to get that man to eat his veggies, I’m in!
And yes… these are absolutely the kind of skewers we’d serve at one of our live fire catering events. They’re that good!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Moroccan Chicken Skewers
- Bold flavor from warm Moroccan-inspired spices
- Quick marinade with pantry-friendly ingredients
- Perfect for charcoal or gas grilling (whatever you have)
- Great for meal prep or entertaining
- Fresh herb sauce takes the flavor over the top
- Easy to pair with grilled vegetables, rice, flatbread, or wine
Ingredients
Although there are two parts to this recipe, you use most of the ingredients twice! So both parts are super easy, and the ingredients are even easier to prep.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: This works great with breasts because you’re really jazzing up the flavor with that marinade. But thighs work great too!
- Lemon (zest and juice): for both the marinade and the sauce
- Extra virgin olive oil: for both the marinade and the sauce
- Garlic: for both the marinade and the sauce
- Fresh Ginger: for incredible flavor in the marinade
- Moroccan Spice Blend: This is such a great recipe to make once and keep it on hand all summer for grilling. If you don’t have it, I provide alternatives in the recipe card. You can also buy a store-bought Moroccan or Ras el Hanout blend.
- Herbs: parsley and cilantro for the sauce
- Honey: to add a little sweet kiss to that sauce
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Exact portions are listed in the recipe card.
Preparation
- Cut the chicken into evenly sized 1-inch cubes, so they cook consistently.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes for the best flavor.
- If using wood skewers, soak them in water while the grill preheats.
- Prepare the herb sauce ahead of time so the flavors can meld together.
How to Make Moroccan Chicken Skewers
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and Moroccan spice blend. Add the cubed chicken and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. (Alternatively, combine everything in a large resealable bag and gently squeeze out excess air.)
- Make the Herb Sauce: While the chicken marinates, combine parsley, cilantro, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and red pepper flakes in a small food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat the Grill: Prepare the grill for two-zone cooking, targeting 400–450 degrees Fahrenheit. For charcoal grilling, we recommend lump charcoal for the best flavor. If using a gas grill, set it to medium-high heat.
- Skewer the Chicken: Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto wood or metal skewers. Discard any remaining marinade. Lightly season the skewers with salt and pepper before grilling.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the skewers over direct heat and grill for 6–8 minutes until lightly charred. Flip and continue grilling another 5–6 minutes. Check the internal temperature using an instant-read thermometer. If the chicken has not reached 160 degrees Fahrenheit, move the skewers to indirect heat to finish cooking. Remove from the grill when the chicken reaches 160 degrees. Carryover cooking will bring the final temperature to 165 degrees.
- Serve: Serve warm with the herb sauce drizzled over the top.
Expert Tip
Don’t overcrowd the skewers.
Leaving a little space between the chicken pieces helps the heat circulate more evenly and gives you better caramelization and grill marks instead of steaming the meat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes. Sorta. You can prep the marinade and the sauce ahead of time. I recommend marinating the actual meat for up to 2 hours in advance. No longer than that, otherwise the citrus will make the texture mushy. I find 30-60 minutes is all you need for marinating the chicken.
Absolutely. Boneless skinless chicken thighs work very well for Moroccan chicken skewers, and stay especially juicy on the grill. They will just cook at different times based on the thickness of the meat.
At least 30 minutes to help prevent burning on the grill. Otherwise, use metal skewers.
Chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend removing the skewers around 160 degrees and allowing carryover cooking to finish the job. If using chicken thighs, you can grill them up to 175 degrees for the best and juiciest results.
Yes, if you must. A grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat will do the job if outdoor grilling isn’t an option.
What to Serve with Moroccan Chicken Skewers
These skewers pair well with fresh, grilled, or Mediterranean-inspired sides. Here are a few ideas from Vindulge:
- Grilled Vegetables
- Grilled Cauliflower or Grilled Broccolini
- Roasted Potatoes
- Cilantro Rice or Couscous
- Cucumber yogurt sauce
Wine Pairing
A bright, citrus-forward white wine works beautifully with these flavors. Look for:
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Dry Riesling
- Vermentino
- Rosé
If you prefer red wine, a lighter-bodied Syrah or Grenache also pairs nicely with the warm spice blend. Cheers!
Tools Used
- Grill (charcoal or gas)
- Wood or metal skewers
- Instant-read thermometer
- Small food processor
- Mixing bowls
- Long Tongs
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About Vindulge
Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbooks — Fire + Wine and Fire + Wine Backyard Pizza — and have been creating content for the IACP-nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.
Moroccan Chicken Skewers
Equipment
- Grill (charcoal or gas)
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¼ cup lemon juice, (about the juice of one lemon)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons Moroccan Spice Blend
- 1 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- pinch of red pepper flakes
For the Herb Sauce
- ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, Moroccan spice blend, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Add the cubed chicken and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. (Alternatively, combine everything in a large resealable bag.)
- Make the Herb Sauce: Combine all of the herb sauce ingredients in a small food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat the Grill: Prepare the grill for two-zone cooking, targeting 400–450 degrees Fahrenheit. For charcoal grilling, we recommend lump charcoal for the best flavor. If using a gas grill, set it to medium-high heat.
- Skewer the Chicken: Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto wood or metal skewers. Discard any remaining marinade. Lightly season the skewers with salt and pepper before grilling.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the skewers over direct heat and grill for 6–8 minutes until lightly charred. Flip and continue grilling another 5–6 minutes. Check the internal temperature using an instant-read thermometer. If the chicken has not reached 160 degrees Fahrenheit, move the skewers to indirect heat to finish cooking. Remove from the grill when the chicken reaches 160 degrees. Carryover cooking will bring the final temperature to 165 degrees.
- Serve: Serve warm with the herb sauce drizzled over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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