My family loves kabobs. Does yours? These Chipotle Chicken Kabobs are perfect for dinner, especially when you can buy chicken for cheap! You can serve them with cilantro lime rice and healthier refried beans in the instant pot for a delicious dinner! This post contains affiliate links.

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What kind of chicken can you use for Chipotle Chicken Kabobs?
In this recipe, I used chicken tenderloin. It’s one of my favorites because it’s so tender and juicy, but it’s often a more expensive chicken cut. You can actually use all kinds of chicken cuts to make chipotle chicken kabobs — just make sure you use BONELESS CHICKEN.
Usually the cheapest boneless chicken cuts are chicken thighs or chicken breasts. I have been able to find at Aldi, I’ve been boneless legs, and that’s one of my family’s favorites!
We are big fans of dark meat chicken, not just because it’s cheaper. So, I tend to use boneless thighs and legs for recipes that call for cubed chicken. It comes out more flavorful and juicy.
What ingredients do you need to make Chipotle Chicken Kabobs?

- chicken tenderloins
- 3 bell peppers – any color is fine (I used red, orange, and yellow)
- small white onion
- 7 oz can chipotles in adobo sauce
- garlic powder
- ground cumin
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil
- skewers – bamboo or stainless steel
- 4
Should you use Bamboo or Metal Skewers for Chipotle Chicken Kabobs?
Bamboo Skewers are usually cheaper and you don’t need to clean them.
However, they have one drawback — you have to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight, so they don’t catch on fire while the kabobs are cooking. This is especially true if you are using them on a grill.
We use metal skewers. They cost a little more, but they don’t break like bamboo skewers can when you’re pushing the food onto them.
With metal skewers, they don’t have to be soaked or anything. But, they are a major pain to clean, and they get caught on everything in the drawer.
How do you make Chipotle Chicken Kabobs?
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
To create the rub add the adobo sauce, garlic powder, and cumin to a food processor.
Pulse for 10 seconds or until pureed. Pour the sauce into a medium-sized bowl.

Cut the chicken into 1.5 inch cubes and place it into the bowl with the sauce. Mix until the chicken is fully coated in sauce.

Cut the peppers and onion and place into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place the chicken on the skewers. If using metal skewers, leave a small amount of room between chicken pieces.
Place the prepared skewers in the baking dish resting on top of the peppers and onions.
Cook for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees.
Remove from the oven once cooked. The internal temperature should read 165ºF.

Can you cook Chipotle Chicken Kabobs on the Grill?
Yes you can!
Set up the grill for direct and indirect heat. Then oil the grill and wait until the oil smokes.
Pat the kebabs to remove excess sauce.
Lay skewers on the direct-heat side of the grill.
Space them out to cook evenly. Don’t move them until the bottoms are slightly charred, and they release easily from the grill. Then turn the kebabs as necessary to sear all sides.
Once the kabobs are seared, the meat may need a little extra cooking. Move to the indirect-heat side of the grill and cover.
Cook the kabobs for 10-12 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the meat to be at least 165 F degrees.
Let the kebabs rest for a few minutes on the plate after removing them from the grill.
Can you cook Chipotle Chicken Kabobs in the Air Fryer?
Yes you can!
Make sure you use skewers that aren’t too long for the basket of your air fryer.
Set the air fryer to 375 F degrees.
Cook the kabobs for about 10-15 minutes. Check on them at about 8 minutes for internal temperature and turn.
Check the internal temperature of the meat to be at least 165 F degrees.
Recipes to Pair with Chipotle Chicken Kabobs
- How to make Cilantro Lime Rice in the Instant Pot
- Tex Mex Tamale Casserole
- Healthier Refried Beans
- Fajita Queso Dip
- How to make Mom’s Cheese and Onion Enchiladas
More Chicken Recipes
- How to make Orange Chicken with Panda Express Sauce
- How to make BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza
- Quick Honey Garlic Chicken Tenderloins
- The EASIEST Chicken Enchiladas
- Creamy Chicken Pasta Casserole Bake
- Low Carb Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken Thighs

Chipotle Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds of chicken tenderloins
- 16 ounces of mixed peppers (red, yellow and orange)
- ½ small white onion cut up
- 7 ounces of chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of cumin
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 4 wood skewers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
- To create the rub add the adobo sauce, garlic powder, and cumin in a food processor. Pulse for 10 seconds or until pureed. Pour the sauce into a medium-sized bowl.
- Cut the chicken into 1.5 inch cubes and place it into the bowl with the sauce. Mix until the chicken is fully coated in the sauce.
- Cut the peppers and onion and place into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken on the skewers.
- Place the prepared skewers in the baking dish resting on top of the peppers and onions.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes at 375 F degrees.
- Remove from the oven once cooked. The internal temperature should read 165ºF.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1 kabobAmount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 471mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 55g
Any nutritional information on thetiptoefairy.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate.
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