Chicken Shashlik Recipe | Shashlik Kebab

Chicken Shashlik recipe made with tender juicy marinated chicken cubes skewered with bell pepper, onions, and grilled. An easy chicken recipe that can be made quickly with staple ingredients. Serve it as a starter, appetizer, or side dish.

Shashlik kebabs are perfect for outdoor grilling or barbeque. Every bite of these Shashlik chicken kebabs is filled with a yummy blast of flavors. They are sweet, spicy, and tangy.

The cooking technique and ingredients used to make Chicken Shashlik are similar to Chicken Tikka. You can make Chicken Shashlik with sauce.

What is Chicken Shashlik?

The word shashlik or shashlick originated in the Turkish language and means skewerable. Basically, it refers to skewered meat.

It is also known as Shish Kebab or Shashlik Kebab and is popular in Russia and Central Asia.

Shashlik was originally made with lamb meat. The lamb meat was cut into cubes and marinated for several hours. Then thread onto skewers with either meat only or with alternating pieces of meat and vegetables. This skewered meat was cooked over hot charcoal similar to barbecue.

Nowadays Shashlik is also made with chicken, beef, or pork. Skewers are threaded with alternating pieces of meat and vegetables (bell peppers and onions). It is then grilled on a tandoor or cooked in a pan.

Difference between Chicken Shashlik and Chicken Tikka

The cooking technique is similar but there is a difference in flavors. The ingredients to make both are similar except for the use of sauces.

To make Chicken Tikka, chicken is marinated with yogurt, oil, and spices. Sauces are not used in the Chicken Tikka marinade. But the marinade of Shashlik consists of either tomato paste or tomato sauce. Sometimes, soy sauce and other sauces are also added. This is the only difference between the two dishes.

Why You Need This Recipe

• Quick and easy to make - Marinate the chicken and veggies. Thread into a skewer and grill it.
• Easy to customize – see the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
• Make ahead recipe - You can marinate the chicken and veggies in advance. Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. Stays good for a day. Thread them onto a skewer and grill them. The chicken becomes tender and flavorful when marinated for longer hours.
• Dairy-free recipe

Chicken Shashlik Recipe Ingredients

• Chicken - I have used boneless and skinless chicken breasts. You can use boneless chicken thighs.
• Vegetables - I have used green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and onion. You can add any color of bell pepper you have.
• Ginger garlic paste
• Red Chili powder - Kashmiri red chili powder, spicy red chili powder. Kashmiri red chili powder gives a bright red color to the dish and is not spicy. You can skip it if not available. However, you will not get that bright red color in the dish.
• Tandoori chicken masala - You can substitute Tandoori Chicken masala with garam masala powder or chicken masala powder.
• Salt
• Lemon juice - Substitute with vinegar. You can use rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Sauces - Soy sauce and tomato sauce. I have used light soy sauce. You can also use regular Soy sauce. I have used hot and sweet tomato sauce. It is sweet and spicy. You can use any tomato sauce of your choice. Or use tomato paste.
• Oil
• Butter/Ghee - Butter is an optional ingredient. You can also use ghee (clarified butter). Butter gives a very nice flavor to the dish. You can skip it and use only oil.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

How to make Chicken Shashlik Recipe (Step-by-step photos)

Preparations:

1. Cut the onion and bell pepper into cubes. Set it aside.
2. Cut the chicken breast into cubes.

   

3. If you are using wooden skewers then soak them in water for 30 minutes. Wipe it with kitchen tissue and use it.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken with ginger garlic paste, chili powder, Tandoori chicken masala powder, salt to taste, lemon juice, soy sauce, tomato sauce, and oil. 
5. Next, add onion, and bell peppers to the bowl. Combine with the marinade.
6. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator. Marinate it for at least an hour.

   

Making Chicken Shashlik Kebab

1. Thread the onion, bell peppers and chicken on the skewers.
2. Heat 2 teaspoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter. Addition of butter is optional.
3. Place the chicken skewers over the hot pan.
4. Rotate the skewers so that it cooks evenly and is slightly charred from all the sides.
5. Brush some oil/butter on it.
6. Cover and cook for 2 minutes on low heat.
7. Chicken Shashlik is ready to serve.

   

8. Serve it with onion slices and lemon wedges.

Tips to make perfect Shashlik Kebabs

• Cut the chicken pieces into equal sizes (1-inch cubes). It assures that they cook evenly. If you cut the chicken pieces unevenly, the smaller pieces of chicken will cook faster and larger ones will remain uncooked from the inside.
• Marinate the chicken for at least an hour. For the best flavors, marinate it overnight. Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator.
• Marinating the chicken for longer hours makes the chicken tender. It makes them soft and juicy from the inside when you grill them.
• If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Remove and wipe it with a kitchen towel. Set this aside. It will prevent the wooden skewers from cooking.
• Adjust the sauces and spices as per taste.
• While cooking the chicken, keep the heat on medium until char marks appear. It gives a smoky flavor to the chicken. Once the chicken is charred, reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken is cooked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

• Serve it with onion rings and lemon wedges. You can serve it with Garlic Mayo as a dip or green chutney.
• Serve salads like Corn Salad, Asian slaw, or Greek Yogurt Coleslaw on the side.
• Wrap it in Roti or Tortilla topped with mayonnaise to make it a complete meal. Or stuff it inside Pita bread.
• Serve it with Jeera Rice, Biryani, Pulao, or Fried rice.

Storage suggestion

• Transfer the leftovers into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It stays good for 2 days. Reheat and serve.
• It is not a freezer-friendly dish. Veggies once thawed will become soggy.

Variations that you can try

• Make a vegetarian version with Paneer. Marinate the paneer and veggies for 15 minutes. Thread it into a skewer and grill it. Paneer Shashlik is ready to serve.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!

Print Pin

5 from 2 votes

Chicken Shashlik Recipe (Shashlik Kebab)

Chicken Shashlik made with marinated chicken cubes skewered with bell pepper and onions, and grilled. Shashlik kebabs are perfect for outdoor grilling or barbeque. Serve it as a quick starter or side dish.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Starter

Cuisine Russian, Turkish

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 5 people

Author Preeti

Equipment

• Heavy bottom pan

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 green bell pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 onion cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder + ½ teaspoon spicy red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon Tandoori chicken masala or use garam masala
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 5 skewers

Instructions

Preparations:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken with ginger garlic paste, chili powder, Tandoori chicken masala powder, salt to taste, lemon juice, soy sauce, tomato sauce and oil.
• Next, add onion and bell peppers to the bowl . Combine it with the marinade.
• Cover and keep it in the refrigerator. Marinate it for atleast an hour.

Making Chicken Shashlik

• Thread the onion, bell peppers and chicken on the skewers.
• Heat 2 teaspoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter. Addition of butter is optional.
• Place the chicken skewers over it.
• Rotate the skewers so that they cook until slightly charred from all sides.
• Brush some oil/butter on it.
• Cover and cook for 2 minutes on low heat.
• Chicken Shashlik is ready to serve.
• Serve with onion slices and lemon wedges.

Video

Notes

• Cut the chicken pieces into equal sizes (1-inch cubes). It assures that it will cook evenly. If you cut the chicken pieces unevenly, the smaller pieces of chicken will cook faster, and the larger ones will remain uncooked from the inside.
• Marinate the chicken for at least an hour. For the best flavors marinate it overnight. Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator.
• Marinating the chicken for longer hours makes the chicken tender. It makes them soft and juicy from the inside when you grill them.
• If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30-minutes. Remove and wipe it with a kitchen towel. Set it aside.
• Adjust the sauces and spices as per taste.
• While cooking, keep the heat on medium until char marks appear. It gives a smoky flavor to the chicken. Then reduce the heat to low and cook on low heat until cooked.