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Tangy, spicy and incredibly tender, these healthy Grilled Pepperoncini Chicken Kabobs with Spicy Yogurt Sauce are the perfect addition to your next cookout. The secret is to marinade the chicken with the brining liquid from a jar of pickled pepperoncini peppers before grilling it to perfection on your Traeger Grill. The brine instantly transforms the chicken, infusing it with spice and tenderizing the meat, and the Traeger imparts an irresistible wood-fired flavour. Serve the kabobs with a light and refreshing Maroulosalata (Greek lettuce salad) and your favourite side dishes for a Mediterranean feast.
Ingredients You Need for the Grilled Pepperoncini Chicken Kabobs
- Chicken: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They’re fatty, flavourful, more affordable than chicken breast, and stay juicy as they grill. If preferred, you can substitute chicken breast for a leaner, lower-calorie option. You can also use pork loin.
- Pepperoncini Peppers: Try to look for pickled pepperoncini peppers with minimal ingredients and no artificial colours. The availability will depend on where you live, so just be sure to read the labels.
- Garlic: As always, measure this ingredient with your heart and don’t let anyone tell you there’s such a thing as too much!
- Seasonings: I like to add some oregano, paprika and chili flakes to the marinade, but you can experiment with any combination of seasonings you desire.
- Vegetables: For added colour and nutrition, skewer the kabobs with your favourite vegetables, like onion, zucchini, bell peppers or cherry tomatoes. Just be sure to cut the vegetables to the same size as the chicken pieces so that everything cooks evenly and makes contact with the grill grates.
- Lemon: I like to serve the grilled pepperoncini chicken kabobs with some lemon wedges for squeezing.
Ingredients You Need for the Spicy Yogurt Sauce
- Greek Yogurt: I like to use non-fat Greek yogurt. It’s high in protein, low in calories and thicker than regular yogurt.
- Pepperoncini Peppers and their Brine: Adding a few finely chopped pickled pepperoncini peppers along with some of the brining liquid will instantly transform the yogurt into spicy, tangy and delicious sauce.
- Fresh Dill: For some colour, flavour and aroma, I like to add some finely chopped fresh dill. If you don’t like dill you can substitute parsley, chives, or fresh oregano.
- Garlic: I usually add one clove of finely grated garlic per batch of spicy yogurt sauce but don’t let me tell you how to live your life.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Adding a bit of olive oil to the yogurt will add some flavour and help give it a smoother texture. This is especially true if using non-fat yogurt, which tends to be a bit chalkier in texture.
What Are Pepperoncini Peppers?
Pepperoncini peppers are a mildly spicy pepper that are usually sold pickled in jars. They can be added to salads, served alongside pizza, sandwiches or on antipasto platters, or can be incorporate into savoury recipes like Mississippi Pot Roast and this Spicy Yogurt Sauce.
The brining liquid from the pickled pepperoncini peppers is also amazing when added to marinades for chicken or pork. The salty, spicy and acidic liquid helps tenderize the meat and give it an amazing amount flavour.
What Do You Serve with the Grilled Pepperoncini Chicken Kabobs?
You can serve the pepperoncini chicken kabobs with some rice, Roasted Greek Potatoes, or one of my absolute favourite salads, Maroulosalata. This classic Greek lettuce salad is light, refreshing, very easy to make and requires only a few ingredients. It consists of shredded romaine lettuce, cucumber, green onion, dill, oregano, feta cheese and tossed in a simple vinaigrette made with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Grill: If you don’t have a Traeger Grill, you can cook the Pepperoncini Chicken Kabobs on a conventional gas or charcoal grill over direct, medium heat. Cooking times will vary depending on the strength of your grill or the proximity of the coals to the food.
- Air Fryer: If you don’t have any kind of grill, you can cook the chicken kabobs in an air fryer at 400F for approximately 15 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Grill Pan: Cooking the chicken kabobs in a grill pan on your stove top is another great option. I recommend using a high-heat safe pan, such as one made from cast-iron, to ensure a nice crust on the chicken.
- Oven: Another option is to place the chicken skewers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast them in a 450F oven for around 15 minutes or until the thickest part of the meat registers between 165F and 180F. If using chicken breast or pork loin, cook the meat until it registers 160F, transfer it to a tray, tent it with foil and let it rest for a few minutes so that the residual heat slowly brings it up to 165F. This will prevent the meat from drying out.
Grilled Pepperoncini Chicken Kabobs with Spicy Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
For the Spicy Yogurt Sauce:
- ¾ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
- 3 pepperoncini peppers, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons of the brining liquid
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
For the Maroulosalata:
- 1 head romaine lettuce, thinly shredded
- 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced into half-discs
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
For the Grilled Pepperoncini Chicken Kabobs:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2” pieces
- ¼ cup pepperoncini brining liquid
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dry red chili flakes, optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 zucchini, cut into discs
- ½ red onion, cut into small pieces
- ½ lemon, for serving
Instructions
For the Spicy Yogurt Sauce:
- In a bowl, combine the yogurt, pepperoncini peppers, brining liquid, garlic, dill, olive oil and black pepper. Stir everything to combine, taste for seasoning and adjust with brining liquid as desired. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For the Maroulosalata:
- In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumber, green onion, dill, feta cheese and oregano olive oil, vinegar, and black pepper. Toss everything to combine, taste for seasoning and adjust with vinegar as desired. Serve with the Grilled Pepperoncini Chicken Kabobs.
For the Grilled Pepperoncini Chicken Kabobs:
- In a bowl, combine the chicken, brining liquid, olive oil, garlic, oregano, paprika, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Toss everything to coat, cover and refrigerate 1 to 6 hours.
- Preheat your Traeger grill to 500F (if using a ModiFire Grill Grate, preheat to 475F).
- Thread the chicken onto individual skewers, alternating between pieces of onion and zucchini.
- Place the chicken kabobs onto the lowest grates of the Traeger and cook, undisturbed, until grill marks form, around 8 minutes. Flip and cook the other side of the kabobs until grill marks form and the thickest part of the chicken registers between 165 and 180F. Note: if using chicken breast, cook until the chicken reaches 160F.
- Transfer the grilled chicken kabobs to a platter, squeeze some lemon overtop and serve with the Spicy Yogurt Sauce and Maroulosalata.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
Friggin awesome. Only change was I grated the garlic in the marinade (it didn’t specify)
Adding to my fav recipes!
I made this for my husband and his brothers. Wish I would have doubled it – so good! I wasn’t sure about the spicy yogurt sauce at first since I’m not a big dill fan, but it was excellent with the chicken. Yum!
Wow!!! Bursting with flavor!! Used chicken brests, but will try the next time with thighs!