Sheet Pan Chicken Kebabs with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Servings: 6 Total Time: 40 mins Difficulty: Beginner
Juicy, boldly seasoned ground chicken kebabs baked on a sheet pan and finished under the broiler, then served with creamy garlic yogurt sauce and a fresh tomato-onion salad.
Sheet pan chicken kebabs with garlic yogurt sauce, tomato salad and flatbread

Sheet Pan Chicken Kebabs with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

These sheet pan chicken kebabs make it easy to get all the flavor of seasoned chicken kebabs without threading a single skewer. Ground chicken is seasoned with garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, and herbs, pressed right onto a sheet pan, and finished under the broiler for beautifully browned edges. Serve them with creamy garlic yogurt sauce, a fresh tomato-onion salad, and warm flatbread for an easy Mediterranean-inspired dinner.

Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 40 mins Difficulty: Beginner Servings: 6 Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Chicken Kebabs

Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Tomato & Onion Salad

For Serving

Instructions

  1. See How the Sheet Pan Chicken Kebabs Come Together

    Mix → Shape & Bake → Make the Toppings → Assemble

    Use the step-by-step photos below as a quick visual guide for making these sheet pan chicken kebabs. Mix and season the ground chicken, shape and score it on the baking sheet before cooking, prepare the fresh tomato salad and garlic yogurt sauce, then tuck everything into warm homemade naan for an easy chicken kebab wrap.

  1. Preheat the Oven

    Preheat the oven to 475°F conventional or 425°F convection. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

     

  1. Make the Chicken Mixture

    Add the ground chicken, grated onion, garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, and cilantro or parsley to a large bowl. Mix gently until evenly combined. Avoid overmixing.

     

  1. Shape the Sheet Pan Chicken Kebabs

    Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Using damp hands or the back of a spoon, press it into approximately an 11 x 8-inch rectangle, about 1/2–3/4 inch thick. Score lengthwise into long kebab-style strips without cutting completely through. Lightly spray or brush with olive oil.

     

  1. Bake

    Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F internally. If a noticeable amount of liquid collects around the chicken, carefully spoon it off or gently blot away the excess with paper towels.

     

  1. Broil for Browned Edges

    Switch the oven to broil. Place the pan about 5–6 inches below the broiler and broil for 3–5 minutes, watching closely, until the sheet pan chicken kebabs are nicely browned around the top and edges.

     

  1. Make the Garlic Yogurt Sauce

    Combine the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Stir until creamy and refrigerate until serving.

     

  1. Make the Tomato & Onion Salad

    Combine the tomatoes, red onion, parsley, sumac, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Toss gently.

     

  1. Rest and Slice

    Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes, then cut completely through the scored lines.

     

  1. Serve

    Serve with garlic yogurt sauce, tomato-onion salad, warm flatbread or naan, hummus, and lemon wedges.

     

Note

Recipe Notes

Don't Worry About the Liquid

When I made these, the chicken released quite a bit of liquid while baking. That's normal.

Both ground chicken and grated onion contain plenty of moisture. If you have a noticeable amount of liquid on the pan, carefully spoon it off or gently blot it away with paper towels.

Finishing the sheet pan chicken kebabs under the broiler helps evaporate the remaining surface moisture and gives the chicken much better browning around the top and edges.

Watch Carefully While Broiling

Broilers work quickly, and every oven is a little different. Start checking the chicken after a couple of minutes.

You're looking for browned edges and a few darker spots rather than deeply charred chicken.

Don't Overmix the Chicken

Mix the chicken mixture only until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Overworking ground chicken can give the cooked kebabs a firmer, tougher texture.

Use Damp Hands for Shaping

Ground chicken can be sticky. Lightly dampening your hands before pressing the chicken onto the baking sheet makes it much easier to shape.

Cilantro or Parsley Both Work

I like either fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley in these kebabs.

Cilantro gives them a brighter, slightly more distinctive flavor. Parsley is a good choice if you prefer something milder.

Make the Garlic Yogurt Sauce Ahead

The garlic yogurt sauce can be made 1–2 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.

It actually gets even better after sitting for a little while because the garlic and lemon have time to flavor the sauce.

Make Ahead

The chicken mixture can be prepared and shaped several hours before cooking.

Cover the prepared pan and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake.

Storage

Store leftover chicken kebabs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

Store the tomato salad and garlic yogurt sauce separately.

Reheating

Reheat the chicken in a skillet, oven, or air fryer until heated through.

The air fryer is especially useful if you want to bring back some of the browned texture around the edges.

Gluten-Free Option

The chicken kebabs, tomato salad, and garlic yogurt sauce are naturally gluten-free as written.

Serve with rice or gluten-free flatbread and check the labels on prepared hummus and other accompaniments as needed.


What to Serve with Sheet Pan Chicken Kebabs

These sheet pan chicken kebabs are especially good with the creamy garlic yogurt sauce and fresh tomato-onion salad.

For a complete dinner, serve them with:

Warm naan or flatbread
Hummus
Rice
Roasted vegetables
Cucumber salad
Lemon wedges

You can also turn the chicken into a Mediterranean-inspired bowl with rice, vegetables, hummus, and a generous spoonful of garlic yogurt sauce.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All:

Can I Make Sheet Pan Chicken Kebabs Without Skewers?

Yes—that's one of the best things about this recipe.

The seasoned ground chicken is pressed directly onto a sheet pan and scored into long kebab-style strips. There's no need to form individual kebabs or thread anything onto skewers.

 

Why Did My Chicken Kebabs Release So Much Liquid?

Ground chicken naturally contains moisture, and the grated onion releases additional liquid as it cooks.

Some liquid on the pan is normal. If there's a significant amount, carefully spoon it off or blot it away before switching the oven to broil.

The broiler helps evaporate the remaining surface moisture and brown the chicken.

 

Should I Squeeze the Liquid Out of the Grated Onion?

You can, but I don't think we need to tell people to do that in this recipe.

I made the kebabs using the grated onion as-is and liked the flavor and texture. Instead, I remove excess liquid from the baking sheet when necessary and finish the chicken under the broiler.

 

Can I Make These Chicken Kebabs Ahead of Time?

Yes. Mix and shape the chicken several hours ahead of time, cover it, and refrigerate until you're ready to cook.

The garlic yogurt sauce is also a great make-ahead component and can be refrigerated for 1–2 days.

 

Can I Use Ground Turkey Instead of Ground Chicken?

Yes. Ground turkey should work well in place of the ground chicken.

Because the fat and moisture content can vary, watch the cooking time and use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the meat reaches a safe internal temperature.

 

Can I Cook These on the Grill?

This particular recipe is designed around the sheet pan method, so I would keep the oven as the primary cooking method.

The ground chicken mixture is fairly soft and isn't as convenient to transfer directly onto grill grates as traditional pieces of chicken on skewers.

What Can I Use Instead of Sumac?

If you don't have sumac, you can simply leave it out.

The lemon juice already gives the tomato-onion salad plenty of fresh acidity.

What Kind of Flatbread Should I Serve With Them?

Naan, pita, or another soft flatbread all work well.

Your Homemade Naan Bread would be especially good here because it can soak up the garlic yogurt sauce and juices from the chicken.

 

Can I Turn These Into Chicken Kebab Bowls?

Absolutely.

Add rice to a bowl and top it with sliced chicken kebabs, tomato-onion salad, hummus, cucumber, and garlic yogurt sauce.

It's also a great way to use leftovers.

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