This Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers recipe is a savory, zesty dinner idea that’s easy to make on the grill. Finished with a brushing of irresistible lemon butter sauce, the juicy, tender chicken packs BIG flavor!
How often do you really, seriously, wholeheartedly appreciate the flavor that black pepper adds to your food? Black pepper is one of the most common spices, yet it’s far from ordinary when it comes to how much flavor it adds. And this Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers recipe, with its delectable lemon pepper butter sauce, is the perfect example. It gives freshly ground black pepper its place to shine in the spotlight — well, alongside bright, fresh lemons, that is! (Psst – When it’s not grilling season, make this Lemon Pepper Chicken recipe in a skillet on your stovetop!)
Why These Grilled Lemon Chicken Skewers Are a Family Favorite
Our family likes my skillet lemon pepper chicken recipe so much, that I used the same flavor concept and adapted the recipe for the grill. This grilled lemon chicken skewer recipe will have you lickin’ your fingers clean! Here’s why my family loves these chicken kabobs.
- Bright + bold flavor. Freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest in the marinade and the sauce makes that wonderful citrus flavor pop! The bright acidity is the perfect foil to the warm, spiced flavor of cracked black pepper.
- Tender, juicy chicken. Marinating the chicken before grilling helps to keep it tender and juicy, as does brushing on the lemon butter sauce.
- Awesome sauce. Oh, that sauce! Absolutely do not skip it! It’s not just lemony and buttery; it also has a kick of garlic and a little bit of honey for sweetness. It brings some complexity to the table to ensure that while lemon and pepper are the stars, there’s an ensemble of supporting players too.
What You’ll Need
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these grilled lemon pepper chicken kabobs. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.
For the Lemon Pepper Chicken:
- Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless, and cut into 1-inch cubes for easy threading onto the skewers.
- Olive oil – Or another oil you like to use for grilling, like avocado.
- Paprika – Sweet paprika is beautiful with the lemon and black pepper.
- Salt – I use Morton kosher salt.
- Lemon – You’ll need both the juice and the zest. Wash the lemon well to make sure the rind is clean before you start zesting.
- Garlic – Two cloves adds a nice savory base of flavor.
- Black pepper – I recommend grinding the black pepper yourself. This will give you a more potent, fresh flavor and scent.
For the Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce:
- Butter – I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level of the sauce.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is always so lovely when it comes to butter sauces.
- Lemon – Again, both the juice and the zest, to really impart that fresh lemon flavor.
- Honey – This balances the lemon’s acidity with a touch of sweetness.
- Seasonings – Black pepper, salt, and paprika.
To Finish:
- Black pepper – To reeeeeeeeally amp up that peppery flavor!
- Parsley – Provides a fresh, herbaceous note that pairs beautifully with fresh lemon.
- Lemon – For a little extra brightness and acidity.
How to Make Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers
These grilled lemon pepper chicken skewers are so simple to make! Here’s a step-by-step guide to the process, and you can find the full instructions in the recipe card below.
- Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken and marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Fold to ensure all the chicken is coated, then let it marinate while you work on the sauce.
- Make the lemon pepper butter sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once it melts, stir in the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, until fragrant and softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients.
- Prepare for grilling. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers and season with salt and pepper. Add some thinly sliced fresh lemon, if desired. Heat the grill to medium-high; scrub and oil the grates.
- Grill the skewers. Place the chicken skewers on the grates and grill for 10-15 minutes, turning every few minutes. Transfer to a sheet pan.
- Finish. Brush the hot chicken skewers with the lemon pepper butter sauce.
- Serve. Transfer the skewers to a platter and garnish with additional black pepper and parsley. Serve with some lemon wedges, for squeezing over the top.
Tips & Variations
Grilled lemon pepper chicken skewers are easy to make, but here are some more tips to make sure they’re perfect — and customized to your family’s tastes!
- Soak wood skewers. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for a couple of hours before assembling the skewers. This keeps them from burning up on the grill.
- Oil the grill grates. To prevent sticking, it definitely helps to clean the grates really well and then oil them. I included details on how to do this in the recipe card.
- Add veggies to the skewers. For more flavor and color, and to make this a whole meal grilled on skewers, alternate chunks of lemon pepper chicken with lemon slices, asparagus, and red onion. Cherry tomatoes are also really good.
- Use Meyer lemons. It used to be that you could only find this lovely citrus in wintertime, but they’ve become much more popular and available. They have a softer lemon acidity, with a little bit of orange flavor to them, and they’re wonderfully fragrant; they give this recipe a slightly different spin.
Serving Suggestions
You can go so many ways when it comes to serving up these grilled lemon pepper chicken skewers. Keep it easy and offer super simple fresh vegetables or Grilled Vegetables, or make a batch of easy Pickled Squash. Potato fans will appreciate these tasty Grilled Potato Packets. A big bowl of fluffy rice is always welcome, too. My family adores Grilled Mini Sweet Peppers with Goat Cheese, which would be a fantastic pairing. Or add the grilled chicken to a meal bowl or to a salad — this Fattoush Salad would be delish!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store any leftover lemon pepper chicken kebabs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I usually just slide the chicken off the skewers first, for easier storing and reheating.
- Freezer: If you have more leftovers than you can eat within a few days, you should freeze them for later. Place the chicken in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm the lemon pepper chicken in a skillet over medium heat, in the microwave in gentle, short intervals, or in your air fryer.
More Chicken Skewer Recipes
Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
Lemon Pepper Chicken
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- fresh lemon slices, optional
Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Finish
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 4 fresh lemon wedges
Instructions
Lemon Pepper Chicken
- Add all Lemon Pepper Chicken ingredients to a large bowl and fold to combine evenly. Set aside while you make the Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce.
Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Stir in garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, until fragrant and softened. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in remaining Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce ingredients. Set aside.
Grill
- Thread cubed Lemon Pepper Chicken onto skewers. Add some thin slices of fresh lemon, if desired. Sprinkle assembled skewers with a little bit of salt on all sides, to taste.
- Heat grill to medium-high. Scrub the grates clean and then oil them well (see Notes).
- Grill for 10-15 minutes total, turning every few minutes, until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F. Remove skewers to a rimmed sheet pan.
Finish
- Immediately, while chicken is hot, liberally brush the prepared Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce over the skewers, using it all up. Transfer skewers to a serving platter, then sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges, for squeezing over the top.
Notes
This post was originally published in 2016, then updated in 2025.
Gorgeous photos lady. This looks super easy to make and DELISH!
I just LOVE kebabs! So easy and so pretty. Your version sounds amazing. :) Hope you’re doing well, friend. <3