Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

Tender, flavorful chunks of chicken grilled to perfection! So simple to make and they taste amazing! You’re going to love these Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs.

(Originally published July 26, 2021)

I’ve said it so many times, but grilling is one of my favorite things about summer. I am always looking to try new marinade and meat combinations and I think I may have found a new favorite, at least a top contender.

These Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs are amazing!

Chicken pieces are marinated in a savory ranch and fresh rosemary marinade and grilled to perfection. An easy, flavorful summer dinner!

As much as I love ranch dressing, if I’m being honest here the star of the show is the fresh rosemary! It gives this chicken incredible flavor!

I planted rosemary in my garden about five years ago, thinking it would just die when winter rolled around and then I’d plant a new one the following year. Well, turns out it comes back bigger and better every year. I have loved having fresh rosemary almost year round. Even in the winter (especially during during mild winters like last year) I can still go outside and cut rosemary. Granted it’s not as green during the winter months, but the flavor is still strong and amazing.

So simple to make:

• Make marinade. In a large mixing bowl, stir together olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, and pepper and sugar. Whisk together until combined.
• Marinate chicken. Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks and then pour the chicken into the marinade. Give it a good stir until all the chicken is coated and cover. Refrigerate 8 hours or up to overnight.
• Grill chicken. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto wooden skewers that have soaked in water for 15 to 20 minutes. Grill skewers 5 to 6 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear. (*You can also use metal skewers.) NOTE: If you’d rather grill whole chicken breasts, rather than make kabobs, then marinate the chicken breasts without cutting them into chunks. Grill the chicken breasts over medium heat until chicken is cooked through (about 6 to 7 minutes per side).

Does it have to marinate for the full 8 hours?

If you want the full, incredible flavor, then YES! The original recipe only had a marinating time of 30 minutes, but that just didn’t seem long enough for the flavors to meld. I always do at least 8 hours and have done as long as overnight. I definitely think the longer the better. Yes, you could probably get away with only 30 minutes, but the flavor just isn’t going to be as deep and intense.

Should I use store-bought ranch dressing or homemade?

We are all kind of ranch dressing snobs in this house and the store-bought bottled stuff just doesn’t cut it for us. I always use make my own using the Hidden Valley Ranch mix, buttermilk and mayo. Store-bought ranch will be fine if that’s what you prefer, but the homemade has such better flavor.

What if I don’t have fresh rosemary?

Fresh rosemary really is ideal for the truest, best flavor, but if you only have dried, you can substitute one teaspoon of dried for every tablespoon of fresh rosemary that the recipe calls for. If you don’t have rosemary growing in your garden like I do, you can buy fresh rosemary in the produce sections of most grocery stores. I highly recommend fresh!

In case you’re wondering what to serve this with, here are a few idea. . .

• Family Favorite Rice
• Fresh fruit
• Corn on the cob
• Instant pot mashed red potatoes
• Crusty bread
• Green salad

You’re going to love this!

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Recipe Source: Allrecipes