20 Skewers and Kebabs for Summer Grilling

There is something liberating about eating meat off a stick. No utensils. No plates. Just tender, charred, savory morsels of beef, chicken or seafood, designed to be enjoyed while strolling around a sunny county fair or balmy night market.

Pretty much every country we visit has their own delicious version of meat-on-a-stick, and we’ve compiled them all here.

Garlic-Ginger Beef Skewers

Layered flavor is what makes these great. A punchy, umami-rich mixture of fish sauce, ginger, garlic, curry powder, lime zest and a pinch of pepper is added at the start and end of cooking to give these curried beef skewers extra kick.

If you want to get some vegetables involved, you can trim the ends off a few shallots, then cap each skewer with a peeled half. Broiling will char the shallots’ outer layers and the interiors will be sweet and tender, a nice complement to the beef. Serve with fragrant basmati or jasmine rice.

Cilantro, Garlic and Lime Marinated Pork Skewers

Cilantro leaves are delicate and tender, but the sturdier stems are even more flavor-packed, and a great way to bring fresh, herbal notes to a dish. For this salty-sweet Southeast Asian-inspired marinade, we employ the stems’ bright, grassy flavor, in combination with the leaves, tangy lime juice, brown sugar, garlic and umami-packed fish sauce. Thinly slicing the pork allows it to absorb seasonings, tenderize and cook quickly, but cutting raw meat into small pieces can be tricky. To remedy this, we place it in the freezer for 30 minutes beforehand, firming up the pork for easy knife-work.

Souvlaki-Inspired Pork Skewers

In Greece, skewers of garlicky grilled meat called souvlaki are sold on street corners, in restaurants and at the beach. Inspired by the ubiquitous snack, our broiler-cooked iteration incorporates sweet-tart tomatoes, which blister and char in the oven. Zucchini cut into chunks works nicely, too—or even a combination. A yogurt marinade isn’t traditional for pork souvlaki, but we like the tenderizing effect it has on the meat. It also makes a creamy, tangy sauce. Serve with rice, orzo pilaf or warmed pita bread.

Berbere-Spiced Chicken Skewers

These vibrant chicken skewers get deep flavor from berbere, Ethiopia’s signature spice blend. Made with dried alliums, chilies and warm spices, berbere features complex flavor and a rich, earthy aroma. Look for it in spice shops or well-stocked grocery stores. If you can’t find it, you can make it yourself. We combine berbere with softened butter, lime juice and honey, making a spicy-sweet seasoning mix ideal for clinging to the chicken before cooking.

Pork Skewers with Garlic, Orange and Yogurt

Need to use up the last of your Greek yogurt? With just a few additions, it makes an excellent base for dips and sauces. Here, it performs double duty: We slather chunks of pork with yogurt seasoned with coriander, garlic and orange zest for a big boost of flavor. The remainder is used as a sauce for serving. The yogurt-tossed pork is speared onto skewers and cooked quickly under the broiler; the char they develop adds flavor to the lean, mild-tasting meat. Serve with a rice or orzo pilaf and a simple leafy salad.

Tandoori-Inspired Chicken Kebabs

Tandoori chicken traditionally is marinated for hours in yogurt and fragrant spices before it is cooked in a tandoor oven. Our weeknight-friendly, tandoori-inspired kebabs feature an easy marinade of yogurt, paprika, garam masala, cayenne and a few other aromatics. Just whirl everything in a blender, then combine with chunks of chicken. If you have time, marinate the chicken overnight, though even 30 minutes will go a long way to boost flavor and tenderize the meat. The marinade also helps the kebabs brown beautifully under the broiler. Serve with warm naan or basmati rice.

Maple and Soy–Glazed Chicken Skewers

For these savory-sweet, oven-friendly chicken skewers loosely based on Japanese yakitori, we use the sticky-sweet-savory glaze two ways—first as a quick marinade for the chicken, then as a basting sauce and finally as a finishing sauce. The final coating helps the sesame seeds or scallions—or both—adhere to the chicken. Serve with rice and a crunchy slaw or make into a sandwich or wrap with shredded vegetables and a smear of mayonnaise. For easy clean up, line the baking sheet with foil.

Espetada-Style Grilled Garlic and Bay Beef Skewers

On the Portuguese island of Madeira, espetadas are made by threading chunks of beef onto fresh-cut branches of bay, then cooking the skewers over the embers of a fire. The bay infuses the meat with its unique menthol notes while also releasing a heady aroma. To re-create espetada at home, we pulverize dried bay leaves in a spice grinder to make a seasoned salt, mix in garlic and olive oil, then use the mixture to season the meat before threading it onto metal skewers and grilling over charcoal or gas. Though a bit unconventional, we add tomatoes to these beef skewers and also make a simple Madeira reduction to finish the dish. Seasoned with garlic and some of the bay salt, the glaze-like sauce bolsters the flavors on the beef.

Grilled Skewered Cilantro-Lime Shrimp

Briny, plump shrimp, fresh off the grill, are satisfying and filling without being overly heavy. These skewered and grilled shrimp pair perfectly with a bright and punchy dipping sauce made with fresh cilantro, tangy limes, extra savory fish sauce and a bit of sugar. Grate the zest from the same limes that you'll juice to make the sauce. The shrimp can be served on the skewers or slid off onto a platter or bowl.

Citrus-Cilantro Chicken Skewers

Like to put your own spin on recipes? Here’s an easily-customizable one just for you. Inspired by Cuban mojo, the marinade on these smoky chicken skewers is fruity, sweet, and delightfully sharp. Use whatever citrus and sugar you have on hand — nearly any combination will do. Grapefruit or oranges work equally well here; when zesting the fruit make sure to remove only the colored peel, not the bitter white pith underneath. For easiest cleanup, line the baking sheet with foil before placing the skewers on top.

Moroccan Ginger-Lemon Chicken Skewers

These chicken skewers reflect the bright, many-layered flavor complexity of Moroccan cuisine—with a short ingredient list. Earthy spices and aromatics bring depth, while grilled lemon halves, drizzled with honey and squeezed over the charred chicken skewers, add a final note of sweet-tart acidity.

Grilled Garlic-Herb Shrimp

A simple purée of fresh herbs, garlic and olive oil does double duty in this recipe. It first coats the uncooked shrimp as a quick marinade. Then, with a splash of lemon juice stirred in, it's drizzled on as a sauce after cooking. (As you can tell from this roundup, we love dual-purpose marinades here at Milk Street.) One large bunch or “clamshell” container of tarragon should yield the amount of tarragon leaves needed for this recipe. You can serve the shrimp on the skewers with crusty bread and a vegetable side, or slide them off the skewers and add them to grain or leafy green salads.

Vietnamese Grilled Lemon Grass Pork

In Vietnam, grilled meats “are a canvas colorful on their own, but waiting to be painted with sweet and tangy nước chấm as well as a riot of toppings to add freshness and texture,” writes editorial director J.M. Hirsch. One of his favorite skewers from the grills of Ho Chi Minh was a lemon grass-seasoned grilled pork skewer served to him by home cook Nguyên Thį Thúy. It was meaty, lemony, bright, sweet, tangy, and fresh—served on a salad-like bed of rice noodles and herbs.

Ginger-Curry Grilled Chicken Kebabs

Up your grilled chicken kebab with Zanzibar’s multicultural flavors—a punchy, aromatic marinade of ginger, garlic, spices, tomato paste, and lemon juice. This version of meat kebabs is adapted from a recipe by London-based chef Anissa Helou, a master of Middle Eastern and North African cuisines. Serve with warm naan and, if you like, plain yogurt for drizzling.

Spicy Chinese Beef Skewers

Street vendors in China sell sizzling skewers of meat hot off the grill, rich with cumin and chilies. Some of the heady spice mixture goes onto the beef just before cooking; the rest is sprinkled on at the end. To make lamb skewers instead of beef, called yang rou chuan, substitute boneless lamb shoulder or leg; make sure to slice the meat against the grain. Though these are typically enjoyed as a snack, if served with some steamed rice and stir-fried vegetables, the skewers make a satisfying dinner.

Thai Grilled Pork Skewers

A little planning goes a long way in these simple grilled pork skewers. This take on moo ping, a Thai street food traditionally cooked over hardwood charcoals, calls for a quick stint in the freezer, a simple marinade and a brush of coconut milk. The results are juicy, sweet and savory, paired well with chili-lime sauce (jaew).

Curried Beef Skewers

We gave these curried beef skewers a Southeast Asian flavor profile by mixing curry powder, savory fish sauce and bright, citrusy lime. Grated fresh ginger and garlic add plenty of kick, too. Just as with the beef skewers up top, you can trim the ends off a couple of shallots, then peel and halve them lengthwise to create an allium-y cap for each skewer. Broiling will char the shallots’ outer layers and the interiors will be sweet and tender, a nice complement to the beef. Serve with fragrant basmati or jasmine rice.

Chicken Reshmi Kebabs

Mughlai cuisine combines Indian, Central Asian and Persian influences, and reshmi is one such dish. The word reshmi translates from Hindi as “silk” and is an apt descriptor of the rich, tender texture of the chunks of chicken breast after they marinate in a blend of nuts (we like cashews), yogurt, ginger and garlic. The kebabs are best grilled over a live fire, but if you prefer (or need) to cook them indoors, feel free to use your broiler. Place the skewers on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and broil until well charred, about 10 minutes, flipping the skewers halfway through. Serve with warmed flatbread and/or basmati rice.

Turkish-Style Chicken Kebabs

Smoky, charred chicken is expertly balanced with sweet flavors like mint and honey in our version of Turkish chicken kebabs. Traditional shish kebabs call for Biber salçası, an earthy red pepper paste. For our version, we use easier to find Fresno chilies, which we puree, along with roasted bell peppers, fiery Aleppo pepper and a touch of tomato paste.

Indonesian Beef and Sweet Soy Sate

Sate street food stalls are ubiquitous in Jakarta. We particularly loved the beef sate manis at Soto Tangkar Kerajinan 46, where cooks use the same sweet-and-savory seasoning paste to flavor their sate and their soup. A blender does most of the work in this recipe, so don’t be put off by the number of ingredients.

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Claire Lower

Claire Lower is the Digital Editor for Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, with over a decade of experience as a food writer and recipe developer. Claire began writing about food (and drinks) during the blogging boom in the late 2000s, eventually leaving her job as a lab technician to pursue writing full-time. After freelancing for publications such as Serious Eats, Yahoo Food, xoJane and Cherry Bombe Magazine, she eventually landed at Lifehacker, where she served as the Senior Food Editor for nearly eight years. Claire lives in Portland, Oregon with a very friendly dog and very mean cat. When not in the kitchen (or at her laptop), you can find her deadlifting at the gym, fly fishing or trying to master figure drawing at her local art studio.