Chicken and Steak Kabobs with Italian Dressing Marinade

Two Kinds of Protein

If you’re anything like us, someone always wants chicken while someone else wants steak. Instead of making two separate meals, we decided to marinate both in the same Italian dressing and build two kinds of kabobs. These chicken and steak kabobs also a great way to use up whatever sturdy vegetables you already have in the fridge. Once everything is marinated and prepped, dinner comes together on the grill pretty easily.

Pull Up A Chair

Rachel: I love that this recipe has 2 proteins: chicken and steak. Plus a bunch of vegetables. I especially like the grilled onions, but I have an impossible time choosing between chicken and steak!

Emily: These steak and chicken kabobs are one of my favorite summer recipes. They take some prep work, but the cooking is simple and quick. I love that you get two different textures and flavors without having to make two completely separate dishes.

Why You’ll Love These Chicken and Steak Kabobs

• The marinade flavors and tenderizes the meat. The homemade Italian dressing adds bold, herby flavor and makes the chicken and steak kabobs more tender. If you’d rather use store-bought Italian dressing, that works too.
• They’re easy to customize. These kabobs are a great way to clean out the vegetable drawer. We love onions, peppers, and zucchini, but mushrooms, yellow squash, or cherry tomatoes all work well too. Just choose vegetables with similar cooking times.
• You don’t have to choose between chicken and steak. We love using both because the marinade adds unique flavor to each of them. If you’d rather use only chicken or only steak, just double one protein and leave out the other.
• They’re perfect for entertaining or meal prep. Mix up the marinade ahead of time and chop the meat and vegetables the day before. When it’s time for dinner, assemble the skewers and grill them.

Ingredients the Chicken and Steak Kabobs

• Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken breast stays juicy after marinating and grills quickly.
• Steak – we prefer filet because it’s especially tender, but sirloin or ribeye are great options too.
• Vegetables – cut them roughly the same size as the meat. We love yellow or red onion, red bell pepper, and zucchini with this recipe.
• Homemade Italian dressing – olive oil, red wine vinegar, spicy brown mustard, honey, dried herbs, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

How to Make Chicken and Steak Kabobs on the Grill

1. Make the marinade. In a jar or bowl, whisk together the Italian dressing ingredients until fully combined.
2. Marinate the meat. Place the chicken and steak in a zip-top bag or a container or bowl with a lid. Add the marinade and toss until all of the meat is evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
3. Soak the skewers. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20-30 minutes while the meat marinates. We find that placing them in a 9×13 baking dish and covering them with water works really well. 
4. Assemble the kabobs. Toss the vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Thread the vegetables and meat onto the skewers, keeping the chicken and steak on separate skewers.
   • Why? Chicken takes a little longer to cook than steak, so separating them helps everything cook evenly.
5. Prepare the grill. Make sure the grill is cleaned and either oiled or made non-stick by rubbing it with a halved potato (cut a potato in half and rub the open side onto the grill; it works) Heat the grill to medium-high heat (about 425°F, depending on your grill). 
6. Grill the skewers. Place the skewers over indirect heat and grill for about 10–15 minutes, turning occasionally to sear all sides, until the chicken is cooked through to 165F and the steak is done to your liking (130-135F for medium rare). 
7. Rest and serve. Remove the kabobs from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. We love serving them with jasmine rice, but roasted potatoes, cheesy bread, or a simple green salad all make great sides.

Our Tips for Making the Best Meat and Veggie Kabobs

• Cut everything into similar-sized pieces so it cooks evenly. Plus, if the veggies are all smaller than the meat, they won’t touch the grill and get toasty.
• Leave a little space between the meat and vegetables instead of packing everything tightly together. This will help ensure that the meat is cooked properly.

• Keep the chicken and steak on separate skewers. Chicken and steak cook differently and have different final temperatures for doneness (you can eat steak medium rare but chicken has to be cooked completely), so separating them makes sure they’re cooked properly.
• Use a meat thermometer instead of relying on cooking time alone. This will ensure that the meat is cooked safely and to your liking.
• Let the kabobs rest for a few minutes before serving. Cutting into meat too early will make all the juices run out.

Easy Steak and Chicken Kabob Variations

• Make all of the kabobs chicken or all steak (instead of using both)
• Add mushrooms, yellow squash, or cherry tomatoes. Just be mindful of how any additional veggies might cook on the grill (cherry tomatoes may slide off more easily when they cook). 
• Try pork tenderloin instead of steak, or salmon instead of chicken.
• Use bottled Italian dressing as a shortcut.
• Use metal skewers instead of wooden skewers if you have them.

What to Serve with Chicken and Steak Kabobs

These kabobs are a complete meal on their own, but we especially love serving them with:

• Rice (jasmine, brown, or basmati would be great)
• Roasted potatoes
• Corn on the cob
• Cheddar and Bacon French Bread or Easy Parmesan Cheese Bread
• A Simple Green Salad or our Blue Cheese, Walnut, and Pear Salad
• Peach Crumble for dessert

How To Store Leftover Chicken and Steak Kabobs

If you have leftovers, we suggest removing the meat and vegetables from the skewers. Then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheat in the microwave or warm them in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through.

Chicken and Steak Kabobs with Italian Dressing Marinade

5 from 4 votes

These chicken and steak kabobs with Italian dressing marinade are perfect when you want your protein and vegetables all in one simple, flavorful meal. Marinated chicken and steak are threaded onto skewers with onions, peppers, and zucchini, then grilled until everything is tender, juicy, and lightly charred. The homemade Italian dressing marinade is savory, tangy, and packed with herbs, bringing everything together into one bold, satisfying dinner.

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Prep Time:40 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Marinate Time:2 hours hrs

Total Time:2 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Meat & Seafood

Cuisine: American, California

Keyword: Beef, Chicken, Grilled

Servings: 6

Equipment

• Gas grill

Ingredients

Italian Dressing Marinade

• ¾ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
• 1 tbsp honey (or can use 2 tsp sugar)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

Kabobs

• 1 ½ pounds steak cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
• 1 ½ pounds chicken breast cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
• 2 bell peppers cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 yellow or sweet onion cut into 2 inch pieces, layers separated
• 1 zucchini cut into 1 inch-thick rounds

Additional

• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12-15 Wooden skewers

Instructions

• In a jar or bowl, whisk together the Italian dressing ingredients until they’re fully combined.
  ¾ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried basil, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ¼ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
• Place the cut chicken and steak in a zip top bag or a container with a lid. Add the dressing, and seal the bag or secure the lid. Massage the bag or shake the container to mix the marinade and meat together well to make sure all of the meat is coated in the dressing. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  1 ½ pounds steak, 1 ½ pounds chicken breast
• Place the wooden skewers into a container with water (a 9×13 inch baking dish works well). Soak them for 20 minutes before removing them from the water.
  12-15 Wooden skewers
• Thread the steak, chicken, onions, peppers, and zucchini onto the soaked wooden skewers. For best results, use only chicken and veggies on some skewers and steak and veggies on other skewers (don’t mix the meats together on the same skewer). The chicken takes slightly longer to cook than the steak, so keeping them separate helps ensure you don’t overcook the steak.
  2 bell peppers, 1 yellow or sweet onion, 1 zucchini
• Heat a gas grill to medium-high to high heat (around 425°F). Note that the temperature of the grill will fluctuate whenever you open it. To help keep the skewers from sticking to the grill, wipe the grates with a paper towel coated in canola oil (use tongs to hold the paper towel). You can also rub the grates with the starchy part of a halved potato. The starch will make the grates non-stick.
• Place the skewers on the grill over indirect heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook them for about 10 to 15 minutes, flipping over occasionally to sear each side. The chicken may take a couple minutes longer to cook than the steak.
  Salt and pepper
• Once they’re done cooking, remove the skewers from the grill and allow them to rest for a few minutes (you can cover them with foil to keep them warm). Serve skewered or unskewered with your preferred side (we like to eat them with rice).

Ready To Grill?

We hope these chicken and steak kabobs make your next grill night a little more fun and a lot more delicious. Whether you stick with our combination of chicken, steak, peppers, onions, and zucchini or mix things up with another protein or different vegetables, this is one of those recipes that’s easy to make your own. If you try it, we’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave us a comment below, and don’t forget to browse our other summer recipes while you’re here. We’re always adding new favorites!