Beef & Chicken Duo Skewers (BBQ)

Ingredients

• 400 gbeef (sirloin steak or rib-eye), cut into 2 cm cubes or strips
• 600 gchicken thigh fillet, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
• 60 mlolive oil
• 1 lemon (zest + 1 1/2 tbsp juice)lemon
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 2 tspsmoked paprika
• 2 tspdried oregano
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 1/2 tspfine salt
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 1 tsp (optional)honey
• 1red onion, cut into wedges
• 1red bell pepper, cut into pieces
• 1courgette, sliced into 2 cm half-moons
• 150 gGreek yoghurt
• Zest + juice of 1/2 lemonlemon
• 1 tbspolive oil
• A pinchsalt
• To tasteblack pepper
• A handfulchopped parsley or mint

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the marinade

   Whisk together all the marinade ingredients and set aside 3 tbsp for glazing. Divide the rest between two bowls, one for the chicken and one for the beef. Cover and chill the chicken for 30–60 minutes and the beef for 20–30 minutes; the shorter time helps keep the beef tender.

2. 2

   Prepare the barbecue

   Set up the barbecue with a hot direct-heat area and a medium, indirect-heat area. Clean and oil the cooking grate.

3. 3

   Thread the skewers

   Make separate skewers: pair the chicken with the pepper and courgette, and the beef with the red onion. Pat the meat lightly dry before threading for a better sear.

4. 4

   Grill the chicken

   Grill the chicken skewers over direct heat for 8–10 minutes in total, turning every 2–3 minutes. Move them to indirect heat if they brown too quickly. Brush with the reserved marinade during the final minute, and cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75 °C.

5. 5

   Grill the beef

   Grill the beef skewers over direct heat for 5–7 minutes in total, until nicely browned. Brush lightly with the reserved marinade during the final 30–60 seconds, then rest for 3 minutes. Aim for 54–57 °C for medium-rare, or cook to your preference.

6. 6

   Make the sauce

   Mix together all the yoghurt-lemon sauce ingredients. Serve it with the skewers and extra lemon wedges.

7. 7

   Adjust the grilling

   For smaller pieces, cut the meat into 1.5–2 cm pieces and grill in small batches. Add the glaze only at the end to help prevent burning.

8. 8

   Use cooler heat

   If needed, move the skewers to the cooler zone, close the barbecue lid and cook for 30–60 seconds.

9. 9

   Choose accompaniments

   You can replace the yoghurt-lemon sauce with chimichurri, or serve the skewers with flatbread and a fresh tomato salad.

What are beef and chicken duo skewers?

These skewers bring together two familiar barbecue choices with Mediterranean-style lemon, garlic and herbs. The dish draws on the broad tradition of grilled meat kebabs, while this version keeps beef and chicken separate so each can be cooked for the right amount of time.

A shared marinade ties the two meats together, and the yoghurt-lemon sauce adds a cool, tangy finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 640 calories, 55g protein, 12g carbs, 42g fat.

The beef and chicken provide most of the protein, while the meat and olive oil contribute much of the fat. The meat, vegetables and optional honey provide the carbohydrates, with the vegetables contributing fibre. Pair a serving with extra salad or vegetables if you want more freshness and volume on the plate.

Why keep the meats separate?

Separate skewers: chicken needs to cook through, while the beef can be taken off earlier for a pink centre. Keeping them apart also helps avoid transferring raw chicken juices to the beef or vegetables.

Vegetables: pepper and courgette are threaded with chicken, while red onion accompanies the beef. Cut the pieces evenly so they grill at a similar pace.

Make the marinade count

Citrus and oil: lemon juice and zest bring freshness, while olive oil helps the spices coat the meat. The paprika, oregano and cumin give the marinade its savoury, smoky-herb character.

Reserve some first: set aside 3 tbsp before adding the marinade to raw meat. Keep the beef's marinating time to 20–30 minutes and the chicken's to 30–60 minutes, as directed.

Set up two heat zones

Hot side: direct heat gives the skewers browned edges. Clean and oil the grate before cooking to help reduce sticking.

Cool side: move chicken here if it colours too quickly, so it can finish cooking without scorching. Closing the lid for 30–60 seconds is another option in the method.

Look for the right doneness

Chicken: turn the skewers every 2–3 minutes and check that the thickest pieces reach 75 °C internally. The stated grilling time is 8–10 minutes, but the temperature is the useful doneness check.

Beef: grill for 5–7 minutes, then rest for 3 minutes. For medium-rare, the target is 54–57 °C; adjust the cooking to suit your preference.

Glaze at the end

The marinade glaze contains honey, which can colour quickly over a hot barbecue. Brushing it on in the final minute for chicken and the final 30–60 seconds for beef gives the meat a light coating without leaving it on the heat for long.

Keep the reserved glaze separate from the marinade used on raw meat, and use it only as directed.

Serve with something fresh

The yoghurt-lemon sauce adds a cool contrast to the smoky grilled meat. Extra lemon wedges let everyone brighten their own portion at the table.

For a fuller spread, serve with flatbread and fresh tomato salad, or swap in chimichurri as suggested.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the chicken and beef on separate skewers so they can cook safely and to different levels of doneness.
• Cut the meat into evenly sized pieces to help it cook at a consistent pace.
• Pat the meat lightly dry before threading to encourage browning.
• Turn the chicken every 2–3 minutes and move it off direct heat if it colours too quickly.
• Glaze only near the end of cooking to help prevent the honey from burning.
• Rest the beef skewers for 3 minutes before serving.

Variations

• Herb swap: use parsley in the sauce, or choose mint for a fresher note.
• Sauce change: serve with chimichurri instead of the yoghurt-lemon sauce.
• Flatbread side: add warm flatbread for a more substantial barbecue spread.
• Tomato salad: serve with a fresh tomato salad alongside the skewers.
• No honey: leave out the optional honey for a less sweet glaze.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Mixing the meats: separate skewers make it easier to cook chicken through while keeping beef pink if desired.
• Uneven pieces: cut the meat to similar sizes so smaller pieces are less likely to overcook.
• Overcooking the beef: use the 54–57 °C medium-rare target and rest it for 3 minutes.
• Burning the glaze: brush it on only during the final part of grilling.
• Leaving chicken over high heat: move it to indirect heat if it browns before it reaches 75 °C.
• Skipping the grate preparation: clean and oil the grate before cooking to help prevent sticking.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover cooked skewers and sauce in separate covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat the meat gently until hot throughout; the beef may cook further as it reheats.

Frequently asked questions