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Pineapple Chicken Kabobs

Pineapple chicken kabobs with a sweet teriyaki-style marinade and caramelized grilled fruit. Juicy chicken cubes and colorful pineapple, peppers, and onion turn golden with a basting glaze on the grill.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken breasts
  • 2 lb chicken breasts, cubed
pineapple
  • 1 pineapple, cubed
bell peppers
  • 2 bell peppers, cubed
onion
  • 1 onion, cubed
marinade
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup pineapple juice
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 wooden skewers, soaked

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Mix soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, olive oil, and garlic until fully combined and glossy. The mixture should look smooth enough to coat chicken cubes evenly.
Marinate
  1. Add the chicken breasts to the marinade and turn to coat well. Marinate for 1-4 hours at refrigerator temperature, so the surface looks thoroughly stained and moist.
Assemble kabobs
  1. Thread chicken, pineapple, peppers, and onion onto soaked wooden skewers in an alternating pattern. Arrange pieces so they touch lightly for caramelization, leaving small gaps so they char instead of steaming.
Grill
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and place the kabobs on the grates. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side, basting with the marinade as they cook so the glaze clings.
  2. Continue grilling until the chicken reaches 165°F and the pineapple is caramelized. Look for golden-brown grill marks and deeper amber color on the pineapple before removing.

Notes

For the juiciest kabobs, keep the grill covered between turns and baste only during the last few minutes so the glaze doesn’t burn. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freeze cooked kabobs up to 2 months and reheat until hot. For a gluten-free option, use tamari instead of soy sauce and keep all other ingredients unchanged.