BBQ Pineapple Chicken Kabobs (Printable)
Marinated chicken, pineapple, and peppers on skewers, grilled until charred and juicy — ready in 35 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Fruits and Vegetables
02 - 1 fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks
03 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
04 - 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
05 - 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
→ Marinade
06 - 1/2 cup gluten-free barbeque sauce
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tbsp honey
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
# How-To:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together the barbeque sauce, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, honey, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt until well combined.
02 - Add the chicken cubes to the marinade, toss to coat evenly, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.
03 - Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning, or use metal skewers.
04 - Thread the marinated chicken, pineapple chunks, bell peppers, and onion pieces alternately onto the skewers, distributing ingredients evenly.
05 - Lightly oil the grill grates. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred.
06 - Brush the kabobs with additional barbeque sauce during the last few minutes of grilling for extra flavor, if desired.
07 - Remove the kabobs from the grill and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The pineapple caramelizes on the grill and creates this jammy, sweet crust that makes everything taste like a party.
- It comes together fast enough for a weeknight but looks impressive enough for a crowd.
- Everything cooks on one stick so cleanup is almost nonexistent.
02 -
- Do not skip soaking wooden skewers because they will catch fire and that is a sure way to ruin a relaxed evening.
- Cutting everything the same size is the single biggest factor between perfectly cooked skewers and a mix of raw and burnt pieces.
03 -
- Pat the chicken dry before adding it to the marinade because excess moisture dilutes the flavor and prevents good browning.
- Let the skewers rest after grilling because the juices redistribute and the chicken stays moist instead of running dry on the plate.