Pineapple Chicken Kabobs (Printable)
Grilled chicken and pineapple skewers marinated in soy, honey and lime for a bright summer main.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Fruits
02 - 1 medium fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
04 - 1 large red onion, cut into wedges and separated
→ Marinade
05 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari if needed)
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp honey
08 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
11 - ½ tsp salt
12 - ¼ tsp black pepper
# How-To:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, honey, lime juice, minced garlic, grated ginger, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Place the chicken cubes in a resealable plastic bag or shallow bowl. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting during grilling.
03 - Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F.
04 - Thread the marinated chicken, pineapple chunks, bell pepper pieces, and onion wedges alternately onto skewers, distributing the ingredients evenly across each skewer.
05 - Place the assembled kabobs on the preheated grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with the reserved marinade, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the vegetables develop a light char.
06 - Remove the kabobs from the grill and let them rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm as a main course.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade pulls double duty, flavoring the chicken and serving as a basting sauce, so nothing goes to waste.
- Pineapple caramelizes on the grill and creates a sticky, smoky sweetness that pairs beautifully with savory chicken.
02 -
- Never reuse the marinade that touched raw chicken for basting unless you bring it to a full boil first, which is why reserving half from the start is the safest approach.
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling or they will catch fire and ruin your evening.
03 -
- Cut all your ingredients to the same size so everything finishes cooking at the same moment instead of having raw onion next to overdone chicken.
- Baste generously in the last five minutes of grilling because that final layer of marinade turns into the best sticky glaze you will ever taste.