Pineapple Chicken Kabobs (Printable)
Marinated chicken and caramelized pineapple on skewers, grilled until charred and finished with fresh herbs.
# What You'll Need:
→ Protein & Marinade
01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
03 - 2 tablespoons honey
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Fruit & Vegetables
08 - 1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes
09 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
10 - 1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
→ For Grilling & Garnish
11 - Wooden or metal skewers
12 - Fresh cilantro or parsley (optional, for garnish)
# Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Add the chicken cubes to the marinade, tossing to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.
03 - If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to grilling to prevent burning.
04 - Thread the marinated chicken, pineapple chunks, bell pepper pieces, and onion wedges alternately onto the skewers, distributing ingredients evenly.
05 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
06 - Grill the kabobs for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and lightly charred and the pineapple is caramelized.
07 - Remove the kabobs from the grill and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade does all the heavy lifting, so you get maximum flavor with almost zero technique required.
- Pineapple caramelizes into something closer to candy than fruit, and it makes the chicken taste like it came from a food truck.
02 -
- Do not skip the soaking step for wooden skewers because I once had three of them ignite simultaneously and it was not the kind of drama I wanted at a dinner party.
- Marinating the chicken for a full two hours transforms the flavor completely, but even thirty minutes at room temperature works if you are in a hurry.
03 -
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before adding it to the marinade so the soy mixture actually absorbs instead of sliding off a wet surface.
- Leave a small gap between the grill lid and the grate for the last two minutes of cooking to let the pineapple edges get deeply caramelized without overcooking the chicken.