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These Hawaiian-style chicken pineapple kabobs are brushed with a mouthwatering, sweet-tangy soy marinade and then grilled to caramelized perfection. They’re easy to customize with veggies you have in the fridge!
It’s the season to whip out the “Grillmaster” apron, and skewers are some of my easiest summer grilling recipes. Try my BBQ chicken skewers, chicken satay, and chicken spiedini next.
If, like me, you start planning your weekend menu on a Monday, allow me to help you out: Juicy grilled chicken pineapple kabobs! These are a summer favorite, a version of my easy chicken skewers threaded with smoky grilled chicken breast, bell peppers, and bright, juicy pineapple brushed with a ridiculously easy, sweet-tangy Hawaiian marinade.
Get These Chicken Pineapple Kabobs to the Grill ASAP
- They’re quick to cook. These pineapple chicken kabobs need just 15 minutes on the outdoor grill. They’re great for weekend BBQs and weeknight dinners.
- Sweet, savory flavors. The combo of umami-packed soy sauce, tangy rice vinegar, and sesame oil paired with sweet tropical pineapple is too good. Like, mouthwateringly good. The sauce is mild enough for kids, and you can easily amp up the spice with seasonings.
- Easy entertaining. Since they’re so crowd-pleasing, I’ll often make these kabobs when we have company over in the summer. You’re going to have extra marinade, and it’s perfect for drizzling over the grilled kabobs with a side of rice when serving.
- You can also oven-bake them. There’s always the option to bake your chicken skewers in the oven if you don’t have access to a grill.
What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
These juicy chicken pineapple kabobs need minimal ingredients, and they’re easy to customize. Scroll down for easy variation ideas, and you’ll find the printable recipe card below the post, followed by step-by-step recipe instructions.
- Chicken – Skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into cubes so it’s easy to thread onto skewers with the other ingredients. Chicken thighs will take slightly longer to cook on the grill.
- Pineapple – You’ll want big, thick pineapple chunks, so I recommend fresh pineapple so you can cut it accordingly. In a pinch, you could use canned pineapple rings and cut them into quarters, but the flavor isn’t quite as good, and you’ll need to double up the smaller slices between the chicken and peppers.
- Bell Peppers – Any color goes, but I love the sweetness of red, orange, and yellow bell peppers in this recipe. Chop the peppers into 1-inch pieces after removing the ribs and seeds.
Marinade Ingredients
- Rice Vinegar – If you don’t have rice vinegar, switch it up with apple cider vinegar, white or red wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar.
- Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil (my favorite is from Star Fine Foods) or your choice of good-quality cooking oil.
- Soy Sauce – I prefer using low-sodium soy sauce. Substitute tamari or coconut aminos as needed to make your marinade gluten-free.
- Sesame Oil – This can be plain or toasted sesame oil. If you don’t have it, there’s really no substitute in terms of flavor, but you can simply add extra olive oil instead.
Do I Need to Soak Skewers Before Grilling?
If you’re using wooden or bamboo skewers, then yes. You should soak your skewers in water for 15-20 minutes before assembling your kabobs. Soaking helps keep the wood from burning and/or catching fire on the grill while the food cooks through. I’ll skip this step if I’m using metal skewers.
Can I Bake These Chicken Skewers Instead of Grilling?
Absolutely can. Even though I love making these on the outdoor grill, if the weather isn’t cooperating, I’ll bake these in the oven instead, using my cast-iron grill pan. You can also use a greased baking sheet. After assembling the chicken kabobs, arrange them on the pan and bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes, turning them halfway through.
What Else Can I Add to Pineapple Chicken Kabobs?
- Vegetables – Add other veggies like zucchini, onion, and cherry tomatoes.
- Protein – Swap chicken for another protein to make grilled pork kabobs or shrimp kabobs. You could also use cubed tofu or halloumi cheese for a vegetarian version.
- Fruit – Swap the pineapple with stone fruit, like peaches, mango chunks, or apricots.
- Seasonings – Rub the chicken with spicy jerk seasoning or mild chicken seasoning before you thread it onto the skewers, for even more flavor.
- Spicy – Add a spoonful of the sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo to your marinade to give it a spicy kick, or add crushed chili flakes.
Sauce Variations
These chicken pineapple skewers pair well with similarly sweet-tangy or sweet-savory grilling and basting sauces that balance out the pineapple and bell peppers. Here are some other ideas I’d recommend for these kebabs:
- Honey mustard
- Honey barbecue sauce (like I use for my pineapple barbecue chicken recipe)
- Bang bang sauce (like I brush over these bang bang chicken skewers)
- Chicken adobo marinade
- Teriyaki sauce
Tips for the Best Kabobs
- Even chopping means even cooking. Do your best to cut your chicken, bell peppers, and pineapple chunks to a similar size. The closer the ingredients are in size and thickness, the more evenly they’ll cook on the grill.
- Use fresh pineapple whenever possible. Canned pineapple chunks are a lot smaller and lack the same flavor and freshness.
- Check the chicken for doneness. Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the chicken pieces are cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- For even more flavor, baste the chicken kabobs again after flipping them over on the grill. This also helps to keep the chicken from drying out.
Serving Suggestions
Garnish these kabobs with sesame seeds, chili flakes, freshly chopped cilantro, or parsley, and serve them with your favorite summer sides. Below are some of the dishes I like to pair with these chicken pineapple kabobs, washed down with hibiscus punch or a sparkling strawberry limeade.
- Grilled corn on the cob
- Coconut cauliflower rice
- Hawaiian macaroni salad
- Coleslaw or cucumber onion salad
- Quick and easy grilled lobster tails
- Kalua pulled pork sandwiches
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Chicken Pineapple Kabobs
Ingredients
FOR THE SKEWERS
- 4 (1-pound) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 18-24 thick pineapple chunks, (I used a fresh pineapple)
- 1-2 red or orange bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
FOR THE MARINADE
- 3 tablespoons Star Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Star Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat your outdoor gas grill.
- Thread the kabobs. Alternately thread cubed chicken pieces, pineapple, and peppers on eight 6-inch skewers; set aside.
- Make the marinade. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, and water; whisk until thoroughly combined. Remove 1/4 cup of the sesame-soy marinade and set the rest aside.
- Coat the chicken. Brush the 1/4-cup marinade over kabobs.
- Grill. Reduce the heat on the gas grill to medium. Place kabobs on grill rack, directly over heat. Cover and grill for 12 to 14 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through, turning once halfway through grilling.
- Serve. Remove kabobs from the grill and transfer to a serving plate. Shake the reserved dressing and drizzle over kabobs or serve on the side.
Notes
- Soak wooden skewers for 15 to 20 minutes in water before using.
- Store any remaining marinade in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Chicken Pineapple Kabobs
Maybe it’s because I grew up with Macedonian kebapi (kebabs), but I could eat every meal off a skewer. It’s just so easy! Follow these steps:
- Assemble the skewers. While the grill heats up, thread the cubed chicken onto skewers, alternating chicken, pineapple, and peppers.
- Make the marinade. Next, whisk the marinade ingredients (your vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a little water) in a bowl. Separate about ¼ cup of the marinade to brush over the kabobs, and set aside the rest. You’ll use it as a sauce when serving.
- Coat the kabobs. Brush the ¼ cup of marinade evenly over the chicken pineapple skewers.
- Grill. Grill your chicken kabobs over medium heat for 12-14 minutes, turning once halfway through. When the chicken is tender and cooked, move the kabobs to a plate.
- Serve. Last but not least, whisk the reserved marinade and drizzle it over the kabobs for serving, or serve it alongside as a dipping sauce.
Important! Make sure to separate the marinade you’ll use to baste your chicken kabobs from the marinade you’ll use as a serving sauce. Discard any leftover marinade that has come into contact with the raw chicken skewers, and DO NOT reuse it.
Can I Make These In Advance?
Yes, you can thread the chicken kabobs a few hours in advance and keep them refrigerated. If you’d like to get an even earlier start, prep your ingredients (cube the chicken, chop the pineapple and veggies) 1-2 days ahead and store them in separate airtight containers so they’re ready to thread onto the skewers.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Remove any leftovers from the skewers and store the chicken and pineapple in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you have leftover marinade (that has NOT come into contact with the raw chicken), it’ll keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Reheat. Warm the chicken and pineapple in the microwave and drizzle over any extra unused marinade to keep it moist.
- Freeze. You can freeze your leftover chicken in a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw leftovers in the fridge before reheating.
These look wonderful for us and bypass our food allergies very well but we do not have a grill. Can these be broiled in the oven by chance? Please say yes! I even have all the ingredients on hand!
Thanks you for your great recipes!
Hi Cheryl! Yes, absolutely! What you’re gonna do is first brown the kabobs in a skillet and then pop them in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until done. Please go to this recipe – https://diethood.com/grilled-chipotle-chicken-salad/ – and follow the directions; though the recipe is for chicken breasts, the same directions apply to kabobs/skewers. I use this method 99% of the time. I hope this helps!
Loved your intro, you definitely have a witty sense of humor. Very cute! And these kabobs looks AMAZING! I know of several recipes I could use this Star rice vinegar on. Can’t wait to get started!
Rice vinegar is one of those ingredients that gives recipes a really interesting flavor. It’s one of my favorites!
Geebuz MONSOON?! That is insane!
As for these kabobs, I just got a new grill so this needs to be made! Thanks Katerina!
I’m always looking for different kabob recipes at this time of year. My kids love food on a stick!
Welll, Hello you gorgeous little kabobbies!!
These look absolutely amazing!! I love the Asian flavors in these!
These skewers look amazing! I love the combo of the marinade with the pineapple! Pinning!
I have never seen a more stunning-looking kabob! DYING over that pineapple! Pinned!