Savor Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kabobs (Printable Version)
Marinated chicken and caramelized pineapple skewers with bell pepper and onion for bright, tropical weeknight meals.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
→ Fruit & Vegetables
02 - 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
03 - 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
04 - 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
→ Marinade
05 - 1/4 cup soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari if needed)
06 - 2 tbsp honey
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
08 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 tsp ground ginger
11 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
→ Garnish
12 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
13 - Lime wedges, for serving
# Directions:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, olive oil, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, ground ginger, and black pepper until well combined. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a separate container if you plan to baste the cooked kabobs.
02 - Place the cubed chicken into a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal tightly, and toss to ensure every piece is evenly coated. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F. If using wooden skewers, submerge them in water for at least 30 minutes beforehand to prevent burning.
04 - Thread the marinated chicken, pineapple chunks, bell pepper pieces, and onion wedges onto the skewers in an alternating pattern, distributing the ingredients evenly across each skewer.
05 - Place the assembled kabobs onto the preheated grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 3 to 4 minutes with tongs, until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F and has light char marks on the edges.
06 - Transfer the grilled kabobs to a serving platter. Sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and serve accompanied by lime wedges for squeezing over the top.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sweet and savory marinade soaks into every bite of chicken and makes it ridiculously tender.
- Pineapple grills into golden caramelized pieces that taste like candy alongside the smoky meat.
02 -
- Always reserve a small portion of marinade before it touches raw chicken so you can drizzle it over the finished kabobs for extra flavor.
- If you want to use the leftover marinade as a sauce, bring it to a full boil first to make it safe.
03 -
- Yellow or green bell peppers mixed in with the red ones create a stunning rainbow effect that makes the platter look party ready.
- The real secret is not overcooking the pineapple because it goes from perfectly caramelized to burnt in just a minute or two.