Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kabobs (Printable)
Marinated chicken and caramelized pineapple on skewers, grilled and finished with honey-lime and cilantro.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.5 pounds 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 if needed)
06 - 2 tablespoons honey
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnish
12 - 2 tablespoons 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. If desired, reserve a small portion of the marinade before adding raw chicken for basting or drizzling later.
02 - Place the cubed chicken pieces into a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal tightly, and toss to ensure even coating. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, approximately 375°F to 400°F. If using wooden skewers, submerge them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to assembly to prevent burning on the grill.
04 - Thread the marinated chicken cubes, pineapple chunks, bell pepper pieces, and onion wedges alternately onto the skewers, distributing ingredients evenly. Leave a small gap at each end for easy handling.
05 - Place the assembled kabobs onto the preheated grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 3 to 4 minutes with tongs to ensure even charring on all sides. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and has a slightly charred, caramelized exterior.
06 - Remove the kabobs from the grill and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and accompany with lime wedges. If reserved marinade was set aside, bring it to a rolling boil and drizzle over the finished kabobs before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade doubles as a glaze if you save a little before it touches raw chicken, and that trick alone will make you look like a grill genius.
- Pineapple does something magical to chicken, naturally tenderizing it while creating this caramelized crust that tastes like you worked way harder than twenty minutes of prep.
02 -
- If you want to drizzle extra marinade over the finished kabobs, reserve a few tablespoons before the raw chicken ever touches it, because cross contamination is not worth the risk.
- Do not marinate longer than two hours or the lime juice and pineapple enzymes will start breaking down the chicken into mush rather than tenderizing it.
03 -
- The biggest secret is placing a pineapple chunk directly against each piece of chicken on the skewer so the sugars caramelize onto the meat as everything cooks together.
- Cut all your ingredients the same size so nothing burns while waiting for larger pieces to cook through, which is the difference between professional looking kabobs and a messy situation.