Our Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Pineapple is a quick and easy way to make a healthy meal of marinated chicken and fresh grilled vegetables, all threaded onto skewers and cooked perfectly. Filled with bright Hawaiian flavors that are fragrant and sweet, chicken and pineapple pair perfectly for fuss-free summer suppers.
Grilled Chicken Shish Kebabs
Hawaiian Chicken Pineapple Kabobs are a super satisfying meal made with tender pieces of chicken breast threaded between juicy pineapple chunks, and a mix of veggies, all soaked in a honey and garlic seasoning before being grilled.
The homemade marinade is a bit sticky, tangy, and lightly sweet and is a delicious compliment to the char on each stick.
Pineapple and chicken skewers easily switch up a simple chicken dinner in only a matter of minutes using simple ingredients that you can customize to meet your personal and dietary restrictions.
These Hawaiian chicken kababs make it fun to eat food on a stick; it’s a kid-friendly meal that feels a little fancier than the classic barbecue fare.
Serve your Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs over Spanish Rice or Cauliflower Fried Rice to make it a complete meal.
Why We Love This Chicken Kebob Recipe
- Quick and easy to make in 20 minutes.
- Uses simple, healthy ingredients.
- Suitable for gluten-free diets and easy to customize to make a vegan version.
- Delicious dinner that’s packed with protein and vitamin-rich veggies.
- Portable for campfire cooking and can be also be made on the BBQ, in the oven or air fryer.
- Perfect for serving at a pool party, backyard barbecues, picnics, and Memorial Day, Labor Day, 4th of July or weekday and weekend grilling.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
- Red bell pepper
- White onion
- Zucchini
- Fresh pineapple: I do not recommend using canned pineapple in place of fresh. The flavor isn’t near as good and the canned cubes are quite small for skewing.
- Garlic cloves
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Honey
- Extra virgin olive oil
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Substitutions and Additions
- Vary The Veggies: Feel free to use your favorite vegetables for your shish kabobs. Some of my other favorites include yellow bell pepper, green bell pepper, broccoli, sweet corn, red onion, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes.
- Pick Your Protein: Instead of chicken breasts, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs, shrimp, tofu, beef, or pork.
- Make Your Own Marinade: It is so easy to make your own marinade simply by combining a sauce or combination of liquid and spices to infuse the chicken with your favorite flavors. Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, or soy sauce will enhance the savory elements of the chicken and sweetness of the pineapple.
Recommended Tools
- Large bowl
- 7-8 skewers
- Grill skillet
How to Make Chicken Kabobs with Pineapple
This Hawaiian chicken kabob recipe is skewered with tender, juicy chicken breast chunks perfectly paired with pineapple and veggies. Marinated in a sweet Hawaiian sauce, it’s a quick and easy meal that you can make in minutes.
- Marinate The Meal: Add cubed chicken, bell pepper, onion, zucchini, pineapple, garlic, salt, pepper, and honey in a large bowl, mix and marinate for 15 minutes.
- Assemble: Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers.
Pro Tip: You will get 7-8 skewers. - Cook: Cook skewers on each side for about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve: Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Tips
- You can use wooden or bamboo skewers instead of metal, but make sure to soak them in cold water for at least 1 hour prior to assembling and cooking so they don’t burn.
- Cutting the meat and veggies into uniform-sized pieces will ensure even cooking.
- If cooking on an outdoor grill, you can baste the chicken skewers while grilling so they don’t dry out. This will also add extra flavor.
- Make sure to brush the grill skillet with oil to prevent the skewers from sticking.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Allow the chicken and veggies to cool completely and place in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- To Reheat: Defrost completely and reheat in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can certainly marinate your meal a day in advance and thread the chicken and veggies onto the skewers, but I don’t recommend cooking these chicken pineapple kebabs in advance and then reheating them.
I worry that the chicken would become tough and dry that way. Make sure to wrap them well with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge.
Yes, you can absolutely make these Hawaiian chicken kabobs on the outdoor grill. Brush the grill with oil and preheat over medium-high heat.
Place the skewers onto the preheated grill and brush them with any reserved marinade. Grill for 5 minutes, then flip and brush again with the marinade.
Cook for another 5-7 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through.
Yes, you can absolutely make these pineapple chicken skewers in the oven. Assemble the vegetables and chicken on the skewer, and place them on baking sheets lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes, flipping the skewers about half way through.
These kabobs pair perfectly with so many sides. My Broccoli Slaw, KFC Coleslaw, Oven-Roasted Potatoes, and Corn Ribs are a delicious addition to your dinner.
Other Easy Grilling Recipes
- Grilled Potatoes
- How to Grill Corn on the Cob
- Campfire Nachos – How to Grill Nachos!
- Grilled Pineapple
- Grilled Chicken Wings
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 large red bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces (5.29 oz | 150 g)
- 1 large white onion cut into 1 inch pieces or red
- 1 cup zucchini sliced (4.37 oz | 124 g)
- 1 small pineapple cut into 1 inch pieces (14.10 oz | 400 g)
- 6 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the chicken breast with kitchen paper. Cut into 1 inch cubes.
- Add chicken, bell pepper, onion, zucchini, pineapple, garlic, salt, pepper and honey in a large bowl. Toss and let marinate for 15 minutes.
- Place chicken and vegetables into the skewers. You will get 7-8 skewers.
- Heat a non-stick grill skillet on high-medium with oil. Cook skewers on each side for about 1 minute.
- Transfer on a plate with kitchen paper to remove the excess of oil.
- Serve immediately.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Allow the chicken and veggies to cool completely and place in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- To Reheat: Defrost completely and reheat in the microwave.
- You can use wooden or bamboo skewers instead of metal, but make sure to soak them in cold water for at least 1 hour prior to assembling and cooking so they don’t burn.
- Cutting the meat and veggies into uniform-sized pieces will ensure even cooking.
If cooking on an outdoor grill, you can baste the chicken skewers while grilling so they don’t dry out. This will also add extra flavor. - Make sure to brush the grill skillet with oil to prevent the skewers from sticking.
This looks easy and delicious!
The chicken pineapple kebobs sounds do good. I can’t wait to make this. I dont have an outside grill any more, but have an inside grill. Should work on there as well.
This recipe sounds amazing ! Can’t wait to try it ! Your daily emails says have such great recipes !
You read my mind. I just told my husband I need a recipe for pineapple chicken. Poof it appeared! I cannot wait to try it this werk.