Chicken Pineapple Kabobs are a show stopping dinner that’s perfect for everyday meals or parties! Tender, marinated chicken skewered with sweet gilled pineapple and vegetables. Serve these kabobs over rice or just enjoy them as is!
Why You’ll Love These Chicken Pineapple Kabobs
These Chicken Pineapple Kabobs are so fun and easy to make! Easy enough for everyday dinners and equally as gorgeous for parties and summer cook outs.
- Easy To Make: You can prep these kabobs ahead of time and then just throw them on the grill a few minutes before dinner time.
- Adaptable: Switch up the ingredients to what you like, or to use up what you have in the refrigerator. Scroll down for more ideas.
- Fun For Parties: Nothing says fun more than a kabob. They look as good as they taste and with very little effort, kabobs always feel like a special meal.
Recipe Ingredients
Scroll to the recipe card at the end of the post for complete recipe amounts and ingredients.
- Chicken Breast: You can also use chicken thighs if you like, but we seem to always have boneless, skinless chicken breasts in our refrigerator or freezer.
- Red Onion: Yellow onion works too, but we love the color and sweet flavor of red onion for this recipe.
- Green Pepper: Any color bell pepper you like but green pepper does have a unique flavor to it that pairs well in this recipe.
- Pineapple: We do recommend using fresh pineapple because it’s more firm and works better on the grill.
- Hawaiian Barbecue Sauce: If you can’t find Hawaiian BBQ sauce, any sweet BBQ sauce will work, too. Also try using our homemade Huli Huli sauce instead.
- Asian Marinade: We’re using our Asian marinade to flavor the chicken, you can also grab a bottle from the store.
Variations
You can use so many different types of ingredients when your making kabobs. Not only can you switch up the vegetables but you can also switch up the protein.
- Pork or Beef: Instead of chicken try using pork or beef. Make sure to follow the recommended temperatures for when pork and beef are cooked through. Pork is done when the meat registers 145 degrees. Beef can be cooked to your liking, check out our Teriyaki Steak recipe for desired temperatures of beef.
- Different Vegetables: Try mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, eggplant or zucchini.
- Different Fruit: Peaches or plums are also delicious on these kabobs. Some even like cantaloupe or honeydew, just make sure the melon isn’t too ripe before using.
Ways To Cook Kabobs
These chicken kabobs are grilled – and you can use any kind of grill you like. Gas or charcoal, or even a grill pan inside.
Alternately, you can use the oven to make these kabobs as well. Place them on a foil lined baking sheet and cook them at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, turning in between. Use the broiler to finish them off after brushing on the sauce at the end.
Tips For Success!
When making these chicken kabobs, or any type of kabob recipe, we’ve got some tips to help you along in the process.
- Same Size Ingredients: The kabob ingredients should all be cut to approximately the same size. You want all the ingredients on the kabob to be touching in the grill.
- Cooking Time Of Ingredients: Another idea to keep in mind when making kabobs is the cooking time of the ingredients that you’re using. These chicken pineapple kabobs are a favorite of ours because all of the ingredients cook at approximately the same time.
- Skewer Proteins/Veggies Separately If Needed: If you have ingredients that will cook at different times, for instance tomatoes or zucchini, you can add those all to a separate skewer and remove from the grill when ready.
Looking For More Grilling Recipes?
- Easy Grilled Salmon Recipe
- Grilled BBQ Pork Chops
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Nuggets
- BEST BBQ Ribs Recipe
For extra reference, see the step by step photos with instructions below the recipe card!
PrintChicken Pineapple Kabobs
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
These Chicken Pineapple Kabobs are a show stopping dinner that’s perfect for everyday meals or parties! Tender, marinated chicken skewered with sweet gilled pineapple and vegetables. Serve these kabobs over rice or just enjoy them as is!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 2” cubes
- Asian Chicken Marinade
- 1 large red onion, cut into large 2″ dice
- 2 green peppers, cut into large 2″ dice
- 1 fresh pineapple, skin removed and cored and cut into 2” wedges
- 8 Metal or wooden skewers (if using wooden skewers, they need to be soaked in water for at least 1 hour before putting on the grill)
- 3/4 cup store bought Hawaiian BBQ Sauce or homemade Huli Huli Sauce
Instructions
- Place the chicken into a resealable storage bag or a dish. Make the marinade and then pour over the chicken, tossing to coat. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
- Preheat the grill to 400 degrees.
- Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers, starting with a piece of pineapple, then a pepper, then a piece of onion and then 2 pieces of chicken. Repeat that pattern twice for each skewer, ending with a piece of pineapple.
- Brush the grill grates with oil and then add the kabobs to the grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then carefully turn using a tongs and/or spatula to help. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on the second side and then baste the kabobs with the barbecue sauce or the Huli Huli sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes to set the sauce and then remove the kabobs from the grill. NOTE: Make sure that the chicken is cooked through by cutting into a piece and making sure that it’s white and the juices run clear. If the chicken needs more time, turn the grill down to 300 degrees, cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Serve the chicken kabobs on or off the skewers with more sauce on the side.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
How To Make Chicken Pineapple Kabobs – Step By Step Photos
- Marinate the chicken: Start by cubing the chicken into large pieces like you see above, about 2″ cubes, roughly the same size. Prepare the marinade, pour it over the chicken and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
- Prep the ingredients: Cut the peppers, onions and pineapple into large pieces like you see in the pictures below. A 2″ dice works well for these chicken kabobs. You can thread the ingredients on in any order that you like, but we like to use a pattern like you see below, keeping the chicken nestled in between the peppers and onion.
- Grill the kabobs: Preheat the grill to 400 degrees. Clean the grates and brush with oil to prevent the kabobs from sticking. Place the kabobs on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through. Baste at the end of cooking with desired sauce.