These juicy grilled chicken pineapple kabobs with vibrant bell peppers and sweet caramelized pineapple and onion are an easy 30-minute dinner. Marinated with a sweet-and-savory sauce and grilled to perfection, it’ll be your new go-to chicken kabob recipe.
Why I Love This Summer Kabob Recipe
If you’re looking for a new chicken skewer recipe, these perfectly charred pineapple chicken kabobs will be your new go-to! When the kids are playing in the pool all day, we like to fire up the grill for anything from juicy grilled shrimp to these flavorful chicken and veggie kabobs. Perfect for hitting the spot while not weighing you down!
- Simple: This is a fuss-free recipe that only calls for 4 ingredients, plus a batch of our favorite grilled chicken marinade made with pineapple juice and fresh jalapeños!
- Sweet and savory: Sweet bell peppers, juicy pineapple and homemade marinade pack these skewers with the perfect balance of bold flavors.
- Great for weeknights: We love to make these kabobs on a Sunday for meal-prep. Then we serve them throughout the week with cilantro lime rice, in salad bowls, or turned into wraps for an easy lunch or dinner.
- Fresh: The pineapple chunks make this skewer recipe oh so summery and bright. If you live in Florida like us, you’ll be making these kabobs all year long!
Have any leftover skewers? Use them to make the BEST air fryer steak kabobs or toss them on the grill instead!
Key Ingredients
All the sweet-and-savory goodness is in the homemade honey-soy sauce marinade. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts!
- Chicken: Use boneless and skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs. I try to cut my chicken into even sized pieces so the skewers cook evenly and all the bites of chicken stay juicy!
- Grilled Chicken Marinade: Try my recipe or use your favorite store-bought version instead.
- Yellow Onion: Feel free to use white or red onion instead.
- Bell Peppers: Any color of bell pepper works for this easy recipe, but keep in mind that a green bell pepper has a lot stronger flavor.
- Pineapple: I always use fresh pineapple as it keeps its texture better than canned pineapple, but either one will work.
How To Make Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Cooking on the grill means you can make large batches for tasty leftovers for the rest of the week. Make sure to soak your skewers before starting if using wooden skewers! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions.
- Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken and marinade to a Ziploc bag. Seal it and shake well. Refrigerate it until ready to grill. I like to let it marinate for at least a couple of hours for maximum flavor!
- Assemble the skewers: Remove the chicken from the marinade. Alternate chicken, veggies, and pineapple chunks on each skewer.
- Grill them: Preheat the grill and grease the grill grates. Add the chicken kabobs and grill them until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Flipping occasionally. You can also brush your kabobs with leftover marinade to add even more flavor as you cook them.
- Enjoy: Remove them from the heat and wrap them in foil for 5 minutes. This really helps to make your chicken extra juicy and tender. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Cook’s Tips and Variations
- Prevent sticking: Although you already greased the grill grates, prevent sticking by spraying the skewers with cooking spray on all sides.
- Use the air fryer: If it’s too hot to fire up the grill outside, make this recipe in the air fryer. Cook them at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping half way through.
- Make even cuts: Chop and cut the chicken and veggies into evenly-sized pieces. This will help to ensure everything cooks evenly and none of your bites are under-cooked or over-cooked!
- More veggies: Adding chopped mushrooms, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes to the skewers can make them even heartier.
- Use wood skewers: While I prefer the ease of using metal skewers, you can swap them for wooden skewers instead. However, you must soak them in warm water before assembling the kabobs to prevent them from burning or catching fire!
What To Serve With Chicken Pineapple Kabobs
- Starchy sides: You can’t go wrong with some coconut rice or parmesan butter noodles! A batch of air fryer sweet potato wedges will also disappear quickly!
- Vegetable sides: Zucchini succotash or zucchini fritters are both perfect for summer, but we also love this chilled broccoli salad.
- Sides to feed a crowd: Grilling these for a party? Try out this Southern red potato salad or my fresh chickpea salad! You also can’t go wrong with these crockpot cheese potatoes!
Yield: 4 servings
Grilled Chicken Pineapple Kabobs
Juicy and tender Grilled Chicken Pineapple Kabobs with bell peppers and sweet caramelized pineapple and onion are an easy 30-minute dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1.5” pieces
- 1 batch grilled chicken marinade
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 2” square pieces
- 2 large bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2” square pieces
- 2 cups large fresh pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Place chicken in a gallon Ziplock bag and add the marinade, making sure to cover the chicken with the marinade. Remove any excess air and seal the bag. Let the chicken marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours. Do not marinate any longer as it can change the texture of the chicken.
- Remove chicken from marinade and thread the chicken and vegetables onto metal skewers. Start the skewer with a piece of chicken and continue alternating with the vegetables, pineapple and chicken until the skewer is full.
- Preheat the grill to 350°F, around medium-to-medium high heat. Spray the grill with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the chicken skewers to the grill. Turn the kabobs occasionally, cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant read meat thermometer. You can brush more marinade on the skewers as they cook to add more flavor if desired. To keep the heat in the grill cooking evenly I close the lid on the grill. Just make sure to check every few minutes that there are no flame ups happening and to watch for hot spots on your grill.
- Remove chicken kabobs from the grill, wrap in foil, and let them rest for 5 minutes. Then serve and enjoy! While you might want to skip this simple step, it is really important and ensures your chicken is perfectly juicy and tender.
Notes
Storage: Place cooled skewers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Discard immediately if the chicken tastes sour or bitter.
Freeze: Transfer the cooled skewers to a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for best results.
Reheat: Air fry them at 400F for 2 minutes or microwave them in 20-second increments.
Make Ahead: Assemble the raw skewers up to 1 day in advance. Store them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Cook as usual.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 371kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.05g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 371mg, Potassium: 969mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 2667IU, Vitamin C: 150mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg
This is some juicy chicken
This looks so good, I can’t wait to make it this weekend.