Grilled Chicken Pineapple Kabobs (Print Version)

Tender grilled chicken cubes paired with sweet pineapple and colorful bell peppers for a flavorful summer dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat & Protein

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes

→ Produce

02 - 1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
03 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
05 - 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
06 - 1 medium red onion, cut into 1.5-inch pieces

→ Marinade

07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons honey
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
11 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt until well combined.
02 - Add chicken cubes to the marinade, toss thoroughly to coat all pieces, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours for enhanced flavor development.
03 - If using wooden skewers, submerge them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling to prevent charring during cooking.
04 - Thread marinated chicken, pineapple chunks, bell pepper pieces, and red onion alternately onto skewers, distributing components evenly.
05 - Preheat grill to medium-high heat, approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing grates to reach optimal temperature.
06 - Lightly coat grill grates with oil to prevent adhesion, then carefully position kabobs on the grill surface.
07 - Grill for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating every 3 to 4 minutes to ensure even cooking and light charring of vegetables. Chicken is properly cooked when internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
08 - Remove kabobs from grill and allow to rest for 2 minutes before serving to retain moisture and optimize flavor.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The sweet-salty-smoky balance feels like summer tastes good, and people always ask for the marinade secret.
  • Everything cooks together on one skewer, which means less fussing and more time actually enjoying your guests.
  • Those charred edges on the pineapple and peppers create a complexity that contradicts how simple this really is to make.
02 -
  • Save a small amount of raw marinade before adding the chicken and brush it on during the last minute of grilling for flavor that tastes intentional rather than accidental.
  • Uniform cube sizes matter more than perfect precision—the goal is everything finishing simultaneously, not competing for doneness on the same skewer.
03 -
  • Reserve marinade before adding raw chicken, then brush it on during the last minute of cooking for a flavor layer that tastes deliberate and restaurant-quality.
  • Keep all your pieces cut to the same size so nothing's racing to finish while something else is still raw in the middle.
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