These EASY Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs make the perfect summer meal for your family that is healthy and full of so much flavor with delicious chunks of pineapple, bell pepper and marinated chicken in every bite!
You guys. Summer might be one of my favorite times of the year and not just because of flip flops, beach trips and the fact that I can maintain a good tan with little to no effort, but it is officially grilling season! My husband and I literally grill out almost every night of the week in the summer, not only because it goes hand in hand with sitting on our back deck enjoying a glass of wine, but it also makes eating healthy so much easier and enjoyable.
We love to cook chicken, fish and steaks on the grill along with eating ALL the vegetables because summer produce is totally my jam! Our go-to meal though is hands down kabobs because they are super easy to throw together in a pinch, don’t take long at all to cook and taste absolutely delicious with little to no clean-up. I also love that the veggies and meat can cook all at the same time making kabobs such an effortless meal and the flavors in these Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs just scream summer!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- chicken – you’ll need about 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs) that you’ll cut into 1-inch pieces.
- vegetables – I used a combination of red, green and yellow bell peppers along with a red onion, but you could also add in sliced zucchini, tomatoes or use a white onion instead.
- pineapple + juice – you’ll need chunks of fresh pineapple for the skewers along with fresh pineapple juice for the marinade.
- soy sauce – I always use low-sodium soy sauce as I find that regular soy sauce can make dishes too salty. You could also swap the soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos to make this gluten-free or paleo.
- olive oil – this helps infuse the flavors into the chicken and prevents it from sticking to the grill.
- honey – I just love the hint of sweetness without using refined sugar!
- chili paste – adds a little heat along with a boost of flavor, you could also use sriracha if you want even more spice.
- garlic + ginger – fresh garlic and ginger are definitely best in this dish.
How to Make Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
- Make the sauce. To make this flavorful marinade, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, olive oil, chili paste, ginger and garlic in a bowl until combined. Reserve about a 1/4 cup of the marinade and set that aside.
- Marinate the chicken. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a large ziplock bag. Pour the marinade overtop of the chicken until completely coated. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 4 hours as the acidity in the lemon juice will start to breakdown the chicken if left too long.
- Thread your skewers. While the chicken marinates, this is a good time to chop all your veggies. Thread the chicken, veggies and pineapple onto wooden or metal skewers. This recipe makes about 8 to 9 large skewers. If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill.
- Grill the kabobs. Pre-heat the grill or grill pan on medium-high heat and place the skewers on the grill, cooking about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Feel free to brush the reserved marinade over top as they cook for even more flavor!
- Ready to eat! You can serve these kabobs over rice or our coconut lime quinoa and enjoy!
Don’t Forget to Soak the Skewers
If using wooden skewers for the chicken, it is important to soak them in warm water for 30 minutes to an hour or so to prevent them from sticking to the grill and keep them from getting too burnt during grilling. You could also use metal skewers which are great because you can wash and re-use them, but they will get extremely hot so make sure to use tongs or have gloves on when handling them on the grill.
Can I Bake these Chicken Kabobs?
Of course! To bake these, simply place them on baking sheet covered with foil or nonstick spray and bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning the kabobs halfway through. You’ll know the chicken is done with the juices run clear and the internal temp of the chicken reads 165 degrees F.
Prepping and Storage
Leftovers can be stored in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, remove the chicken and veggies from the skewers and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until chicken is heated through or you can warm them up in the microwave.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Chicken Satay Skewers
- Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad
- Saucy Peanut Noodles with Chicken
- Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs
- Greek Chicken Skewers
Hope you all enjoy these Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs and if you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into large chunks
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into large chunks
- 1 red onion, cut into large chunks
- 3 cups fresh pineapple, cubed
- Optional garnish: green onions and cilantro
For the marinade:
- 1/4 cup fresh pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp hot chili paste
- 2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Place chicken in a large ziplock bag or bowl.
- To make the marinade, whisk together pineapple juice, reduced sodium soy sauce, honey, olive oil, chili paste, ginger and garlic until combined. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade and pour the rest over top of chicken until completely coated. Seal the bag and marinate chicken in the fridge for at least an hour to overnight.
- Pre-heat grill on medium-high heat, making sure to lightly spray with oil to avoid sticking, and soak the skewers in cold water for 15 to 20 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill.
- To assemble the kabobs, thread chicken, veggies and pineapple onto the skewers and place on the grill, cooking the chicken about 5 to 6 minutes on each side and brushing with the reserved marinade until the chicken is cooked through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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