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Chicken Pineapple Kabobs are easy to whip up and absolutely bursting with flavor! They are smothered with a delicious sweet pineapple glaze that is very kid friendly! These are completely devoured every time we make them!

 

 

Chicken and pineapple kabobs are a match made in heaven. They are easily customizable and can be prepared ahead of time. These tropical flavors will take you back to your last vacation and bring a smile to your face.

What really makes these AHHHmazing is the marinade for chicken kabobs with juicy pineapple.

Though few ingredients, you could certainly add extra vegetables as you wish.

My favorite part of this recipe though is that it make a great recipe for meal prep dinners, making summer grilling easy!

Made with all pantry ingredients, these grilled pineapple chicken kabobs are going to rock your world!

 

 

What is a Chicken Kabob?

A chicken kabob is a bite-sized piece of chicken that has been skewered on a stick and then cooked.

Some chicken kabobs are just chicken on a stick, nothing more.

But often the chicken is interwoven with other ingredients like fruits or vegetables, or even other meats like bacon.

Hawaiian Chicken kabobs are frequently marinated or served with some sort of sauce or glaze.

They may be roasted in an oven or cooked on a stove but most often they are cooked on a grill over medium-high heat.

 

 

Ingredients in Chicken Pineapple Kabobs

• Skewers: Not really an ingredient but vital for making kabobs. If you use wooden skewers, soak them for 30 minutes. If using metal skewers, make sure they are clean.
• Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts but you could also use chicken thighs. Just try to cut all the pieces of chicken to the same size for even cooking. We recommend 1 inch pieces.
• Fresh Pineapple: Don’t use canned pineapple. It doesn’t have the same texture and most of the pineapple chunks aren’t large enough.
• Bell Peppers: Any color bell pepper. Green pepper will give it a little more of a bite while red bell pepper is sweeter.
• Red Onion: Adds texture and flavor to these kebabs.
• Garlic Powder: An ingredient used in the marinade.
• Brown Sugar: Though pineapple is sweet enough, the brown sugar adds a richness to the flavor.
• Ginger: Fresh ginger or ground ginger both work great!
• Black Pepper: It’s a staple in all recipes to add a little kick.
• Vegetable Oil: olive oil could use used as well.
• Water: Your sauce needs a little water
• Soy Sauce: The last of the marinade ingredients and one not to be forgotten.

Pro Tips:

• Gather all the ingredients and let everyone make their own kabobs! Then there will be no complaining from the little of something they didn’t want on their kabob.
• Try making these on a griddle or a Blackstone if you have one. There will be no grill grates for ingredients to fall through.
• Add Bell Peppers to your kebobs. Any color bell pepper. Green pepper will give it a little more of a bite while red bell pepper is sweeter.
• Instead of water you could use pineapple juice! Adds more flavor to your chicken kebabs.

 

 

How to Make Chicken Pineapple Kabobs

1. Marinade: You’ll need a large resealable plastic bag. Add in all your basting sauce ingredients as well as your chicken and marinate.
2. Skewer: Don’t pre cook anything as it will all cook together on the grill. 
3. Grill: Place kabobs on the grill. To know when the chicken is done, use a thermometer. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
4. Devour: These are best served right off the grill!

Pro Tips:

• If your skewers are wooden, they’ll have a tendency to burn on the grill. Soak them in cold water for 30 minutes before skewering the food to prevent it!
• For a glaze, simply take the remaining marinade and place it in a medium saucepan or skillet. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl combine 1 Tablespoon cornstarch to 1 Tablespoon water. Mix well and add to boiling mixture. This sauce can then be used to baste your chicken or serve as a sauce over your kabobs.

 

 

How to Grill Chicken Pineapple Kabobs

Grilling over a medium low heat is an absolute must. 

Turning your grill up too high to cook them faster is a sure fire way to have a burned chicken and pineapple shish kabob.

Also important is to rotate the kabobs every few minutes. This way they get a nice, even grilling on all sides.

When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, the chicken is done.

Remove it from the grill to prevent it from becoming dry. Cooking your chicken to exactly 165*F will give you juicy chicken pieces and perfectly grilled pineapple.

 

 

Can You Bake Chicken Kabobs?

You can bake these chicken skewers! Turn the oven on to 400 degrees. 

Make sure to grease the baking sheet to prevent the chicken pineapple kabobs from sticking.

You’ll cook for 15-20 minutes total but they’ll need to be turned every few minutes just like on the grill for an even cook.

Can You Make Chicken Pineapple Kabobs in Advance?

Yes! You can easily thread up a kabob and then leave it in the fridge for a day or two until you’re ready to use.

Keep the kabobs covered to prevent them from going bad.

You can also cook them first and reheat them later, though your chicken will be drier, it should still taste good.

You can reheat them on the grill or in the oven the next day. Since they have already cooked, only heat them until warm.

 

 

Can You Freeze Chicken Pineapple Kabobs?

Unfortunately, no. 

The pineapple and bell peppers will lose a lot of their shape and texture once frozen and then thawed.

So cooked or uncooked, don’t freeze these kabobs.

Keep the shish kabobs in your fridge (covered) for up to 4 days after they’ve been cooked.

 

 

What to Serve with Pineapple Chicken Kabobs?

Since kabobs are more of a summer food, I’m a huge fan of anything that doesn’t heat up the house!

Try these delicious sides with your Hawaiian pineapple chicken kabobs!

• Rice: I love this recipe for Buttered Rice!
• Salad: Pick a salad like this Strawberry Mandarin Salad. It’s loaded with color and really refreshing!
• Fruit: You can’t go wrong with a watermelon or cantaloupe. Or make this easy but fancy Summer Fruit Salad!
• Veggies: We love tossing some Grilled Bacon Asparagus right next to the grill next to the kabobs!
• Noodles: Ramen Noodle Salad is cold and crunchy. A perfect side to these kabobs!
• Dessert: A heaping bowl of Pineapple Rice Pudding just hits the spot after delicious chicken kabobs!

 

 

More Kabob Recipes You’ll Love…

• Ham and Pineapple Skewers
• Marinated Chicken Kabobs
• Chicken Bacon Pineapple Kabobs
• Marinated Beef Kabobs

More Pineapple Recipes You’ll Love…

• Strawberry Jello Punch
• Cranberry Jello Salad
• Fluff Salad
• Disney Dole Whip 
• Banana Split Pie

Chicken Pineapple Kabobs are a wonderful summer dish your entire family is going to love. Made from chicken and pineapple, it’s a quick meal that everyone can enjoy with little clean up!

 

Originally Posted: January 12, 2015

Photos & Text Updated: January 3, 2023

 

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