Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs Recipe

Name: Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 3 chicken breasts (cut into 2″ cubes); 1/4 cup pineapple juice; 2 Tbsp brown sugar; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp ground pepper; 3 cups Fresh Pineapple (cut into 2" pieces); Green Bell Pepper (seeded and cut into 2″ pieces); Red Onion (quartered); Bamboo Skewers

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5 from 4 votes

Published on February 7, 2023

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by Carrie

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs is made with pineapple, peppers and onions and flavorful chicken. Delicious and easy to make kabob recipe.

Easy Chicken Hawaiian Kabobs Recipe:

This chicken kabobs Hawaiian grilled recipe is a family favorite. The chicken is marinated perfectly in a pineapple juice and soy sauce marinade. This gives the chicken so much flavor when grilled to perfection.

Kabobs are so fun and easy to make. We love the sweet and salty combination that the Hawaiian marinade gives the chicken. Combined with the sweet pineapple and added vegetables this kabob recipe is always on rotation.

This is a summertime staple recipe. It takes minutes to prepare the kabobs which makes dinnertime a breeze. Make these for your next BBQ and add your favorite sides.

What is Hawaiian Chicken made of?

Hawaiian Chicken is made up of simple pantry ingredients. The pineapple juice and brown sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the marinade.

Mix in soy sauce, ginger and garlic for the perfect combination for your Hawaiian Chicken recipe.

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts (cut into 2″ cubes)
Pineapple Juice
Brown Sugar
Olive Oil
Soy Sauce
Garlic Powder
Ground Ginger
Salt
Ground Pepper
Fresh Pineapple (cut into 2 inch pieces)
Green Bell Pepper (seeded and cut into 2″ pieces)
Red Onion (quartered)
Bamboo Skewers

How to Make Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs:

Step 1 – Prepare Skewers – Soak bamboo skewers in a shallow pan filled with warm water. Let soak for 30 minutes.

Step 2 – Marinate Chicken – In a shallow dish, add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add chicken to the dish and stir well to coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.

Step 3 – Prepare Grill – Preheat the grill on medium high heat (approximately 400 degrees F).

Step 4 – Thread chicken, pineapple, vegetables – Thread chicken, green pepper, pineapple, onion and another piece of chicken onto the skewer. Repeat until all ingredients are used.

Prepared Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs on a baking sheet

Step 5 – Cook Kabobs – Cook on medium high heat for 15 minutes (rotating the kabobs frequently so that they are cooked evenly).

How to Store Leftovers:

Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Do I need to Soak Skewers before Grilling?

Yes, we recommend that your soak the skewers in a shallow baking dish filled with water. Place wooden skewers in the water for about 30 minutes. This prevents the skewers from burning while the ingredients are cooking.

How long to Grill Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs:

After preparing the Hawaiian Chicken and threading the vegetables and chicken on the wooden skewers, they are ready for the grill.

Place the kabobs on the grill, it takes about 15 minutes turning to grill kabobs. Make sure to rotate the kabobs so they cook evenly.

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. The temperature should be 165 degrees when the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Can I Bake Chicken Kabobs instead of Grilling?

Yes, you can bake these Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs. Simply place the kabobs on a baking sheet after they have been marinated. Place in the preheated oven at 400 degrees and bake for about 15 minutes.

Make sure to rotate the chicken to make sure they cook evenly.

Can I Prep Grilled Chicken Kabobs in advance?

You can easily prepare the chicken kabobs in advance. We recommend to marinate the chicken and thread the vegetables and chicken on the skewers. Then place in the refrigerator until you are ready to grill.

We prefer to grill them when we are ready to serve. They pineapple and chicken taste better if grilled and then served.

What to Serve with Chicken Kabobs?

White Rice
Bake Potatoes
Cauliflower Rice
Roasted Vegetables

Recipe Tips:

Preparing Grill – Prepare the grill by heating the grill to medium heat and oiling the grill gates. This prevents the kabobs from sticking to the grill.
Meat Thermometer – Use an instant-read meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken is cooked to safe temperature before eating. Also that this chicken is no longer pink.
Flip the Kabobs – Makes sure to flip the grilled Hawaiian chicken kabobs as you cook them to make sure all sides are cooked.
Skewers – We used wooden skewers instead of metal skewers.
Reserved Marinade – We like to reserve some of the remaining marinade to pour over the kabobs when I serve over rice. We recommend thickening the sauce with a cornstarch slurry.
Change the Seasoning – You can easily change the seasoning. We like to add in sesame oil if we have it.
Cut Vegetables – Cut vegetables and chicken to about the same size pieces. This ensure that they cook evenly and about the same time.
Pineapple – We recommend using fresh pineapple when making this recipe. Canned pineapple doesn’t cook as well and the pieces are not as large as fresh pineapple.
Baste Kabobs – With the reserved marinade, you can baste the kabobs while they are grilling. This adds moisture and flavor to the kabobs.
Serving – These Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs are best prepared then served. We do not recommend preparing and freezing the kabobs as the vegetables and pineapple will turn to mush.
Chicken – We used cut up chicken breast in this recipe, but you can boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. You may need to allow the chicken kabobs to cook a little longer.