Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Pineapple (Printable Version)

Juicy grilled chicken skewers with pineapple and zucchini, marinated in honey, soy and smoked paprika.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken Marinade

01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
04 - 1 tablespoon honey
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
08 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Skewer Vegetables and Fruit

09 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced into ½-inch rounds
10 - 1½ cups fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks
11 - 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 - Fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt until well combined.
02 - Add the chicken cubes to the marinade and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning during grilling.
04 - Thread the marinated chicken, zucchini rounds, pineapple chunks, and bell pepper pieces alternately onto the skewers, distributing ingredients evenly across each skewer.
05 - Place the skewers on the preheated grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs, until the chicken is cooked through and lightly charred on all sides.
06 - Remove the kabobs from the grill and let them rest for 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro and serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sweet and smoky combination is the kind of thing that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
  • Everything cooks on one set of skewers so you get protein and vegetables done at the same time with zero extra pans to wash.
02 -
  • If you skip soaking wooden skewers they will burn and potentially break apart while you are grilling, which is a messy disaster I have lived through more than once.
  • Chicken thighs swap in beautifully for breast meat and actually stay even juicier, so use them if you prefer richer flavor and more forgiveness on cook time.
03 -
  • Let the chicken sit in the marinade for the full two hours if you can swing it because the flavor penetration is dramatically better than a quick toss.
  • A light brush of oil on the grill grates before you start cooking prevents sticking and gives you those clean professional looking grill marks.

Go Back