Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
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These easy Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs are a delicious dinner that the entire family will love! Easy to make with fresh pineapple, red onion, bell pepper and the BEST marinated chicken. Perfect grilling recipe to keep in your menu rotation.
This recipe is based off my my Grilled Pineapple Chicken, which is a must-try!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy Beginner Grilling Recipe: This recipe is such a great starter recipe for anyone that’s new to grilling!
- Make-Ahead: Almost all of the prep can be done in advance!
- Easy to Customize: Use your favorite vegetables!
Ya’ll. I am the grilling master.
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Ok, so that is not true. More like a grilling novice. For every recipe success I have there are two that are just ok. That being said, I am not giving up. With every new recipe my grilling skills are improving and I am addicted.
Grilled chicken, steak, pork… We’re making it all and I am bringing you along for the ride. First up? This super simple and amazingly delicious kabob recipe. Chicken is marinated and combined with fresh fruits and vegetables. From there it is grilled to perfection giving you a quick and tasty summer dinner recipe.
Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs Marinade
The secret to this recipe is in the marinade. It is loaded with flavor thanks to the pineapple juice, coconut milk, and soy sauce. It gives the chicken and vegetables so much added flavor and takes less than 5 minutes to assemble with no special ingredients. Here is what you need:
- Soy Sauce: I opt for low sodium soy sauce for my marinades. This gives you the classic flavor of soy but allows you to keep control over the salt in the recipe.
- Coconut Milk: Subtle flavor but big impact. Coconut combines amazingly well with the soy and pineapple in this recipe. My secret ingredient that makes these the BEST chicken kabobs.
- Pineapple Juice: I purchase small cans of pineapple juice and keep them on hand for summer recipes, like my Pineapple Margaritas.
- Brown Sugar: Just a touch. This balances out the tart citrus of the pineapple.
- Garlic: Truth be told, I measure garlic with my heart. It is my all-time favorite flavor. Feel free to add more or less depending on your preferences.
Jesseca’s Recipe Review
This recipe is a summer staple at our house. The marinade is sweet, savory, and just a little tropical. I’ve made these for family dinners, BBQs, even meal prep, and they always get rave reviews.
Tip from Jesseca:
Brush the kabobs with reserved marinade right after they come off the grill. It adds a final punch of flavor and keeps everything juicy.
Variations and Substitutions
These kabobs are super flexible and easy to customize with whatever you’ve got on hand. Here are some quick swaps to help you change things up or make the most of your pantry:
- Chicken thighs – Juicier than breasts and just as easy to cube.
- Shrimp – Marinate for just 15–30 minutes and grill as usual.
- Tofu – Great for a meatless option. Press first, then marinate.
- Extra veggies – Try mushrooms, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes.
- No coconut milk? – Sub in extra pineapple juice or a little Greek yogurt.
- Want heat? – Add red pepper flakes or a splash of sriracha to the marinade.
- No grill? – Bake on a sheet pan or use a stovetop grill pan.
These swaps keep the recipe fresh and fun, no matter how many times you make it.
How To Make Pineapple Chicken Kabobs
The beauty of this recipe is that you are in control of which vegetables go onto the skewers. Pick your favorites and roll with it. Here is a breakdown of how we make ours:
- PREP: Chop the chicken and vegetables. Place the chicken in a shallow dish, or zip top bag, and save the vegetables for later.
- MARINADE: Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Reserve 1/2 cup for later and pour the remaining over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 8.
- ASSEMBLE: Be sure you soak wood skewers, if using, and assemble by threading chicken, peppers, pineapple and onion through.
- COOK: Heat the grill to 400 °F (200°C). Cook the skewers for 5 minutes, brush with half of the reserved marinade. Turn and cook an additional 5 minutes, brushing with the remaining 1/4 cup of marinade.
- ENJOY: The chicken is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C).
Helpful Tools
- Skewers: Wooden skewers (affiliate) are relatively inexpensive. You can find a set of 100 for around $6. Just be sure to soak them in water to avoid them burning on the grill.
- Tongs: You don’t want to reach your hand across the hot grill to turn or pick up your kabobs. Tongs (affiliate) will come a long way in helping with the cooking process.
- Grill Basket: OR, if you want to avoid turning each kabob individually, you can use a grill basket (affiliate). One of my newest favorite cooking tools.
Recipe FAQs
You can bake these in the oven at 375°F for 15–20 minutes or cook them in a grill pan on the stovetop. They’ll still get that nice caramelization from the marinade.
Yes! Add the chicken and marinade to a freezer bag, label it, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking.
Avoid overcooking and use a meat thermometer. Pull the chicken at 165°F for tender, juicy bites.
Nope! You can toss everything on a sheet pan and roast it for a deconstructed kabob-style meal. Same flavors, less prep.
Only the reserved marinade (set aside before adding raw chicken) should be used for basting or drizzling. Discard anything that’s touched raw meat unless you boil it first.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
These kabobs are easy to prep ahead and just as tasty the next day. Here’s how to store them for the best results:
- Make ahead: Marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours. You can also assemble the skewers and refrigerate them (uncooked) up to 1 day in advance.
- Leftovers: Once cooked, remove from skewers and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Warm in a skillet over medium heat or microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through.
- Freezing: Freeze raw chicken in the marinade for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking. (Freezing cooked kabobs isn’t recommended—the texture changes.)
Quick prep, easy storage, and great for next-day meals.
Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs Recipe
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice (from a can)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3-4 minced garlic cloves
Kebabs:
- 1 lb boneless (skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch cubes)
- 2 cups fresh pineapple (cubed)
- 1 large green pepper (cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 1 red onion (cut into 1 inch pieces)
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce, coconut milk, pineapple juice, brown sugar, and minced garlic in a shallow dish or zip top bag. Mix to combine.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of marinade for later use.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
- Toss the peppers and onion in 2 teaspoons of oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the skewers by threading the chicken, peppers, onion, and pineapple.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Grill: Heat the grill to 400 °F (200°C). Cook the skewers for 5 minutes, brush with half of the reserved marinade. Turn and cook an additional 5 minutes, brushing with the remaining 1/4 cup of marinade.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking tray with foil and mist with non-stick spray. Cook your kabobs 15-20 minutes flipping once halfway through.
Cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C)
Video
Notes
- Soak wooden skewers in water before grilling to avoid burning.
- Adjust the vegetables per your families preference.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
We love these! We make them often.
If freezing do you freeze before or after griling
I actually would not recommend freezing this recipe. If you still would like to proceed I would suggest freezing the raw chicken in a ziplock bag with the marinade.
This recipe was a hit! We’ve probably made it 10+ times and it’s in our regular rotation for dinner recipe.. it never disappoints. Thank you!
This is my 2nd time making these, such a great and easy recipe! Thank you!
Made these tonight and they were sooo yummy!! I think next time I will make double sauce and marinate all 3 meats 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed them heather! They are in my top favorite summer recipes. :0)
How many does this feed?s
it makes 6 kabobs. So assuming two per person, 3 servings!
They are SO good! Thanks SO much for featuring me! I try every week, so I’m glad it was a good recipe that caught your eye :0)