Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs With a Tropical Pineapple Punch

These juicy Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs are packed with sweet pineapple, crisp bell peppers, and a deeply savory teriyaki glaze that caramelizes beautifully on the grill.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Chicken thighs provide essential fat that keeps the meat incredibly juicy under high heat, unlike lean breasts.
• Brushing the high-sugar teriyaki glaze during the last two minutes prevents carbonization and burning while still achieving a perfect sticky lacquer.
• Cutting the red onions and bell peppers to match the exact surface area of the chicken ensures even contact with the grill grates.

Three summers ago, on a stifling Tuesday evening when the air was so thick you could practically chew it, I stood over a sputtering Weber grill in my backyard, desperately trying to slide stubborn chunks of raw chicken onto cheap bamboo skewers that kept splintering directly into my thumb.

My guests were arriving in twenty minutes, and the chicken was already looking dry while the pineapple chunks had turned to sad, watery mush.

It was an absolute disaster.

The fundamental problem with threading meat and fruit onto the same stick is that they operate on completely different laws of thermal mass.

Think about this in terms of physics.

While your chicken requires sustained heat to reach a safe internal temperature, the high water content in fresh pineapple quickly releases. This moisture essentially steams the neighboring meat, completely ruining any chance of achieving a gorgeous, deeply caramelized Maillard reaction.

To solve this, I started cutting my chicken thighs—which are far more forgiving than breasts—into precise 1.5-inch cubes and brushing on the glaze only during the final two minutes of cooking.

If you love this flavor profile, check out our Hawaiian Grilled Chicken and Pineapple.

Trust me on this one.

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs With a Tropical Pineapple Punch

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine Hawaiian
• Category Dinner, Grilling
• Prep Time 20 minutes
• Cook Time 15 minutes
• Servings 4 servings
• Calories 380 calories
• Rating 4.8 3247
• Tags Hawaiian chicken kabobs, grilled chicken skewers, pineapple chicken skewers, teriyaki chicken kabobs

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
• 1 fresh pineapple, cored and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
• 1 large red onion, cut into 1.5-inch wedges
• 2 large bell peppers (one red, one green), cut into 1.5-inch pieces
• 1 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• Metal skewers (or wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes)

Directions

1. Soak wooden skewers in warm water for at least 30 minutes if you aren't using metal ones. Tap them against your hip to shake off excess water before threading.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce, honey, and sesame oil. Reserve half of this mixture in a separate clean bowl for brushing later.
3. Toss the chicken thighs with the remaining half of the marinade, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and black pepper. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
4. Thread the chicken, pineapple chunks, red onion, and bell peppers onto the skewers in an alternating pattern. Make sure they are snug but not crammed too tightly, which prevents even heat circulation.
5. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F) and lightly oil the grates.
6. Place the kabobs on the grill. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
7. During the last 2 minutes of grilling, generously brush the reserved teriyaki glaze over all sides of the kabobs. Let it bubble and caramelize slightly, then remove from the heat.

Notes

• Salt Conversion: I highly recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt for the seasoning. If you only have Morton's kosher salt on hand, cut the measurement in half (use 1 teaspoon instead of 2) to avoid an overly salty batch.
• The Thigh Advantage: Opt for boneless, skinless chicken thighs over breasts. Thighs contain more working muscle and intramuscular fat, which prevents them from drying out when subjected to the intense, direct thermal mass of the grill.
• Glaze Timing Warning: Do not brush the sweet teriyaki glaze on the kabobs at the beginning of grilling. The high sugar content in the honey and teriyaki will undergo rapid pyrolysis (burning) long before the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
• Storage Chemistry: If you have leftovers, store the chicken and pineapple in separate airtight containers. Over time, the active bromelain enzymes in the fresh pineapple will continue to break down the protein matrix of the chicken, turning it unpleasantly mushy by day two.

Serving Suggestions

To turn these vibrant skewers into a complete backyard feast, pair them with sides that balance the sweet, caramelized glaze.

• A generous scoop of fluffy jasmine rice to soak up the extra teriyaki glaze.
• A side of cool, crunchy Spicy Jalapeño Coleslaw to cut through the sweetness of the pineapple.
• A refreshing glass of Blue Hawaiian Mocktail to keep the tropical theme going.
• Grilled corn on the cob brushed with a little butter and lime juice.
• A simple green salad tossed with a light sesame-ginger vinaigrette.

Storage and Reheating

Let's be completely honest: grilled pineapple is never quite as magical on day two. The sugars collapse, and the crisp edges soften into a somewhat wet texture in the fridge.

Slide the leftover chicken and vegetables off the skewers before packing them into an airtight glass container.

When you are ready to reheat, avoid the microwave at all costs. Instead, toss the leftovers into a hot cast-iron skillet with a splash of water to steam-heat them back to life.

It keeps the chicken incredibly moist.

Ingredient Substitutes

If you need to swap things out based on what is currently sitting in your pantry, here are some easy, tested alternatives:

1. Chicken Thighs: You can use chicken breasts, but you must reduce the grilling time by 2-3 minutes to prevent them from drying out completely.
2. Fresh Pineapple: If fresh pineapple isn't available, you can use thick-cut canned pineapple chunks, but pat them completely dry with paper towels first to ensure they caramelize rather than steam.
3. Red Onion: Yellow onion or sweet Vidalia onion works beautifully as a direct substitute.
4. Teriyaki Sauce: A simple mix of soy sauce, brown sugar, and a splash of rice vinegar can stand in if you run out of bottled glaze.

Next time you fire up the grill, skip the boring plain chicken breasts and give these a shot. Your forearms might ache from chopping all those peppers, but the sticky, sweet reward is absolutely worth it.