Description
Sweet and savory chicken skewers with pineapple and colorful veggies, marinated and grilled to juicy perfection in a Hawaiian-style sauce.
Ingredients
- 1½ to 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1‑1½‑inch cubes
- 1 fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 large red onion, cut into chunks
- ½ to ⅓ cup pineapple juice (canned preferred to avoid meat becoming mushy) *
- ⅓ cup low‑sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil (or a neutral oil) for brushing vegetables & grill
- Wooden or metal skewers (if wooden, soak them 30 min to 1 hour before grilling)
Instructions
- Soak wooden skewers in water if using, to prevent burning.
- In a bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, salt & pepper to make the marinade.
- Reserve some of the marinade (about ¼‑⅓ cup) to use later for brushing / glazing.
- Put the chicken cubes in a resealable bag or bowl, pour the rest of the marinade over them, toss to coat, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 2‑4 hours for more flavor).
- Preheat grill (or grill pan) to medium‑high heat. Oil the grates to prevent sticking.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl toss pineapple chunks, bell peppers, and onion with a little oil, salt & pepper.
- Thread chicken, pineapple, peppers, and onion alternately onto skewers.
- Grill skewers for about 12‑16 minutes, turning every few minutes so all sides char evenly; cook until chicken is cooked through (internal temp ~165°F / 75°C).
- During grilling, brush the skewers with the reserved marinade/glaze to build up sweet & tangy flavor and glossy finish.
- Once cooked, remove from grill, let rest a few minutes, then serve (often over rice, with sides like coleslaw or salad).
Notes
- Using canned pineapple juice helps avoid the enzyme bromelain (in fresh juice) making the chicken mushy. *
- If using wooden skewers, soak them well so they don’t burn on the grill.
- Cut all ingredients roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Don’t over‑marinate chicken—longer than ~4 hours can change texture adversely.
- You can broil in the oven if you don’t have a grill: arrange skewers on a baking sheet, broil, turning & glazing as for grilling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 2 skewers)
- Calories: ~250‑320 kcal
- Sugar: ~12‑18 g
- Sodium: ~400‑500 mg
- Fat: ~6‑10 g
- Saturated Fat: ~1‑2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~3‑6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ~20‑25 g
- Fiber: 1‑2 g
- Protein: ~22‑30 g
- Cholesterol: ~55 mg
