Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

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Grilling perfection starts with these Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs, expertly crafted for maximum flavor, tenderness, and caramelization that has readers raving: “This was so good it blew my husband’s mind!” “LOVE LOVE this recipe,” “This recipe is to die for. I’ve made these repeatedly over the last month,” and absolutely scrumptious!…So finger licking good!”

With years of experience developing foolproof grilling techniques, I’ll guide you through every step with expert tips and a foolproof method for grilling and broiling so you can make these chicken kabobs year-round.

CHICKEN KABOBS RECIPE VIDEO

close up shot of four chicken pineapple kabobs on rice

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs Recipe

This recipe results from extensive testing to ensure the juiciest chicken, vibrant vegetables, and perfectly charred pineapple, all coated in a luscious, sweet, savory Hawaiian marinade. Here’s why you’ll love it:

The BEST Glaze/Marinade: My Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe inspired these kabobs. With hundreds of positive reviews, many saying it is the “best sweet and sour chicken ever,” I knew the sweet and sour sauce would lend itself beautifully to sweet and tangy Hawaiian Sauce.
Perfectly Juicy Chicken: The marinade infuses the chicken with flavor and tenderizes it, guaranteeing moist, melt-in-your-mouth bites.
No Double Work: Some of the marinade is reserved (that never touched the raw chicken) for the glaze for double the flavor without double the work!
Caramelized Pineapple & Veggies: The natural sugars in the pineapple and bell peppers caramelize beautifully on the grill, creating an irresistible smoky-sweet flavor.
Tried-and-Tested Grilling Tips: This recipe includes foolproof techniques to achieve even cooking, deep char marks, and maximum flavor absorption.
Make-Ahead Friendly: The marinade can be prepped in advance, making this a stress-free meal that’s perfect for weeknights, cookouts, or meal prep.

Hawaiian Chicken Kabob Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

FOR THE Chicken Kabobs

Chicken breasts: Cut the chicken into even-sized cubes so it cooks at the same rate. If you prefer, you may also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Fresh pineapple: Fresh pineapple is a must. Do not use canned, it’s too soft to grill.
Bell peppers: I used a red and a green bell pepper. Use whatever you’d like.
Onion: Any variety of onion can be used but I prefer yellow onions to cut through the sweetness.

For the MArinade/Glaze

Canned pineapple juice: DO NOT USE fresh pineapple juice as it contains the enzyme bromelain, which will leave your chicken mushy. In CANNED pineapple, however, the bromelain is extracted, so the juice will infuse your chicken with flavor without becoming mushy.
Cornstarch: Helps thicken the reserved marinade and transforms it into a sweet and sour glaze that gets brushed onto the chicken shish kabobs just before serving them.
Red wine vinegar: Adds the fruity tang which works with the pineapple juice to create the “sour” effect.
Sugar: Granulated (plain white sugar) sugar provides the balancing “sweet” to the sour.
Ketchup: Try to get your hands on an organic ketchup or one that hasn’t been sweetened with corn syrup.
Soy sauce: Use reduced sodium soy sauce so we can control the salt.
Spices: Garlic powder, ginger powder, and red pepper flakes kick up the flavor without adding heat.

three hawaiian chicken kabobs on bed of rice with fresh pineapple slices

How to Make Chicken Kabobs

Let’s take a closer look at how to make this recipe with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Whisk together the sweet and tangy marinade ingredients.
Add ¼ cup of this marinade to a large freezer bag along with chicken and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Toss to evenly coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 1-4 hours.
Add 2 tablespoons Marinade to a large bowl along with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add pineapple and veggies and toss to coat. Refrigerate.
When ready to cook, drain marinade from chicken and thread chicken, peppers and onions onto skewers.
Grill or oven broil the chicken kabobs until done (I’ve given detailed instructions for both cooking methods in the recipe card below).
Add reserved marinade to a small saucepan and whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened.
Brush thickened glaze over cooked kabobs. Enjoy!

How Long to Cook Chicken Kabobs

When you’re ready to grill, grease the surface of the grill with vegetable oil using a grilling brush immediately before adding your kabobs—otherwise, they will stick.

Heat the grill to medium-high heat and ensure it is nice and hot — you should hear a “sizzle” when adding your chicken kebabs. Grill chicken kabobs for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally until lightly charred and the chicken is cooked through. You have juicy, tender, flavorful chicken, sweet, caramelized pineapple, crisp-tender peppers, and charred onions.

Tips For Making Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

Chicken Kabobs are pretty straight forward, but there are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind.

Making Tips

Soak Skewers: You can use metal or wood skewers, but make sure you soak your wood skewers for at least 30 minutes; otherwise, they can catch fire! I recommend soaking your skewers when you start marinating your chicken.
Uniform Chicken: Cut your chicken into 1 1/2-inch cubes to keep it juicy. Avoid cutting the chicken too small, as it can easily overcook. Try to chop the chicken roughly the same size so it cooks evenly.
Don’t slice the bell peppers wider than the chicken: Wide bell peppers will prevent the chicken from touching the grill.
Group the onion slices: Don’t pull the onion slices apart; rather, add them to the marinade in sections. They will naturally separate some as you stir them with the marinade. You will want to add 2-3 slices of red onions to the chicken skewers at a time.
Thread chicken kabobs: Thread the chicken, fresh pineapple, peppers, and onions onto your in alternating fashion. If you don’t want to worry about alternating the ingredients, you can make all chicken skewers, all pineapple skewers, all bell pepper skewers, and all pineapple skewers.
How much space? I recommend packing everything pretty close together – not smashed together, but touching. With the cubes this close, the kabobs will take longer to cook because the heat isn’t reaching all sides of the food at once, which can prevent overcooking and promote juicier chicken kabobs.

Grilling Tips

Clean the grill: Clean the grill grates before and after grilling with a wire grill brush to remove any residue. This will help create beautiful grill marks and help prevent the chicken and veggies from sticking.
Grease your grill with a high smoking-point oil such as vegetable oil: Do NOT use olive oil because it has a lower smoking point, which will cause excessive smoke and can adversely impact its flavor and produce low levels of harmful compounds.
Use a hot grill: Heat the grill with the lid closed and the temperature cranked to the maximum so it can achieve the desired temperature more quickly and create those coveted grill marks. Once the grill is hot, adjust the temperature.
Be patient: Don’t attempt to flip the kebabs before 3 minutes or the chicken will tear. Once you can easily move the chicken with tongs, it is ready to flip.
Use a meat thermometer: Always use a meat thermometer to eliminate the guess work to achieve succulent, juicy chicken every time.
Which thermometer? Pick up an inexpensive instant read thermometer at the grocery store or Amazon, or I am obsessed with this digital probe thermometer – you will never overcook any protein again!
Don’t overcook! Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 160ºF and then rest for 5 minutes to carryover to 165 degrees F.

Hawaiian Chicken Kabob Variations

Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you are also welcome to use chicken thighs, just keep in mind that light meat will cook faster than dark meat, so it isn’t a good idea to combine on one skewer.
Veggies: You’re welcome to mix and match the veggies on these grilled chicken kabobs as you see fit. Zucchini, mushrooms, and more would all be tasty additions!
Oven Broiled: You can grill these chicken kabobs or broil them in the oven. The flavor is very similar, so use whichever cooking method is best for you!

Can I Prep Chicken Kabobs in Advance?

You can prep the sweet and tangy glaze and refrigerate for up to one week. You can chop the chicken, pineapple, and vegetables a day before marinating.

What to Serve with Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

Chicken shish kabobs are best with all your favorite potluck foods! You can go as simple as chips and watermelon or amp it up with pasta salad, fruit salad, and grilled corn. Here are some of our favorite sides to serve with kabobs:

Potluck Favorites: Baked Mac and Cheese, Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Corn Casserole, Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
Salad: Broccoli Salad, Strawberry Salad, Spinach Berry Salad, Cucumber Tomato Salad, and Corn Salad.
Pasta Salad: Italian Tortellini Salad, Greek Pasta Salad, BLT Pasta Salad, Cowboy Pasta Salad
Fruit: Grilled Pineapple, Grape Salad, Summer Fruit Salad, Fruit Salad, Tropical Fruit Salad or Berry Salad

How to Store Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

Leftover kabobs should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll last up to 4 days.

How To Reheat Chicken Kabobs

You can gently reheat these chicken pineapple kabobs on the grill, or you can remove the chicken and veggies from the skewers and reheat leftovers in a skillet (like a stir-fry!).

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Servings: -12 kabobs

Total Time: 40

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 10

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Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breasts chopped into 1 1/2″ cubes (4-6 chicken breasts)
1 fresh pineapple, chopped into 1 1/2” pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
1 green pepper, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
1 onion, cut into chunks
5 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sweet and Tangy Marinade/Glaze

1/4 cup canned pineapple juice*
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

Note: If using wooden skewers, soak for at least 30 minutes in water before grilling or broiling.
In a medium bowl, whisk Sweet and Tangy Marinade/Glaze ingredients together. Add ¼ cup of this Marinade to a large freezer bag along with chicken and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Toss to evenly coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 1-4 hours.
Add 2 tablespoons Marinade to a large bowl along with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add pineapple and veggies and toss to coat. Refrigerate. Refrigerate remaining Glaze separately (“Reserved Glaze”).
When ready to cook, drain marinade from chicken and thread chicken, pineapples, peppers, and onions onto skewers.
Add reserved Sweet and Tangy Glaze to a small saucepan and whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Bring to a boil (either on grill or stovetop) and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes (it will continue to thicken upon standing). Set aside.
TO GRILL: Generously grease grill and heat to medium-high heat. Grill chicken kabobs for approximately 12-15 minutes, rotating every couple minutes until nicely browned and slightly charred on each side and chicken is cooked through. Brush kabobs with Sweet and Tangy Glaze.
TO OVEN BROIL: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add the chicken kabobs in a single layer and broil, turning every 5 minutes until cooked through, about 10- 15 minutes depending on thickness of chicken. Brush cooked chicken with Sweet and Tangy Glaze.
Serve with rice.

Video

Notes

Don’t miss the “how to make” recipe video at the top of the post!

***DO NOT USE fresh pineapple juice as it contains the enzyme bromelain which will leave your chicken mushy. In CANNED pineapple, however, the bromelain is extracted so the juice will infuse your chicken with flavor without becoming mushy.

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53 Comments

Shiva mantra says

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Oooo! This looks so good!

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- Jen says
  
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  Thank you so much Shiva, I hope you love them!
  
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- Heather Torre says
  
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  This was so good it blew my husband’s mind! It’s definitely going into regular grilling season rotation. I’m goingnto double the recipe next time and add the shrimp another reader mentioned and maybe mushrooms. I’ll make a little extra sauce too, and the next day, I’ll add sauteed snow peas and serve everything over rice to make bowls for dinner. Thanks so much, your recipes are always such a hit, my family just automatically asks, “Is this Carlsbad Cravings?”
  
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  - Jen says
    
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    I’m so happy to hear these Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs will be on repeat! The addition of shrimp and mushrooms would definitely be tasty – mmmm. I’m honored to be a household name, thank you Heather!
    
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Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says

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I am obsessed with grilled pineapple! These kabobs look crazy delicious!

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- Jen says
  
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  Thank you Anna, I am obsessed with grilled pineapple too! I have to force myself not to use it in every recipe I make 🙂
  
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Dianne says

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New to your site. But growing up my grandma always cooked us sweet and sour hamburger and sweet and sour chicken. Since her passing Ive yet to make her recipe which I loved growing up. Why I have no idea. Maybe a memory of missing her . Although I tried this recipe tonight it was really good. Loved putting it on the smoker. Husband even says it was good and light and easy in the belly. Thanks I’m sure I’ll be back again to see what else you have.

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- Dianne says
  
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  I should say it reminded me a lot of her recipe!!
  
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- Jen says
  
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  How fun to find a recipe that reminds you of your grandma and her recipes! So happy both you and your husband enjoyed it and it sounds delicious on the smoker! I hope you have fun exploring my site, have a wonderful week!
  
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Valerie says

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It looks delicious…but would the glaze work with less sugar or a substitute of some kind? I can’t wait to try this and so many other recipes on your website! Great Job!

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Valerie! You could possibly substitute honey but you definitely need some sort of sweetness to balance out the acidity. Thank you for visiting my site, I hope enjoy trying my recipes!
  
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- Christina says
  
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  I just made this and used Splenda instead of sugar. Turned out great, sss all Of Jen’s recipes
  
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  - Jen says
    
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    Great to know, thanks for sharing!
    
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Diane says

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Have you tried this with shrimp? Looking to do a chicken and shrimp dinner with separate kabobs for cooking time only. Wondered how this would be on shrimp as well over coconut rice.

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Diane, sorry for my delayed response as I am just getting back from Lake Powell without any service. I haven’t tried this with shrimp, but I think it would be absolutely delicious!
  
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Nikki says

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LOVE LOVE this recipe, made it for the second time last night this time with boneless skinless thighs ((cleaning out the freezer) both were delicious.

Thank you

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- Jen says
  
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  Awesome Nikki! I am thrilled you love it so much! Thank you so much for making my day!
  
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Sherri says

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The Sweet & Tangy kabob recipe is to die for. I’ve made these repeatedly over the last month and I’m doing them again tonight.

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- Jen says
  
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  Thank you so much Sherri, I’m thrilled you love it so much!
  
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Judy says

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Made these last nights get and they were delicious. The thickened glaze at the end is a must! Thank you for the recipe!

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- Jen says
  
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  You are so welcome Judy, so happy to hear it was a winner! And yes, the glaze, mmmmmm! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
  
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Jordan says

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We’ve tried this recipe three times and absolutely loved it the first time. The next two times the chicken was very mushy and Chalky. At first we just thought it was the chicken but then after our third attempt and doing some google searching I believe we found the root cause of the issue. We were using fresh pineapple and fresh pinnapple juice in the marinate which appartently contains bromelain – an enzyme that digests proteins. The bromelain in cannned pinnapple is extracted in the canning process so you won’t have issues.

The first time we made these we didn’t have time to marinate – the other two we marinated for 30+ mins – using fresh pinnapple each time. Lesson we learned, either use canned pinnapple, leave out the fresh pinnapple juice, or don’t marinate. Hope this helps others avoid our chalky, mushy, chicken mistake! 🙂

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Jordan, that is fascinating and new to me – I really appreciate you sharing! I have only ever used canned pineapple juice so I never had the mush problem. I will change the recipe to indicate that. Thank you!
  
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Bernie says

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I am doing a post football tailgate party. These look like they would fit what I am looking for but I will be serving them cold. How do you think they would be grilled, stored and served cold or room temperature?

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Bernie, I would go with room temperature – should still taste good – not as good as warm but still good 🙂 Have fun!
  
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Rachel says

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Can I prepare ahead of time and freeze these? Any suggestions or ideas?

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Rachel, I haven’t personally done it but it this article (although using beef, same instructions apply though) walks you through it: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-freezer-to-grill-steak-and-vegetable-kebabs-236416 Hope that helps!
  
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Jenny says

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Can I marinate this over night?

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- Jen says
  
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  No, I don’t recommend marinating this overnight – the chicken will get mushy.
  
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Retno says

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I really want to make Hawaiian salmon and this marinade sounds amazing. Do you think this marinade will work with salmon? How would you suggest I make a salmon version of this. Thanks in advance.

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- Jen says
  
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  I think it would be great on salmon but I wouldn’t marinate it longer than 30 minutes. Enjoy!
  
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Julie says

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The marinade is so good you honestly don’t even need the glaze. When I make it again I will use less vinegar and a little more spice, just personal preference, but the whole family loved it.

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- Jen says
  
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  Thanks so much Julie! I’m honored the chicken kabobs are stand alone delicious and the whole family loved it!
  
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Mobasir Hassan says

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I like most because you describe everything so easily. It make a great sense. Love all your recipes. I have tried this one at a coffee shop restaurant. Every body like it

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- Jen says
  
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  Thank you so much! I’m so glad you find my recipes easy to follow and delicious!
  
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Belinda Voss says

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These kabobs were amazing. We made so many for a very large group of campers and they were a big hit. We kept the chicken a bit bigger and put 4 pcs on a skewer with the veggies and pineapple. The chicken was so juicy and flavorful and the way the pineapple candies after being bbqed was amazing!

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- Jen says
  
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  YAY! Thanks so much for making my day Belinda! I’m thrilled the chicken kabobs were such a hit – what a fun camping food!
  
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Bianca Moya says

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Hey! I would love to make this, but I want to oven broil, what should I sent my oven to? (In Fahrenheit)

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Biana, you an bake instead of broil: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Evenly divide chicken between baking sheets. Bake 15-20 minutes OR until chicken is cooked through being careful not to overcook or chicken will not be as tender (internal temp of 165 degrees F).
  
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Christina Hurt says

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Can you use canned pineapple for the recipe?

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- Jen says
  
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  Absolutely! Canned pineapple tends to fall of skewers easier because it’s softer so just be aware of that.
  
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- Elaine says
  
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  Love this recipe. I shared it with my daughter and daughter in law. Will definitely make this again.
  
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  - Jen says
    
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    Yay! Thank you so much, Elaine, I am so glad you love this!
    
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Krissi Komar says

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Super simple recipe that was absolutely scrumptious! We loved pouring some sauce on top of the rice, so we doubled the glaze/marinade. So finger licking good!

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- Jen says
  
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  Thank you so much Krissi, I lovo hearing it was such a hit!
  
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Pat Zuzack says

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Can I start marinating day before?

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- Jen says
  
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  No, marinating too long will make the chicken mushy. Sorry!
  
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Kim Vicars says

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Where did you get your skewers?

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- Jen says
  
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  I get mine from Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3NaqDl9
  
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Jen says

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Is there a temperature I should set the broil on? Or is it just supposed to be on high?

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- Jen says
  
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  I broil it at 500 degrees F. Hope this helps!
  
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Cherlyn says

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Step 4 doesn’t mention pineapple: “When ready to cook, drain marinade from chicken and thread chicken, peppers and onions onto skewers.” Maybe it’s just obvious 🙂

I made these tonight and they were delicious!

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- Jen says
  
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  Thanks so much for catching that, fixed! I’m so glad you liked them!
  
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