Description
These Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs feature juicy chicken pieces marinated in a tangy-sweet sauce made from ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and aromatic seasonings. Threaded alongside fresh pineapple, bell peppers, and red onion, they grill up in minutes for a colorful, crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup canned pineapple juice
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1¾ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1–1¼″ cubes
3 cups fresh pineapple chunks
1½ large green bell peppers, cut into 1–1¼″ pieces
1 large red onion, cut into 1–1¼″ pieces
Metal or soaked wooden skewers
Instructions
- Make the marinade: Whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
- Marinate the chicken: Place chicken cubes in a resealable bag, pour in marinade, seal, and massage to coat. Reserve ½ cup marinade for basting; marinate chicken at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Prep grill & veggies: Preheat grill to medium (400°F/200°C). Toss pineapple, bell peppers, and onion with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble skewers: Thread chicken, pineapple, bell pepper, and onion alternately onto skewers.
- Grill: Oil grates and grill skewers 5 minutes. Baste tops with half the reserved marinade, rotate, baste other side, and grill 4–5 more minutes until chicken reaches 165°F (75°C).
- Rest & serve: Remove skewers, let rest a few minutes for juices to settle, then serve hot.
Notes
Pat chicken and seafood dry before marinating to prevent excess liquid.
Marinate up to 4 hours (max 8 hours) for best flavor without mushy texture.
Use thighs instead of breasts for extra juiciness; adjust cooking times slightly.
For an oven-baked version, bake skewers at 425°F (220°C) for 12–15 minutes, basting halfway.
Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan for a crunchy topping if desired.
Discard any marinade that touched raw chicken or boil for 5 minutes before using as extra sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 1 hour marinating)
- Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 1300 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg