How to Make Delicious Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs are an easy dinner your whole family will love. The delicious chicken and veggies are tossed with a tangy pineapple sauce and grilled for a dish so yummy even picky eaters will love it!
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This sweet Hawaiian chicken recipe is a family friendly main course that is super easy to throw together. I usually start my rice cooker before I start threading the kabobs so we have hot cooked rice ready by the end of the chicken’s cook time. I love that the Hawaiian pineapple chicken doesn’t take long to bake and my kids love the delicious sauces it’s marinated in.
What You’ll Need to Make Sweet Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Hawaiian Sauce Ingredients
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 can of pineapple (large pineapple chunks)
- Save 1/4 cup of pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup of pineapple will be used in the recipe, save the rest for another purpose
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Kabobs
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken or chicken thighs, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1” pieces
- 2 red bell peppers, green bell peppers, or a combination of both, cut into 1” cubes
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
Optional items for serving:
- White rice
- Brown rice
- Cauliflower rice
- Green onions for topping
How to Make Easy Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Step One
- Begin by preparing the marinade by whisking brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil together in a small mixing bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste and set aside.
- Next, place chicken in a gallon-size Ziploc bag.
- Reserving 1/2 cup of the marinade, pour the rest into the bag and toss chicken pieces to coat.
- Seal the bag tightly and turn a couple of times until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Place the bag in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours.
Step Two
- When ready to cook, preheat a grill over medium heat to 400°F or a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Next, combine the red onion and bell pepper in a separate medium bowl and toss 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
Step Three
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and discard excess marinade.
- Thread red onion, bell pepper, pineapple, and chicken cubes onto metal skewers until all of the ingredients have been used.
Step Four
- Brush the grill grates or pan with the remaining olive oil.
- Place your kabobs on the grill and cook for approximately 5 minutes.
- Brush kabobs with the reserved (unused) marinade. Turn skewers and brush with remaining marinade and grill another 4-5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Remove from grill and serve immediately with your choice of sides.
Can I Bake Kabobs in the Oven?
Yes!
Preheat your Oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Follow steps 1-3 in the directions above.
Finally, place your assembled kabobs in a single layer on the baking sheet, place it in your preheated oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping the cabobs half way through. Take out of the oven when an instant-read meat thermometer shows that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
Hawaiian Sauce Ingredients
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 can of large pineapple chunks, 1/4 cup of juice & 1/2 cup of pineapple will be used in the recipe
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Kabobs
- 1 pound bonelessskinless chicken breasts or chicken or chicken thighs, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1” pieces
- 2 red bell peppers, green bell peppers, or a combination of both, cut into 1” cubes
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
Optional items for serving:
- White rice
- Brown rice
- Cauliflower rice
- Green onions for topping
Instructions
Step One
- Begin by preparing the marinade by whisking brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil together in a small mixing bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste and set aside.
- Next, place chicken in a gallon-size Ziploc bag.
- Reserving 1/2 cup of the marinade, pour the rest into the bag and toss chicken pieces to coat.
- Seal the bag tightly and turn a couple of times until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Place the bag in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours.
Step Two
- When ready to cook, preheat a grill over medium heat to 400°F or a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Next, combine the red onion and bell pepper in a separate medium bowl and toss 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
Step Three
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and discard excess marinade.
- Thread red onion, bell pepper, pineapple, and chicken cubes onto metal skewers until all of the ingredients have been used.
Step Four
- Brush the grill grates or pan with the remaining olive oil.
- Place your kabobs on the grill and cook for approximately 5 minutes.
- Brush kabobs with the reserved (unused) marinade. Turn skewers and brush with remaining marinade and grill another 6-8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Remove from grill and serve immediately with your choice of sides.