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Baked Pineapple Chicken Kabobs Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Baked Pineapple Chicken Kabobs Recipe

The first time I pulled these kabobs out of the oven, my kitchen smelled like a backyard luau. I had chicken, pineapple, peppers, and onion threaded onto skewers, and a sticky glaze bubbling away on the stove.
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Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes – keeping the pieces uniform in size means every bite of chicken finishes cooking at the same time
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos – coconut aminos give you a gluten-free option with a slightly sweeter milder flavor than regular soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice – use the juice drained straight from your can of pineapple chunks so nothing goes to waste
  • 1 tablespoon honey – this brings out a light caramelization on the chicken and vegetables as they bake
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil – just a small amount adds a toasty nutty background note to the marinade
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger – fresh ginger works too but the ground version blends more evenly into a quick marinade
  • 2 cloves garlic minced – fresh garlic makes a real difference here; the jarred pre-minced kind tends to taste flat by comparison
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt – kosher salt dissolves cleanly and won't oversalt the marinade the way table salt can
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch – this is what thickens your reserved marinade into a glossy glaze at the end
  • 1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks in 100% juice – steer clear of pineapple packed in syrup, since it turns the marinade overly sweet and sticky
  • 2 red bell peppers cut into 1-inch pieces – red peppers roast up sweeter than green, which suits the tropical flavor profile
  • 1 medium red onion cut into 1-inch pieces – red onion softens and turns slightly sweet in the oven instead of tasting sharp
  • 12-15 wooden skewers – soak these before use so they don't scorch under the broiler

Method
 

  1. Whisk the soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and salt together in a bowl. Pour half of this mixture over your cubed chicken in a separate bowl, then cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Save the other half of the marinade in the fridge, since that's what becomes your glaze later.
  2. While the chicken marinates, drop your wooden skewers into a tall glass or dish of warm water. Let them soak for about 30 minutes so they don't catch fire or burn under the oven's heat. This is also a great window of time to chop your peppers and onion.
  3. Once the chicken has marinated and the skewers are softened, start alternating chicken, pineapple, onion, and pepper onto each skewer. Leave about an inch of bare skewer on each end so they're easy to pick up and turn. Discard any leftover raw marinade the chicken sat in.
  4. Arrange the kabobs on a lined baking sheet and slide them into a 425°F oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken hits 165°F internally. If you want a little char, run them under the broiler for the final 2-3 minutes.
  5. While the kabobs bake, pour your reserved marinade into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk the cornstarch with a splash of water, then stir it into the simmering sauce. Keep stirring until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  6. Once the kabobs come out of the oven, brush them generously with the warm glaze. The glossy coating adds both flavor and a nice sheen that makes the dish look extra appetizing on the plate.

Notes

  • I always cut my chicken into pieces that are roughly the same size, because uneven pieces mean some are dry while others are still undercooked
  • I like to pat the chicken dry before marinating so the sauce actually clings to it instead of sliding off
  • I never skip soaking the skewers, since I learned the hard way that dry wooden skewers can scorch quickly under a broiler
  • I double the glaze recipe when I'm feeding a crowd, because everyone always wants extra to drizzle over their rice
  • I let the kabobs marinate overnight whenever I can plan ahead, since the flavor gets noticeably deeper with more time