This Grilled Chicken Skewer recipe is a perfect quick and easy recipe for your next BBQ!
Juicy, tender pieces of seasoned chicken threaded onto skewers with sweet, caramelized pineapple chunks create a delightful combination of flavors and textures. The chicken is seasoned with a blend of savory spices and brushed with a tangy BBQ sauce, adding a smoky, rich taste that perfectly complements the sweetness of the pineapple. Grilled to perfection, these skewers offer a delicious and vibrant dish, perfect for summer barbecues, family gatherings, or any time you crave a flavorful and easy-to-make meal
Feeds 2-4 people
Prep time 20-30 minutes
Cook time 10-15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 red onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 3-4 chicken breasts
- 1 lb of pineapple chunks
- Chicken Seasoning
- BBQ Sauce
- Olive Oil
Why This Recipe Works
Cooking pineapple and chicken together on a skewer is a popular combination that offers several benefits, both in terms of flavor and cooking technique. Here’s why this pairing is important and enjoyable:
Flavor Combination: Pineapple and chicken create a delightful balance of flavors. The sweetness and slight acidity of pineapple complement the savory taste of chicken, creating a harmonious blend. The pineapple’s natural sugars caramelize when grilled, enhancing its sweetness and adding a pleasant smoky flavor, which pairs well with the chicken.
Tenderizing Effect: Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which helps to tenderize meat. When pineapple is cooked with chicken, the bromelain can break down the proteins in the chicken, making it more tender and juicy. This effect is most notable when the chicken and pineapple are skewered together on the skewer.
Moisture Retention: The juicy nature of pineapple helps to keep the chicken moist during grilling. The pineapple releases its juices as it cooks, which can prevent the chicken from drying out and ensure a more succulent final dish.
Balanced Cooking Time: Pineapple and chicken have relatively similar cooking times when grilled, making them well-suited for skewers. Both ingredients can be cooked to perfection without one becoming overcooked or undercooked before the other.
Instructions for Grilled Chicken Skewers
Prepare Your Ingredients: First, cube up your chicken, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, and red onion into 1-inch by 1-inch squares.
Coat with Olive Oil: Next, coat everything in olive oil to ensure even cooking and to enhance the flavors.
Season Everything: Then, season the chicken, peppers, and onions with your favorite chicken seasoning for an added layer of flavor.
Assemble the Skewers: Grab a skewer and start threading on your ingredients in a pattern you like. Alternating the chicken, pineapple, and vegetables will give a beautiful presentation and an even distribution of flavors.
Grill the Skewers: Preheat your grill and place the skewers on it. Grill the chicken skewers on each side for about 3 minutes.
Check the Temperature: Once the chicken hits an internal temperature of around 150°F(65°C), start glazing it with BBQ sauce for that smoky, tangy flavor.
Finish Cooking: Continue grilling until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F(74°C). At this point, they are fully cooked.
Final Glaze and Rest: Glaze the skewers one more time with BBQ sauce and let them rest for 5 minutes. This rest period allows the juices to redistribute, making the chicken even more tender and flavorful.
Enjoy these BBQ Chicken Skewers with Pineapple with a side of grilled vegetables or a fresh green salad for a complete and satisfying meal.
If you are looking for something more savory this Chicken Souvlaki or Garlic Parmesan Chicken recipe is for you!
If you are looking for a beef version try my Steak Skewers!
Chicken Skewers
Juicy, tender pieces of seasoned chicken threaded onto skewers with sweet, caramelized pineapple chunks create a delightful combination of flavors and textures. The chicken is seasoned with a blend of savory spices and brushed with a tangy BBQ sauce, adding a smoky, rich taste that perfectly complements the sweetness of the pineapple. Grilled to perfection, these skewers offer a delicious and vibrant dish, perfect for summer barbecues, family gatherings, or any time you crave a flavorful and easy-to-make meal
Ingredients
- 1 red onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 3-4 chicken breasts
- 1 lb of pineapple chunks
- 1-2 tablespoons of Chicken Seasoning
- BBQ Sauce
- Olive Oil
Instructions
- Cube up your chicken, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, and red onion in 1 inch by 1 inch squares
- Coat everything in olive oil
- Season the chicken, peppers and onions with chicken seasoning
- Grab a skewer and start to skewer on your ingredients in a pattern you like
- Grill your chicken skewers on each side for 3 minutes
- Once chicken hits an internal temp 155 start to glaze with bbq sauce
- Once chicken reaches an internal temp of 162 they are done
- Glaze one more time and let the skewers rest for 5 minutes and they are done!
Notes
Cooking pineapple and chicken together on a skewer is a popular combination that offers several benefits, both in terms of flavor and cooking technique. Here's why this pairing is important and enjoyable:
Flavor Combination: Pineapple and chicken create a delightful balance of flavors. The sweetness and slight acidity of pineapple complement the savory taste of chicken, creating a harmonious blend. The pineapple's natural sugars caramelize when grilled, enhancing its sweetness and adding a pleasant smoky flavor, which pairs well with the chicken.
Tenderizing Effect: Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which helps to tenderize meat. When pineapple is cooked with chicken, the bromelain can break down the proteins in the chicken, making it more tender and juicy. This effect is most notable when the chicken and pineapple are marinated together before cooking.
Moisture Retention: The juicy nature of pineapple helps to keep the chicken moist during grilling. The pineapple releases its juices as it cooks, which can prevent the chicken from drying out and ensure a more succulent final dish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 150Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 421mgCarbohydrates: 3gNet Carbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gSugar Alcohols: 0gProtein: 24g