Juicy, moist, and packed with flavor, these grilled Hawaiian Chicken Skewers are so easy to make! Grilled to perfection after being marinated in a sweet and tangy sauce, this chicken kabob recipe is absolutely mouthwatering. Served over a bed of rice, these skewers make for the perfect weeknight dinner.
This Hawaiian chicken skewers recipe is perfect for a summer cookout. These skewers are made of juicy pieces of chicken marinated in a sweet and vibrant, tangy sauce that will have everyone reaching for more. These bite-sized pieces of chicken can be served on their own on the skewer with some rice or potatoes or as a part of a salad.
Want more chicken skewer recipes? Try my Korean BBQ Chicken Skewers, Lemon Garlic Chicken Skewers, or Grilled Mango Chicken Skewers Recipe. Both are perfect for a summer cookout and are absolutely delicious! You’ll have everyone stopping by the next time your BBQ when they’ve tried these skewers.
Why You’ll Love This Hawaiian Chicken Skewers
- Easy BBQ. The marinade is quick to whip up with every day ingredients, then all you have to do is allow the chicken to marinate for up to 30 minutes, then grill! So easy and delicious!
- Simple ingredients. Another reason I love making this recipe is that it’s so convenient, most of the ingredients are pantry staples. At the most, I might have to swing by the store to give some pineapples but since canned pineapples are shelf-stable, you can always stock up. It’s definitely a healthy and affordable recipe.
- A versatile chicken recipe. You can pair this up with so many sides, from veggies to rice or noodles and so much more. A delicious lunch or dinner.
What You’ll Need
- Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken tenderloins that I cut into 1-inch chunks.
- Canned pineapple: I use pineapple slices and juice.
- White rice: I served mine with some white rice, as pictured but that’s optional!
- Marinade: for the marinade, I use pineapple juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, paprika, ketchup, sriracha, oil, rice vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and salt.
How To Make Easy Grilled Chicken Skewers
- Prepare the chicken: Remove any film skin from the chicken tenderloins and cube then into 1-inch cubes. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Make the marinade: In another bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients until well incorporated. Add in half the marinade to the chicken cubes and coat well. Cover and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Skew the chicken: Each skewer should take about 5-6 pieces, depending on the size of your skewer.
- Simmer the marinade: Before grilling the chicken, simmer the remainder of the marinade in a small pan until the sauce thickens up a little.
- Prepare the grill: Preheat the grill. Brush the grill rack with some oil or use oil spray and place the skewers on the rack to grill.
- Grill the chicken: Grill the chicken for about 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and charred. Also, grill the pineapple slices during this time along with the chicken. While grilling, baste the chicken skewers a couple of times with the cooked marinade to keep them juicy. Right when the chicken has cooked through, transfer to a serving dish along with the grilled pineapple slices. Brush with more of the cooked marinade and garnish with some sliced green onion and enjoy.
Tips and Notes
- Soak skewers if using wooden skewers 30 minutes prior.
- To make this spicier, you can add more sriracha or even some red chili flakes.
- Feel free to add some vegetables to this like bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and more. You can also add some pineapples onto the skewers themselves.
- Always use a preheated grill so the chicken doesn’t stick.
- Do not mix the reserved marinade and the leftover marinade that had the chicken in it. You don’t want to cross-contaminate the sauce with the raw chicken.
- If you don’t want to use honey, feel free to swap it for brown sugar or maple syrup.
FAQs
You can use metal or wooden skewers. I like to soak my wooden skewers for 15 to 30 minutes before using them so they don’t burn on the grill. Wooden skewers are great if you don’t grill often but if you do, you should invest in a set of reusable metal skewers. I prefer ones that have a nice large hook on one end that allow you to grab and turn them with ease when on the grill, and this also makes it easier to hold them when you are sliding the meat off the skewer and onto a plate.
Yes, while I use chicken tenderloins, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts. It’s up to you!
You can make chicken skewers in the oven instead. Simply place them on a sheet pan and bake them for 10 to 15 minutes at 400°F.
Try serving this Hawaiian chicken recipe with my Grilled Vegetables, Spinach Chickpea Salad Recipe, or my Mexican Street Corn Salad.
You can remove the chicken from the skewers and store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Removing the skewers will make reheating it much easier, especially as you shouldn’t microwave a metal skewer.
More Skewer Recipes To Try
- Agave Cilantro Shrimp Skewers
- BBQ Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Citrus Salmon Skewers
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Chili Rubbed Chicken Skewers with Peppers
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Hawaiian Chicken Skewers recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Hawaiian Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken tenderloins remove film coat
- 1 can round pineapple slices with juice
- white rice to serve
For the Marinade:
- ¾ cup pineapple juice reserved from the can of pineapple
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp sriracha more or less to taste
- 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ cup raw honey
- 2 tsp. coarse Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. black pepper fresh cracked
- Salt to taste if needed
- Sliced green onions for garnishing
- Lime slices for serving
Instructions
- Soak skewers if using wooden skewers 30 minutes prior.
- Remove any film skin from the chicken tenderloins and cube then into 1 inch cubes. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- In another bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients until well incorporated.
- Add in half the marinade to the chicken cubes and coat well.
- Cover and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes to 1 hr.
- Preheat the grill.
- Skew the chicken on the skewers. Each skewer should take about 5-6 pieces, depending on the size of your skewer.
- Before grilling the chicken, simmer the remainder of the marinade in a small pan until the sauce thickens up a little.
- Brush the grill rack with some oil or use oil spray and place the skewers on the rack to grill. Grill the chicken for about 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and charred. Also grill the pineapple slices during this time along with the chicken.
- While grilling, baste the chicken skewers a couple of times with the cooked marinade to keep them juicy. Right when the chicken has cooked through, transfer to a serving dish along with the grilled pineapple slices. Brush with more of the cooked marinade and garnish with some sliced green onion and enjoy.
Notes
- Soak skewers if using wooden skewers 30 minutes prior.
- To make this spicier, you can add more sriracha or even some red chili flakes.
- Feel free to add some vegetables to this like bell peppers, onions, zucchini, and more. You can also add some pineapples onto the skewers themselves.
- Always use a preheated grill so the chicken doesn’t stick.
- Do not mix the reserved marinade and the leftover marinade that had the chicken in it. You don’t want to cross-contaminate the sauce with the raw chicken.
- If you don’t want to use honey, feel free to swap it for brown sugar or maple syrup.
can you marinade all day?
of course!