Grilled Chicken Kabobs {With Veggies + Pineapple}

Sweet and savory Chicken Kabobs are a perfect summer grilled dish. They are packed with veggies AND flavor!

Chicken Kabobs pair perfectly with a side of grilled asparagus or corn. Make it a kabob party by adding in some fresh fruit kabobs and a sweet dessert kabob!

best chicken kabobs

Grilling is popular all year long here in AZ, especially the winter months when the weather is perfection!!! But summer just feels like grilling season.

One of our favorite things to do is skewer up kabobs and throw them on the grill!

Really you can add anything protein and veggies you like, but a family favorite is a straightforward Chicken Kabob. For today’s recipe, we added both veggies and some fruit.

The pineapple gives it a bright tropical twist, and I always pack mine with zucchini and peppers.

I love to pair this with a creamy potato salad or fresh fruit salad. It’s easy, and perfect for summer!

how to grill chicken kabobs

MARINADE. Make marinade by combining oil, honey, soy sauce, pepper and minced garlic.

REFRIGERATE. Split marinade into two gallon-size Ziploc bags. Add chicken chunks to one and vegetable/fruit pieces to the other bag and refrigerate overnight.

PREP GRILL. Preheat the grill to low-medium heat.

SKEWER. Drain marinade from chicken and put chicken pieces in a bowl. Pour vegetables with marinade into another bowl. Thread chicken and vegetable and fruit alternately onto metal skewers.

GRILL. Place skewers on lightly oiled grill grate. Cook skewers making sure to baste with reserve veggie marinade at the end. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until juices run clear.

Grilling Tips

• Skewers: If you are using wooden skewers you will want to soak them in cold water for at least 20 minutes. This will help keep them from burning, drying out and breaking.
• Grease: Add olive oil to the hot grill grates. Doing so will help keep the kabobs from sticking to the grate.
• Temperature: Grill over medium-high heat and don’t let the grill exceed 400°F. Otherwise the kabobs will scorch and toughen before they finish cooking all the way through.
• How long to grill chicken skewers? You only need to grill these chicken kebabs for 5-7 minutes on each side. The chicken should easily reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Alternative cooking method

In the oven: Preheat the oven-broiler. Prepare a sheet pan with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper. Place the skewers in a single layer on the sheet pan. Broil for 5 minutes, then flip and broil another 5 minutes.

Recipe Tips

Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs.

• Cut them into cubes before you marinade them.
• The easiest way to cut equal pieces is to place the chicken in the freezer and freeze until partially solid, but you’re still able to cut through the chicken.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes, which are the perfect bite-sized pieces.

Marinade: Marinade the chicken in one container and the veggies & pineapple in a second separate container. The longer you marinade the better the flavors will be. At the very least 1 hour, but about 8 hours is ideal. 

How to cut vegetables: Be sure that you cut the zucchini bell peppers and pineapple approximately the same size. This way they cook at the same rate. Should you want to add or substitute other produce, you certainly can.

Some other favorites include:

• red onions, mushrooms, brussel sprouts, cherry tomatoes, chopped asparagus, cooked baby potatoes

Side Ideas

What goes well with Chicken Kabobs? They’re a great meal on their own, but we love to serve them with other summer sides. Here are some ideas:

Storing Info

Make ahead: Preparing these ahead of time is a must since the different ingredients need to marinade for quite awhile. Once you have the ingredients threaded onto the skewers you don’t have to grill them right away.

You can keep them covered in the fridge for a couple of hours. Allow them to come to room temperature before cooking them on the grill.

Leftovers: Remove the ingredients from the skewer and store leftovers in a container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or sauté them on the stove top.

For other Grilled Dishes, try: