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Juicy marinated chicken, sweet pineapple, and colorful veggies (bell peppers + zucchini + red onion) get grilled to perfection with a homemade teriyaki glaze. These Hawaiian Chicken Pineapple Skewers are the ultimate summer weeknight dinner, BBQ favorite, or meal prep win!
Why These Chicken Skewers Deserve a Spot on Your Grill
- Don't settle for store-bought Teriyaki sauce! My homemade version is fresh, tangy from lime, just sweet enough, and the glossy glaze coats everything perfectly. You know exactly what ingredients go into it, and it's gluten-free (if you use GF soy sauce or GF tamari).
- Juicy Thighs, Not Dry Breasts: I go with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They stay juicy-even with all that high-heat grilling-and soak up the marinade like a dream.
- Pineapple isn't just for pizza! It caramelizes on the grill, turning smoky and sweet - just like in my grilled pork tenderloin recipe. This recipe is made for summer dinners, pool parties, or BBQ cookouts. These Hawaiian chicken kebabs are a hit with adults and kids, easy to scale up for parties, and you can swap in seasonal veggies or even tofu if you need a vegetarian option.
- One Skewer, Full Meal: Summer veggies, protein, fruit-done. No need to make a bunch of sides (unless you want to - then make my cilantro-lime black bean rice, my most requested pasta salad, or fresh Greek salad). Great for busy weeknights, meal prepping, or those "I don't want to turn on the oven" days. And while you're at it, throw my shrimp skewers on the grill too!
How to Make Hawaiian Chicken Skewers (Step-by-Step Photos)
- Gather all the ingredients. Here is everything you need for grilled chicken kebabs:
- Make teriyaki sauce/marinade: Combine soy sauce, honey, lime juice, smoked paprika, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger in a saucepan. Simmer, thicken with ketchup or cornstarch, then cool and divide in half.
- Marinate chicken in half the sauce for 30 minutes; reserve the rest for basting.
- Thread chicken onto metal skewers with pineapple, onion, peppers, and zucchini.
- Grill over medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes, turning and brushing with reserved sauce until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve grilled chicken skewers with extra teriyaki sauce on the side.
Hawaiian Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Pineapple Skewers
Juicy marinated chicken, sweet pineapple, and colorful veggies (bell peppers + red onion) get grilled to perfection with a homemade teriyaki glaze. These Hawaiian Chicken Pineapple Skewers are the ultimate summer weeknight dinner, BBQ favorite, or meal prep win!
Ingredients
For the Skewers:
- 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1.5-inch pieces (700 g)
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks about 1 small pineapple
- 1 medium red onion cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 1 large green bell pepper cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 1 large red bell pepper cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 1 small zucchini sliced into ½-inch rounds or half-moons
Teriyaki-Style Sauce / Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce use minimal amount for balance
- 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced (or ½ teaspoon ginger powder)
- 1 tablespoon ketchup for thickening (OR 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water)
Instructions
Prepare the Sauce / Marinade
- In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, honey (or brown sugar), lime juice, smoked paprika, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Stir in ketchup or cornstarch slurry to thicken. Simmer until sauce coats the back of a spoon (about 2-3 minutes).
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Marinate the Chicken
- Divide the sauce in half.
- Place chicken pieces in a bowl or zip-top bag and pour half of the sauce over. Mix well to coat.
- Marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- Reserve the other half of the sauce for basting and serving (divided).
Assemble the Skewers
- Using metal skewers, thread chicken pieces alternately with pineapple chunks, red onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and zucchini. Leave a little space between pieces for even cooking.
Grill the Skewers
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Oil the grates or pan.
- Grill skewers for about 12-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes.
- During the last few minutes, brush frequently with the reserved sauce for a glossy finish. Note: When it's time to brush the chicken with the reserved sauce, I always divide it up-one portion for basting on the grill and a separate portion for serving at the table. That way, there's no mixing or double-dipping!
- Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Serve
- Transfer skewers to a platter.
- Spoon extra reserved sauce over skewers and serve with small bowls of sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Metal skewers heat up, helping cook food from the inside too-handle carefully when turning!
- If you use wooden skewers, soak them for at least 30 minutes so they don't go up in flames.
- Baste the skewers with sauce in the last 5 minutes, but save some sauce for dipping-don't double-dip after brushing raw chicken.
- Don't overcrowd the skewers; leave space between pieces for even cooking and caramelization.
- Keep an eye on veggies like zucchini-they cook faster than chicken, so try to cut them a bit thicker or put them on later.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken kebabs reach a safe internal temperature without overcooking.
- If flare-ups occur on the grill, move skewers to a cooler spot to avoid burning.
- For extra smoky flavor, add a handful of soaked wood chips to the grill if using charcoal or a smoker box on a gas grill.
- Let grilled skewers rest 5 minutes before serving for juicy results.
Storage, Reheating, Freezing, Make-Ahead
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Best way: warm in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Microwave works too-cover and zap for 1-2 minutes.
- Freezing: Chicken skewers can be frozen after grilling. Wrap tightly, freeze up to 2 months, and reheat from frozen at 350°F for 15-20 min.
- Make-Ahead: I often marinate the chicken and chop veggies the night before-then just assemble and grill when ready. Sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead!
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Hawaiian Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Pineapple Skewers
Amount per Serving
Calories
331
% Daily Value*
Fat
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
0.03
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
3
g
Cholesterol
162
mg
54
%
Sodium
948
mg
41
%
Potassium
838
mg
24
%
Carbohydrates
29
g
10
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
23
g
26
%
Protein
36
g
72
%
Vitamin A
1835
IU
37
%
Vitamin C
101
mg
122
%
Calcium
52
mg
5
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
Julia, love your recipes and this was no exception. My only comment would be that next time I'm going to is 1.5-2.0x the marinade
Thank you, Bruce, for trusting my recipes and for taking the time to leave this review! 🙂
Maybe I had rancid sesame oil is my only reason I can think of that this wasn't a favorite of mine or my family, which was too bad as we like many of your recipes. The flavors were just off. It was disappointing as I had high hopes for it given all the fresh vegetables, etc. I did cook it all in a cast iron pan (the chicken first, wipe out pan, and then the veggies and pineapple) as I couldn't find my skewers.
Kelly, I’m so sorry it didn’t hit the mark for you and your fam this time! The sesame oil could definitely throw the flavors off if it was a little off, but your cast iron method sounds like a great workaround! I really appreciate you giving it a try and your kind words about the other recipes! 🙂
Amazing, we loved it! I made your mango salsa and lemon orzo to go with it.
Lovely pairing, Janine! 🙂
Can I cook these skewers in the oven?
If so, for how long and what temp?
Hi Julie! I would preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and place skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet (use a rack if you have one). Bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway and brushing with reserved sauce in the last 5–10 minutes. For extra char, broil on high for 1–2 minutes at the end. Make sure the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) before serving!
I’ve made these last week to rave reviews and forgot to leave a review. I served them with the rice pilaf, and next time I am going to serve them as gyro wraps with tzatziki.
Thank you so much, Angelina, for coming back to my site to leave a review! ❤️