Chicken Pineapple Kabobs

These chicken pineapple kabobs bring tropical flavors to summertime grilling. They’re a super easy, no-fuss, no-mess, low-carb meal that takes only 15 minutes to cook. With oven and air fryer directions. They’re also naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and grain-free!

Chicken pineapple kabobs are one of the easiest meals to make. You can make them on the grill, in a grill pan or even over a campfire. Plus, they’re easily customizable to suit individual tastes and dietary restrictions.

Serve with your favorite side dish or make a simple Italian Tomato Salad or a hearty Panzanella Salad. And if you’re wanting to sip on something tropical, this Frozen Pineapple Margarita hits the spot.

These chicken kabobs are smokey sweet with the flavor of bbq sauce, crispy veggies and slightly charred pineapple chuncks. So let’s get to it!

Ingredients

• Skinless chicken breast – chicken thighs would also work.
• Bell peppers – I used red and green, but you can use any mix of colors that you’d like.
• Sweet onion – I went with a sweet onion as the flavor isn’t as strong as a white onion. Red onion would also be good here.
• Pineapple – definitely use fresh!
• BBQ sauce – I used Sweet Baby Rays here, but you can use whatever brand and flavor you’d like. Make sure to use one that’s gluten-free/dairy-free/grain-free, if needed.
• Olive oil 

Instructions

1. Chop the ingredients and skewer the kabobs alternating the ingredients.
2. Brush the skewers with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Add skewers to grill or grill pan and cook, turn and cook some more.
4. Brush on BBQ sauce and cook a few more minutes.

It’s really that easy! With just 10 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, you’ll be ready to serve 8 tasty and colorful kabobs.

Tips

How to reheat

If you have leftovers, you can reheat the kabobs in the oven. Just preheat the oven to 350°F (177 °C). Wrap the meat in foil to keep the kabobs from drying out. Cook for about 30 minutes. Remember to check the internal temperature and serve warm.

But if you need it quick, you can reheat the chicken kabobs on a stovetop. Turn the stove on low to medium heat to avoid overcooking. Place the meat in the pan with a little oil. Cover with a lid to retain moisture. It should take 4 to 5 minutes to come to temperature and serve.

Skewers for kabobs

When it comes to skewers, I just use the wooden ones. You can soak them before threading the ingredients to prevent burning and splintering the skewers.

To do this, soak the skewers in water for 30-minutes, then thread ingredients. Using soaked wooden skewers allows the chicken and veggies to get a nice char without burning the skewers.

If you have stainless steel skewers, then by all means, use them. I haven’t tried them, but I’m sure they work well.

I’ve heard that it’s easier to get the meat off the skewers when using stainless, so it might be worth the purchase. Plus, you can use them more than once, and then make these Cajun Kabobs!

Do I have to use fresh pineapple?

I prefer using fresh pineapple because they are firmer than canned pineapple chunks. You can also use fresh pineapple spears if you can find them at your produce department which would make it easier to prep.

If all you have is canned pineapple, I would really recommend waiting to make these until you can get fresh pineapple. Canned pineapple would get mushy on the grill.

 

Can I make them in an air fryer?

Yes, if you don’t have an outdoor grill, air fryer chicken kabobs are a great alternative. You get the same great taste right in your kitchen.

1. Line the drip pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
2. Lightly brush oil on the kabobs and season with salt and pepper.
3. Insert the tray and cook at 350°F (177 °C) for 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Turn the kabobs and cook another 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Baste with bbq sauce and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Repeat for second batch.

When using an air fryer, always remember not to overcrowd the food. The air needs to circulate around the food for even cooking, so make them in batches if you’re cooking for a crowd.

To hold cooked kabobs in the oven while making extra batches, preheat the oven to the lowest possible temperature (170°F, 77 °C). Once the kabobs are cooked to temperature, place them in an oven-safe container with a lid and cover to keep in moisture. They will keep in the oven for 2 to 3 hours.

If you are worried about the kabobs drying out, add water to an oven-safe container and place it in the oven with the kabobs.

Can you bake them?

Yes, if you want to bake them, place the kabobs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 450 °F ( 232 °C). Place kabobs in the oven for 15 minutes.

Turn them halfway through, and add BBQ sauce after 12 minutes and test the internal temperature before serving.

Again, the internal temperature of the chicken should register 165 °F (74 °C) on an instant-read thermometer.

Other summer meals

If you’re in the mood for more chicken, try this Gluten Free Dairy Free Chicken Salad!

• Smoked Burgers are my favorite summer burger! They’re juicy with the perfect char!
• Smoked Chicken Quarters are another family favorite. They use a simple dry rub that makes them super delicious.
• These Shrimp Kabobs on the Grill also look fantastic.

I have lots of air fryer recipes to help you beat the heat; here are some of my favorites.

• Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken is super simple to make and won’t heat up your kitchen!
• Air Fryer Salmon with Dill is a lighter meal that is perfect on super hot days.

I hope you enjoy these pineapple chicken kabobs! If you try them, I’d love to hear what you think.