Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Pineapple Skewers
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Grilled chicken, bell peppers, and pineapple on skewers that are brushed with a pineapple marinade then sprinkled with a smokey honey seasoning mix.
This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BBQWeek. The sponsors, Rainier Foods and Intensity Academy, generously provided samples to aid in the creation of the #BBQWeek recipes and prize packages. However, all opinions are mine alone.
Are you ready for grilling season? As soon as the snow melted in our town we brought out the grill.
Grilling is a great way to make a meal with little to no mess. It’s also a healthy way to make meals and you can make the entire meal right there on the grill!
For years we didn’t have air conditioning in our house so grilling in the summer was our saving grace. Not having to turn on the oven in the middle of summer saved the house from heating up even more.
I often make chicken or beef kabobs in the summer. It’s easy to grab a piece of meat and whatever vegetables we have in the refrigerator and make the kabobs. I then mix up some oil and vinegar and mix in some spices for a tasty marinade.
My chicken and pineapple skewers are a little bit different. While the chicken does go in a quick marinade the whole skewers are brushed with the marinade and then sprinkled with a sweet and spicy rub.
Ingredients:
- chicken breast
- pineapple juice
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- salt
- pepper
- garlic cloves
- bell peppers
- pineapple chunks
- Rainier Foods Smoky Honey seasoning and rub
To Make the Chicken: Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces. Set aside. Combine the pineapple juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic cloves in a large zip top baggie. Add in the chicken and marinate for 1-2 hours.
To Make the Skewers: Remove the chicken from the marinade. Reserve marinade. Place a bell pepper, pineapple cube, then piece of chicken on a skewer. Repeat the pattern until the skewer is full. Pour remaining marinade into a bowl and brush on the skewers. Sprinkle with the Smoky Honey seasoning.
To Cook the Skewers: Heat a grill to medium high heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes then turn a quarter turn and repeat until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
I used a green bell pepper and a red bell pepper because I liked the way they looked with the yellow pineapple but you can use any color of pepper you’d like. You can also add on additional vegetables if you’d like.
I marinated the chicken for an hour before putting it on the skewers but you can go a little longer. The marinade makes the chicken more tender and adds a bit of flavor but the seasoning is what really gives the skewers their sweet and spicy element.
Can I use fresh pineapple?
Of course you can. Simply cut the pineapple into 1 inch cubes and skewer as directed. Make sure you get all of the skin off of the pineapple before putting on the skewer.
Do I have to make these on a grill?
Yes, these do need to be made on a grill. You can use either a gas grill or a charcoal grill but a grill is really needed to make these. You can use the marinade and seasoning and just cook a piece of chicken in a skillet but it doesn’t have the same flavor as if it were grilled.
Can I use a different protein?
You can use pork or beef in place of the chicken in this recipe. I find that pork cooks at about the same amount of time but the beef will cook faster. I have not tried this recipe with tofu but I would imagine you can make these skewers with firm tofu if you would like a vegetarian options.
Can I add additional vegetables?
You can certainly add other vegetables. I only used bell peppers because I wanted a simple grilled skewer recipe. Other vegetables that are good for skewering are whole mushrooms, yellow squash, zucchini, onions, and cherry tomatoes.
Make sure you cut the vegetables large enough so that they are easy to skewer but not so big that they don’t cook. If you use regular sized chicken breasts then cut them into 1 inch pieces. I used thin sliced chicken for this batch and so I cut them into 2 inch strips and folded them in half when placing them on the skewers.
The seasoning is where most of the flavor comes from. I used Rainier Foods Smoky Honey Seasoning and Rub. The seasoning consists of granulated honey, smoked sea salt, smoked paprika, and other spices. It makes for a sweet, smoky, and sticky seasoning that is amazing on these chicken and vegetable skewers.
We served our Chicken and Pineapple Skewers over top of rice for a simple but flavorful meal. You could also pair it with a green salad, pasta salad, or even couscous. We enjoyed these skewers, especially the seasoning mix, and will be having them again soon.
More Recipes for the Grill:
- Grilled Garlic Parmesan Potato Packets
- Grilled Porterhouse Steaks with Herb Compound Butter
- Grilled Pork Nachos
- Grilled Peach and Pineapple Sangria
- Grilled Southwestern Steaks with Grilled Mexican Street Corn
If youโve tried my Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Pineapple Skewers or any other recipe on Hezzi-Dโs Books and Cooks please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:
Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Pineapple Skewers
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb. chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 Tablespoon pineapple juice
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 bell peppers cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3/4 c. pineapple chunks
- 3 Tablespoons Rainier Foods Smoky Honey seasoning and rub
Instructions
- In a large zip top baggie or a shallow container with a lid combine the pineapple juice, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic cloves. Add the chicken, zip the top closed or cover the container, and marinate for 1-2 hours.
- Preheat a gas grill to medium high heat.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade but reserve the marinade for later.
- Place a bell pepper chunk, a pineapple cube, then piece of chicken on a skewer.ย Repeat the pattern until the skewer is full.ย Repeat with remaining skewers.
- Brush the skewers with the reserved marinade. Sprinkle with all of the seasoning.
- Cook for the skewers for 3-4 minutes then turn a quarter of a turn. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes per side then turning until the chicken reads 165 degrees.
- Remove from grill and serve with rice if desired.
Notes
Monday #BBQWeek Recipes
Starters and Sides
- Bacon Cheddar Jalapenos from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Lemon-Garlic Roasted Potato Salad from A Little Fish in the Kitchen
- Grilled Kale Salad with Grilled Croutons and Garlic Dressing from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Spicy Hummus Dip from Art of Natural Living
Main Dishes
- Barbecued Pork Burgers from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Beef Kafta from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Chai Teriyaki Shrimp Salad from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Grilled Glazed Blackberry Chicken from Blogghetti
- Grilled Zesty Greek Chicken from Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Jalapeno-Marinated Pork Kabobs from Sweet Beginnings
- Margarita Grilled Shrimp from Jen Around the World
- Smoked Burgers with Spicy Garlic Aioli from The Spiffy Cookie
- Southwestern Chicken Skewers from The Freshman Cook
- Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Pineapple Skewers from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Welcome to the third annual #BBQWeek hosted by A Kitchen Hoorโs Adventures. We are excited to have 15 bloggers sharing over 50 recipes this week as we head toward grilling season. The amazing sponsors have donated some great prizes for the #BBQWeek giveaway. The giveaway is below, but make sure to read about the prize packages and our generous sponsors!
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I am such a sucker for a skewer! Especially these! I love the combo of the chicken with the pineapple and peppers.
Smoky sweet sounds so good with these skewers.
Love that you used the thin sliced chicken, I always have a package stashed in the freezer. So colorful and delicious!
Love these skewers! So healthy and tasty!
The smoky honey seasoning sounds delicious with the pineapple! I love combinations of sweet and spicy.
Kabobs are always such a fun meal and you’ve got a great mix of chicken, fruit and veggies here!! That honey spice mix is delicious! I definitely have to try this combination on a skewer for myself!! ๐
No air conditioning! I remember those days! Your skewers sound amazing and I love that rub.
Love the seasoning and the fruit! Skewers on the grill are one of my favorite foods! They look great!
I love that honey rub and must try it on these chicken skewers
wonderful skewers with a tropical feel. Perfect for a summertime dinner al fresco.