Chicken Pineapple BBQ Skewers (Printer-Friendly)

Juicy chicken and sweet pineapple glazed with smoky BBQ sauce, grilled to perfection on colorful skewers.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat & Protein

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes

→ Fruit & Vegetables

02 - 1 medium fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch chunks
03 - 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
04 - 1 large red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

→ Marinade & Sauce

05 - 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
11 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
13 - Lime wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Whisk together BBQ sauce, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl until fully combined.
02 - Add chicken cubes to the marinade, toss to coat evenly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours for maximum flavor absorption.
03 - Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning during grilling.
04 - Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400°F) or prepare a grill pan over medium-high heat.
05 - Thread marinated chicken, pineapple chunks, bell pepper, and onion alternately onto the skewers, ensuring each skewer ends with a piece of chicken or pineapple.
06 - Grill skewers for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with extra BBQ sauce halfway through, until chicken is cooked through and develops light char marks.
07 - Remove skewers from grill, garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley, and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The marinade does double duty, infusing the chicken while creating that sticky caramelized exterior everyone fights over
  • Everything cooks on the same skewer, so less cleanup and more time enjoying the evening with friends
02 -
  • Do not skip soaking wooden skewers unless you want them to catch fire and leave you with ingredients sliding into the grill grates
  • Leave a tiny bit of space between pieces on the skewer so heat can circulate and everything cooks evenly instead of steaming
03 -
  • Double the marinade and reserve half before adding chicken, use that clean portion for basting during grilling
  • Let skewers rest for 5 minutes off the heat so the juices redistribute, keeping every bite tender and moist

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