Tangy Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Skewers
Tangy Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Skewers with crispy grilled vegetables, marinated in an Asian-inspired pineapple sauce—this will be your favorite recipe to grill until Summer’s end!
Summer is still going strong! Here in Mississippi, it’ll be grilling season for at least another three months. Actually, a few years ago on Christmas day, my family was sipping sweet tea on the front porch in 75-degree weather, so grilled prime rib is always a possibility for holidays in the Deep South. I love the warm weather, too, and I’d spend all my days without cold, snowy weather if I could. So, if the sun wants to stick around for another 5 months, I’m fully okay with that!
My husband and I are also trying to eat healthier. That means my coworkers get to be my guinea pigs on all the sweets I make, and it also means spending a little extra time thinking about how to make our meals special. One thing I do know, eating healthy doesn’t mean eating foods that taste “less than,” and here lately, we’ve been knocking it out of the park with our meals!
It's all in the details:
These Tangy Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Skewers are loaded with protein. Serve with a side of brown rice or sweet potato fries cooked in an air fryer, and you’ve got yourself a delicious, balanced meal!
These Tangy Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Skewers are made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I find that chicken breasts tend to get dry fairly quickly on the grill, and for these skewers, the vegetables need to cook long enough to soften, so chicken thighs are the perfect option. They stay juicy and delicious and pair incredibly well with the bell pepper, onions, tomatoes and sweet, sweet pineapple!
This recipe is so simple to make—just be sure to plan ahead and give yourself enough time to let the meat marinate 6-8 hours for the best results. The flavors of the pineapple, lime and lemon juices paired with the sesame oil and rice vinegar gives these skewers an Asian feel, and they're soo delicious!
For an extra "pop" of flavor, add a little cilantro, and serve these with some coconut rice, and it will be sure to hit the spot and become your favorite meal any time you fire up the grill.
Ingredients for the skewers:
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
2 red onions, cut into pieces about 2 inches wide
2 orange bell peppers, cut the same way as red onions
2 garden tomatoes, cut into eighths
1 fresh pineapple (you want chunks of pineapple like the photos)
Ingredients for the Marinade:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice (from fresh pineapple)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions:
Stir together all of the ingredients for the marinade.
Cover chicken with marinade; refrigerate 6-8 hours for best results.
Coat wooden skewers with olive oil or water to keep them from burning.
Layer marinated chicken with vegetables on the wooden skewers.
Grill until done, flipping once halfway during cooking (about 5-6 minutes, each side).
Enjoy!!
