Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs

 Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs 

https://www.cookingclassy.com

Ingredients

Marinade:

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup canned pineapple juice

4 Tbsp olive oil , divided, plus more for brushing grill

1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar

4 garlic cloves , minced (4 tsp)

1 Tbsp minced ginger

1/2 tsp sesame oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Kebabs:

1 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast , chopped into 1 1/4-inch cubes

3 cups (heaping) fresh cubed pineapple (about 3/4 of 3 lb pineapple)

1 1/2 large green peppers , diced into 1 1/4-inch pieces

1 large red onion , diced into 1 1/4-inch pieces

Instructions

In a mixing bowl whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Stir in 3/4 tsp pepper and season with salt if desired.

 Place chicken in a gallon size resealable bag. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade in refrigerator then pour remaining marinade over chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate 1 hour (meanwhile soak 10 wooden skewer sticks in water for 1 hour).

Preheat a grill over medium heat to 400°F (200°C). Meanwhile, drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over red onion, bell pepper and pineapple and toss. Season red onion and bell pepper with salt and pepper, then thread red onion, bell pepper, pineapple and chicken onto skewers until all of the chicken has been used. 

Brush grill grates with olive oil then place skewers on grill. Grill 5 minutes then brush along tops with 1/4 cup of remaining marinade. Rotate to opposite side and brush remaining 1/4 cup of marinade on opposite side. 

Allow to grill about 4 minutes longer, or until chicken registers 165°F (75°C) in center on an instant read thermometer. Serve warm.

Notes

If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in cold water for at least 1 hour before using so they don't burn while cooking.

For best results, don't use canned pineapple in place of fresh. The flavor isn't near as good and the canned cubes aren't very large.

Can I Bake Chicken Kebabs Instead of Grilling?

Some readers have mentioned they’ve had success baking these chicken pineapple kebabs as well (I haven’t yet tried myself because I love this grilled version). 400 degrees F on a well greased baking sheet about 15 – 20 minutes, rotating occasionally.

How to Make Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs

Stir together marinade ingredients: in a mixing bowl whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Add marinade to chicken, rest: place chicken in a gallon size resealable bag. Reserve 1/2 cup of the chicken kebab marinade in refrigerator, then pour remaining marinade over chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat a grill over medium heat to 400°F (200°C).

Toss fruit and veggies with oil and season: drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil over red onion, bell pepper and pineapple and toss, season with salt and pepper.

Thread ingredients onto skewers: thread red onion, bell pepper, pineapple and chicken onto skewers until all of the chicken has been used.

Cook through on grill: grill chicken on oiled grill grates 5 minutes then brush along tops with 1/4 cup of remaining marinade. Rotate to opposite side and brush remaining 1/4 cup of marinade on opposite side.

Allow to grill about 4 minutes longer, or until chicken registers 165°F (75°C) in center on an instant read thermometer.

Tips for the Best Chicken Kebabs

If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in cold water for at least 1 hour before using so they don’t burn while cooking.

For best results, don’t use canned pineapple in place of fresh. The flavor isn’t near as good and the canned cubes aren’t very large.

Don’t forget to baste the chicken skewers while grilling so they don’t dry out. This will also add extra flavor.