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May 15, 2017 By Jessica Beacom

Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Grain-Free
Paleo
Whole30
Jump to Recipe

Embrace the summer grilling vibes with these Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs!

Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs on a cooking sheet

What is it with grilling and summer?!

Is it the food? The time outdoors? The smell of the food cooking as it wafts overhead? I think it’s all of those things. They all come together to make grilling an indispensable part of summer. I know this because I grill all year round. I always have – even living in Alaska, Minnesota and Montana I’d find myself out there in snow boots and mittens happily grilling away. And although a grilled meal is pretty fab in the winter I find that it’s something extra amazing in the summer. Who’s with me on this one? Raise ’em up. 

Speaking of fab grilled meals, I just had to share these Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs with you this week because they’re a meal I make pretty often in the summer. They’re easy enough for a weeknight dinner and can be prepped ahead by chopping all the veggies and pineapple and mixing up the marinade. They’re also one of my go-to recipes for entertaining because they’re simple and they look great piled on a platter on the picnic table and served with fresh salads and veggie sides.

 

Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs on a cooking sheet

In fact, they’re so good and so easy that I’ve even served them at catering events – and got rave reviews. I think you’re going to love them too. You can totally switch up the veggies to use what you’ve got on hand or what’s in season.

Some of my favorite veggies and fruits for kebabs include:

  • Zucchini or yellow squash, red onion, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, lightly steamed Brussels sprouts, jicama, precooked whole baby red potatoes, bell peppers, precooked corn-on-the cob (slices about 2 inches thick) fresh pineapple, peaches, plums, nectarines and mango.
Make these @whole30 Teriyaki Chicken + Pineapple Kebabs (and get our 3 rules for perfect kebabs) #whole30 #realfood Click To Tweet

3 Rules for Perfect Kebabs

I’m a pretty laid back cook and am proud to say that I have very few ‘rules’ when it comes to cooking – but I do have three when it comes to making really great grilled meat and veggie kebabs. Here they are:

  1. Keep all of the pieces (chicken, veggies and fruit) about the same size so that everything can come into contact with the grill and get a little char on the edges (because grill marks are cool). 
  2. Avoid vegetables like potatoes, winter squash, carrots, corn on the cob and sweet potatoes unless you precook them a bit first.
  3. Don’t skip the marinade. It’s tempting to skip the marinade and just brush it over the kebabs right before they hit the grill but you’ll get much better flavor and more tender meat if you allow the meat to marinate at least a little while. For this recipe I’ve found that 20-30 minutes is enough to infuse the meat with sweet and salty teriyaki goodness but you can also marinate it for longer (up to 4 hours).

 

Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs over rice on a white plate

Break out the skewers and light the grill – it’s go time!

Once you’ve got the veggies cut, the meat marinating and the grill fired up it’s time to build some kebabs. Thankfully there aren’t anymore rules to follow – you get to be as creative as you please. Kids don’t like onions? Leave ’em off. Want tomatoes instead of peppers? Add ’em. Really the only thing you have to be thinking about at this point is whether to use wooden or metal skewers (I prefer metal for everyday cooking and the reusability factor and wood for parties when I know I don’t want to be running around at the end of the night in the dark looking for sharp metal skewers that are hiding who knows where…) These are the metal skewers I use. I like their pointed ends and they’re really durable (mine have been going strong for almost 10 years now – so worth the under $20 investment).

Once you’ve got everything threaded onto the skewers it’s time to grill. Depending on how hot your grill is you’ll need about 5-7 minutes (or less) on each side. I use a sturdy leather glove to turn them with my hand by grabbing the loop of metal at the end of the skewer but you can use a set of grill tongs to flip them too – just be sure you don’t squeeze them too hard thus causing the veggies to fall off.

Serve with your favorite sides and salads or over cauliflower rice (homemade or frozen, it’s your call).

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Let's Get Cookin'

Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs

Nothing say ‘summertime’ like these grilled chicken and vegetable kebabs with sweet and savory Whole30-friendly teriyaki sauce.

  • Author: The Real Food Dietitians
  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main Entree, Grilling
  • Cuisine: Whole30, Paleo, Grain-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Kebabs:

  • 1 ¼ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks (about ½ of small pineapple)
  • 1 large bell pepper, any color, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ½ large red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the Teriyaki Marinade

  • ¼ cup coconut aminos*
  • 1 Tbsp. water
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. dried ground ginger
  • 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
  • Metal or Wood skewers

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk to combine all ingredients. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate while you prep the vegetables and pineapple and the grill preheats.
  2. Preheat grill to medium-high direct heat.
  3. Thread meat, pineapple, peppers and onions onto skewers – alternating as you go.
  4. Brush leftover marinade over the kebabs.
  5. Grill over medium-high direct heat, turning every 5 minutes or so until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
  6. Remove from grill and serve.

Notes

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
  • Calories: 260
  • Sugar: 12g
  • Sodium: 340mg
  • Fat: 7g
  • Carbohydrates: 16g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 31g

What are you favorite kebab combos and marinades? Share in the comments below – we love new ideas!


This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.

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Reader Interactions

Join the Conversation

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

  1. Karen Hoecherl says

    July 2, 2018 at 9:39 am

    you forgot to say how much Teriyaki to use… 🙁

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      July 12, 2018 at 2:12 pm

      The Teriyaki sauce recipe is listed within the recipe for the kebabs. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  2. Ashley O'Hara says

    June 13, 2020 at 7:48 am

    Is there anything to use in place of garlic powder? I am on a LowFODMAP diet. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      June 23, 2020 at 6:31 pm

      Try can simply omit the garlic powder.

      Reply

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The Real Food Dietitians is the passion-driven product of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Stacie Hassing and Jessica Beacom. They’ve combined their love of nutrition, health and real food with the concepts of ease and convenience to bring you recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients.

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