Grilled Honey Chicken (un)Kabobs

Grilled Honey Chicken Kabobs are made with yummy bites of tender chicken, colorful veggies, and sweet pineapple. They can be made traditionally on skewers or, to make things extra easy, serve them off the skewer as unkabobs. Enjoy with a side of rice for a perfect summertime meal!

Warmer weather means one good thing for all of us: grilling season! Every year I look forward to cracking open the grill for the first summertime meal. This year the first recipe on the list is none other than Grilled Honey Chicken Kabobs. It’s been a steady family favorite for many years (which tells you a lot from a large family with picky eaters). The original recipe is from AllRecipes, but we have found that we like to enhance the marinade slightly and add grilled pineapple 😋.

Ingredients

Oil: I recommend olive oil for the veggies and vegetable for the marinade.
Honey: It’s in the name, after all! This forms the base of the marinade.
Soy sauce: I prefer low-sodium, but use what you have.
Garlic: Pre-minced is easiest, but you can mince your own as well.
Chicken breasts: Cut into 1 ½ - 2 inch cubes before marinating.
Onions: Yellow or sweet onions, cut into 1 ½ - 2 inch pieces.
Bell peppers: I use a variety of colors, but you can use whatever you prefer. Just like the onions, cut them into 1 ½ - 2 inch pieces.
Pineapple: The best part of the whole meal! Make sure the pineapple is ripe so that it is sweet. Then cut it into 1 ½ inch chunks.
Salt and pepper: Just for extra flavor.

Instructions

Kabobs are super simple! Just a few easy steps...

1. Cut your chicken, mix together the marinade and marinate for 8-24 hours. 
2. Cut your veggies and mix with oil, salt, and pepper. Then chop your pineapple. 
3. Fire up the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side.

4. Then grill the veggies and pineapple for 8-10 minutes, flipping occasionally. You're looking for bits of char and grill color throughout.

5. Last but not least, if you like extra sauce on your chicken you do one extra step. Reserve some of the marinade and boil it on the stove for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Super easy drizzling sauce 😀.

What are unkabobs?

Unkabobs are everything that is great about kabobs minus all the work of skewering! It’s the exact same ingredients grilled, just without the stick. It tastes just as delicious and takes the hassle out of kabobs. 

How to prevent veggies falling through the grates

If you skipped the skewer step like me, you may run into the problem of your veggies slipping through the grates of the grill. An easy fix is to use a grill basket for anything small enough to fall through. There are many out there, but this one is similar to mine.

Can I prep grilled kabobs ahead?

There are a few things you can do to prep kabobs ahead. First, you can cut and marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge or freeze it several months ahead. The veggies can all be chopped and refrigerated 1-2 days ahead. Then you can grill everything the day of serving.

What do I serve with grilled kabobs?

Kabobs already include meat, veggies, and even fruit. All you’re missing is a simple side or two. My favorite sides to serve alongside Grilled Honey Chicken Kabobs are Pineapple Lime Rice, Coconut Rice, and Easy Asian Slaw Salad.

More Summer Recipes

• Nothing screams summer like Triple Berry Cobbler. Make it in a jiffy with a boxed cake mix and serve with vanilla ice cream. 
• Tis the season for lemons 🍋. Try this moist Lemon Yogurt Cake for dessert or breakfast.

Tips & Tricks

• The longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavorful it will be. I recommend marinating overnight for the best results. 
• If you take the unkabob route, use a grilling basket for the onions and bell peppers. There are different sizes and brands, but mine is similar to this one.