Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
These Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Pineapple are everything I want in a summer dinner—juicy marinated chicken, sweet caramelized pineapple, and crisp-tender vegetables grilled to perfection and finished with a generous drizzle of homemade teriyaki sauce. The recipe makes extra sauce so you can marinate the chicken and still have plenty for serving over the skewers and rice, creating an easy Hawaiian-inspired meal that looks impressive but comes together with minimal effort.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Teriyaki Sauce
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 teaspoons ginger root, freshly grated
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in liquid before heating
Chicken Skewers
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in 1 inch cubes
- 2 and ½ cups fresh pineapple chunks, cut in 1 inch cubes
- 1 large bell pepper any color, cut in 1 inch cubes
- 1 large red onion, cut in 1 inch cubes
Instructions
- Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, honey, and sesame oil to a small saucepan and whisk to combine.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of water and whisk into the saucepan.
- Heat over medium, whisking frequently, until the sauce simmers and thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely to room temperature.
- Divide the cooled sauce evenly between two containers. Pour one portion over the chicken in a bowl or zip-top bag and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate the second portion separately for serving.
- Refrigerate the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes, up to 2 hours (no longer, or the texture will become gummy).
- Preheat grill to 450°F. Thread the marinated chicken, pineapple, bell pepper, and onion onto skewers, alternating as you go. Discard the used marinade.
- Grill over direct heat, turning occasionally, for 12-14 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F internally and is lightly charred.
- Remove from grill and drizzle with the reserved teriyaki sauce. Serve extra sauce on the side.
Make sure to let the sauce cool completely before it ever touches the raw chicken, this keeps the marinating process safe and keeps that reserved sauce tasting fresh for drizzling at the end.