When I think of summer time foods, all my favorite produce comes to mind: melons, berries, tomatoes on the vine, corn on the cob and juicy pineapples! My kids love to pick out a giant pineapple when they’re grocery shopping with me over summer break. It can feel like a lot more work than just buying it canned, but the flavor and happy memories are always worth it! We love eating pieces as we’re cutting into it, adding it to smoothies, or making fruit salads for breakfast. There’s just something special about “dissecting pineapple” as my oldest says! If this seems like too much mess for you, most grocery stores have freshly sliced pineapple in the refrigerated produce section. Canned pineapple is an option too, just make sure it’s in its own juice (so syrup) and drained before using!
Pineapple Chicken Kabobs have an amazing flavor and help keep the heat out of the kitchen by cooking outside over a grill. Grilling is a slower, evening rhythm that makes me think of summer nights with family and friends! Kabobs are a fun way to cook your dinner, whether you’re camping or just hanging outside with the neighbors! My husband enjoys grilling and often my boys will join him outside, swinging in the backyard or riding bikes around the alleyway.
The secret behind a great kabob is the marinade! In this recipe we use avocado oil, honey, ginger, soy sauce and cilantro. While your chicken is marinating for an hour (or more if you’d like!) be sure to soak your wooden skewers in a tall glass of water to prevent burning on the grill. If your grill is large enough, you can grill your corn on the cob at the same time as your kabobs so everything is ready at the same time!
Pineapple Chicken Kabobs
For the marinade:
- ¼ cup avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tsp minced ginger (or 1 tsp dried ginger)
- 1 tsp salt
For the kabobs:
- 1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but into 1 inch chunks
- 1 red onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 bell pepper (green and red for more color) cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 pineapple, cut into 1 inch chunks
For the corn on the cob:
- 4-6 ears of corn
- 2 Tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl or ziplock bag. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinade for at least one hour, but no more than 24 hours.
- In the meantime, soak the wooden skewers in a tall glass of water for 30-60 minutes.
- Peel back the husks of the corn but do not remove from the bottom of the cob. Remove the silk and fold back the husks to cover the corn.
- Place corn in a sink or large bowl of water for 15-30 minutes. This keeps them from burning and keeps some moisture inside so the corn steams while on the grill!
- Build the kabobs by threading the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers in a pattern. If little hands want to help, let them make a skewer or two of just pineapple and vegetables to avoid touching raw chicken.
- After all skewers are made, season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the grill to medium high heat.
- Remove corn from the water and shake off any excess. Place cobs on the grill and cook about 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Meanwhile, cook kabobs over medium high heat and ensure that all parts of the chicken are cooked through, approximately 10 minutes.
- Once corn is cooked to your desired tenderness, remove from grill and peel back husks. Serve with butter, salt and pepper. Enjoy with a savory sweet kabob or two!