These grilled teriyaki chicken skewers are a perfect dinner recipe. Marinated in a homemade teriyaki sauce and cooked with bell peppers and pineapple.
Assemble ahead of time and then grill the skewers in just 20 minutes.
Why you'll love this recipe for chicken skewers
Chicken skewers or chicken kabobs are an easy and flavorful dinner option. The chicken is marinated to enhance its taste and then grilled to perfection.
The sweet, savory, and tangy teriyaki sauce makes the chicken irresistibly delicious. Pair the chicken with bell peppers, pineapple, or your favorite kabob veggies. These kabobs are family-friendly, especially when everyone can customize their own skewer with their preferred ingredients.
These skewers are ideal for a summer weeknight dinner. If you love skewers, you'll also want to try these Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers!
Ingredients for Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Chicken - I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You could also use boneless, skinless thighs.
- Bell Peppers - Red, yellow or orange offer the perfect balance of flavor with the teriyaki.
- Pineapple - Use a can of pineapple cubes. The juice is used in the teriyaki sauce and the pineapple cubes are added to the skewers.
- Soy Sauce - This is the base for the teriyaki sauce. Use low-sodium soy sauce to prevent the sauce from becoming too salty.
- Brown Sugar - Adds a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
- Rice Wine Vinegar - You can also use white wine vinegar.
- Garlic and Ginger - Use for maximum flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes - Provides a touch of spice (optional).
How to make grilled teriyaki chicken
- Mix the marinade by combining the soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.
- Place the chicken in a zip-top bag and pour half of the teriyaki sauce over the top of the chicken. Seal bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Rotate bag at least once halfway through the marinating time.
- Remove chicken from marinade and discard the marinade.
- Assemble the skewers by threading chicken, bell peppers and pineapple onto the skewers. Pick any order you prefer. Leave about 2 inches from the bottom of the skewer and about 1-2 inches from the top uncovered.
- Preheat your grill over medium-high heat.
- When the grill is hot, lower heat to medium or medium-low and place skewers on the grill. Allow skewers to cook for 4-6 minutes until nicely browned on the bottom.
- Brush the top of the skewers with the reserved marinade.
- Rotate skewers and continue cooking until chicken is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Apply additional marinade after each turn or rotation.
- Serve hot.
Recipe tips
- Don't reuse the teriyaki marinade that was marinating the chicken. This should be discarded unless you heat it to 165°F.
- If using wooden skewers, it's helpful to soak them for at least 20 minutes before using. This helps prevent the wood from catching fire while grilling.
- Make certain your grill is clean and hot before adding the skewers.
- If the chicken is sticking to the grill, it probably needs to cook for a few minutes longer.
- Brush the reserved marinade over the skewers after each rotation. This adds more flavor and helps keep the chicken juicy.
- Cooking time will vary depending on your grill. Make certain the chicken is fully cooked through before serving.
Chicken Skewer variations
Some great additional options to add to your skewers include
- Red onion - cut into large chunks
- Zucchini - cut into ½ inch rounds
- Mushrooms - use small button mushrooms
Storing leftover chicken kabobs
Remove any leftovers from the skewer or kabob and place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for and use within 3-4 days.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the skewers can be assembled up to a day ahead of time. Place assembled skewers on a rimmed baking sheet or platter and cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours ahead of time.
Chicken should reach at least 165°F.
Serving suggestions for teriyaki skewers
More delicious chicken recipes
- Garlic Butter Chicken
- Baked Honey Chicken
- Salt and Pepper Wings
- Greek Chicken
- Chicken Fajita Casserole
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious grilling recipes.
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers Recipe
Equipment
- Skewers
Ingredients
Teriyaki Marinade
- ½ cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup pineapple juice (use juice from canned pineapple)
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust amount to your liking)
Skewers
- 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless - about 1 ½ pounds)
- 2 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow, cut into 2-inch chunks)
- 1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Mix the marinade by combining the soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar pineapple juice, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.2 chicken breasts
- Place the chicken in a zip-top bag and pour half of the teriyaki sauce over the top of the chicken. Seal bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Rotate bag at least once halfway through the marinating time.Reserve other half of marinade for basting.
- Remove chicken from marinade and discard the marinade.
- Assemble the skewers by threading chicken, bell peppers and pineapple onto the skewers. Pick any order you prefer. Leave about 2 inches from the bottom of the skewer and about 1-2 inches from the top uncovered.2 bell peppers, 1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks
- Preheat your grill over medium-high heat.
- When the grill is hot, lower heat to medium or medium-low and place skewers on the grill. Allow skewers to cook for 4-6 minutes until nicely browned on the bottom.
- Brush the top of the skewers with the reserved marinade.
- Rotate skewers and continue cooking until chicken is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Apply additional marinade after each turn or rotation.
- Place skewers on a clean platter, and tent lightly with foil for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve skewers right away.
Notes
- Don't reuse the teriyaki marinade that was marinating the chicken. This should be discarded unless you heat it to 165°F.
- If using wooden skewers, it's helpful to soak them for at least 20 minutes before using. This helps prevent the wood from catching fire while grilling.
- Make certain your grill is clean and hot before adding the skewers.
- If the chicken is sticking to the grill, it probably needs to cook for a few minutes longer.
- Brush the reserved marinade over the skewers after each rotation. This adds more flavor and helps keep the chicken juicy.
- Cooking time will vary depending on your grill. Make certain chicken is fully cooked through before serving.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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