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    Home » Real Food » Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Jerk Seasoning

    Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Jerk Seasoning

    By Kristen Chidsey | 22 Comments | Published June 12, 2018 | Updated July 12, 2021 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    These Grilled Chicken Kabobs make a delicious and easy dinner any night of the week. Made with chicken breast that has been seasoned with a homemade jerk marinade and then threaded with fresh pineapple and grilled for a perfectly sweet and spicy Chicken Kabob recipe. 

    These Grilled Chicken Kabobs make a delicious and easy dinner any night of the week. Made with marinated jerk chicken and then threaded with fresh pineapple, these Grilled Chicken Kabobs are perfectly sweet and spicy.

    Inspired by my trip to Jamaica, these chicken kabobs anything but boring, yet they are exceptionally easy to make. Pair with pineapple rice or instant pot cilantro lime rice for a delicious, easy, wholesome meal.

    Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Pineapple on white platter.

    The Best Chicken Kabobs

    Grilled Chicken Kabobs have a reputation for being boring or dried out. But my recipe for Chicken Kabobs is ANYTHING but boring, and the chicken is tender and juicy.

    The secret to the incredible flavor of these kabobs is the jerk marinade. I learned to make an authentic jerk marinade from a Jamaican Chef while vacationing in Jamaica years ago. After over 30 years of cooking in Jamaica, this guy knew a thing or two about authentic jerk recipes, and his delicious marinade proves just that. It has just enough spice balanced with just enough sweetness and works to not only flavor the chicken, but also tenderize the meat.

    Add in some fresh pineapple slices and these chicken kabobs are a flavor explosion!

    Notes on Ingredients 

    • Habanero Peppers: Habanero peppers are classic in jerk seasoning. You can replace the habanero pepper with a jalapeno pepper for a less spicy result or if you can not find habaneros.
    • Maple Syrup: Feel to use honey, agave, or brown sugar in place of the maple syrup. Granulated sugar is not a good option for this recipe.
    • Oil: Use melted and cooled coconut oil, avocado oil, or canola oil. Any mild oil works well.
    • Lime Juice: Be sure to use FRESH limes, not bottled lime juice. 
    • Ginger: Use peeled fresh ginger root, NOT dried ground ginger. If you have leftover ginger, peel it and pop it in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer and pull out to grate from frozen ginger. See my tips on how to freeze ginger and more here. 
    • Spices: I use similar dried spices in this wet marinade as I do in my jerk seasoning blend. It is a blend of allspice, nutmeg, and thyme.
    • Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes. 

    How to Make Chicken Kabobs

    • Cube up chicken breast or chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes and place the cubed chicken into a large shallow dish or a gallon-sized storage bag.Prepare marinade by placing the peppers, oil, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, and spices ingredients into the blender or food processor and blend until fully processed.
    Blender with ingredients for jerk marinade.
    • Pour the jerk marinade over chicken and toss to coat chicken in marinade. Cover and refrigerate while marinating.
    • Leave the chicken in the marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Do not leave in longer than 4 hours the meat will begin to break down.
    • While the chicken is marinating, soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so that your skewers will not burn when grilling. Alternatively, you can use metal skewers.
    • Remove the chicken from marinade and discard the marinade.
    • Thread marinated chicken and pineapple on wooden skewers in an alternating pattern.
    • Preheat grill to medium-high heat and grill kabobs for about 12 minutes total, turning every 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
    Sweet and Spicy Grilled Jerk Chicken  on white platter on wooden skewers

    Recipe FAQs

    Is marinating the chicken crucial to this recipe?

    Yes. For the best flavor, you must marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes. Otherwise, you will have bland chicken kabobs.

    Do you have to cube the chicken?

    No! If you simply would like to have grilled jerk chicken, marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or thighs in the marinade as directed. Grill over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes per side.

    Is the pineapple necessary?

    No! I love the sweetness it adds to the spicy chicken, but you can leave it off the kabobs.

    Can I add other vegetables to these chicken kabobs?

    Yes! Bell peppers or onions would be delicious on these kabobs as well.

    Serving Suggestions

    • Tame the spice of these Jerk Chicken Kabobs by pairing with a refreshing Pina Colada Smoothie.
    • Serve with a side of flavorful Pineapple Rice.
    • While grilling the chicken kabobs, consider making Grilled Corn on the Cob, Grilled Fries, or Grilled Vegetable Kabobs to serve alongside the chicken.

    If you enjoyed these Jerk Chicken Kabobs, I would love for you to leave a comment and 5-star review below.

    Jerk Chicken Kabobs on white platter next to limes

    Grilled Jerk Chicken Kabobs with Pineapple

    Marinated jerk chicken and pineapple are grilled together to create a perfectly sweet and spicy bite.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Jamican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Marinate: 4 hours
    Total Time: 17 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 224kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil or canola oil
    • juice of 1 lime
    • 1 inch piece of ginger peeled and thinly sliced
    • 2 habaneros or jalapeno peppers cut into large chunks, unseeded
    • 3 garlic cloves peeled
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey or agave
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
    • ½ teaspoon dried allspice
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" chunks
    • ½ fresh pineapple peeled, cored and diced into 1" wedges
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Place the oil, lime juice, peppers, ginger, maple syrup, and seasonings into a blender and blend until smooth.
    • Pour the marinade over the chicken and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
    • If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes.
    • Heat gas grill or charcoal grill to medium-high temperature.
    • Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread on the soaked skewers, alternating with pieces of fresh pineapple. Discard the marinade.
    • Grill the kabobs for 6 minutes per side, or until the chicken has reached 165 degrees F.

    Equipment Needed

    • wooden skewers
    • metal skewers

    Notes

    Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes for optimum flavor. 
    Feel free to use jalapenos if you can not find habanero, or would like a less spicy result. You can also deseed the pepper to help control the heat as well. 
    If you simply would like to have grilled jerk chicken, marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or thighs in the marinade as directed. Grill over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes per side.
    Feel free to skip the pineapple or add vegetables such as onions or peppers to kabobs. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 715mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 64.4mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1.1mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

     

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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Beth

      September 20, 2018 at 2:52 pm

      5 stars
      So smart to pull back on the heat with jalapeno instead of habanero and to use chicken instead of shrimp. Great tips and modifications to the recipe.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 20, 2018 at 4:00 pm

        Thanks Beth, so glad you found these modifications to work for you.

        Reply
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