Oh look — it’s my annual chicken-on-a-skewer recipe.
There’s something about chicken on a stick that just tastes better than the same chicken baked in a dish. I don’t know the science, but I keep testing it every year.
If you like skewers, you might also enjoy some earlier ideas I’ve made: chili garlic chicken skewers with yogurt dip, grilled chicken with burst tomatoes and artichokes, or chipotle-lime skewers with avocado ranch.
I admit I have a problem with boring chicken dinners. If a recipe doesn’t excite me, I’ll keep tinkering until it does. This one started as a simple experiment and quickly became a staple at home.
The herb yogurt sauce is my favorite way to serve these skewers. It’s light, cooling and balances the sweet-spicy chicken beautifully. I loved that contrast so much I knew the yogurt dip had to stay.
Originally, I hadn’t planned to publish this because it felt similar to another skewer recipe. But the pineapple marinade idea — borrowed from a pulled pork enchilada recipe — was so good on chicken that I kept making it.
Believe it or not, the chicken needs only three core ingredients: chicken, chili garlic paste (available near soy sauce and curry pastes in most stores) and fresh pineapple. That’s it. The marinade is embarrassingly simple and so effective, especially when you grill for that smoky char.
I made this more than once the same week — a rare occurrence for me — and then again the following week. The combination of sweet pineapple, heat from the chili garlic paste and the cool, herby yogurt sauce keeps bringing me back.
While the marinated chicken stands well on its own, a sprinkle of scallions, a spoonful of chopped cilantro and a few extra chopped pineapple pieces on top lift the flavor even more. A squeeze of lime brightens everything. And then there’s the yogurt drizzle — spoon it, dip it, pour it — however you like.
My approach here is to keep things simple, fresh and balanced: bright pineapple, a touch of heat, fresh herbs and that cooling yogurt sauce. The result is a skewer that’s easy to make and impressive to serve.
Pineapple Chili Chicken Skewers
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Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
- 1 cup cubed fresh pineapple plus extra for skewering
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic paste
- pinch of salt and pepper
- limes for spritzing
- chopped pineapple for garnish
- chopped cilantro for garnish
herb yogurt sauce
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 tablespoons snipped chives
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
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Add the pineapple and chili garlic paste to a food processor and blend until smooth. Place the chicken in a bowl or resealable bag and pour the pineapple mixture over it. Refrigerate and marinate for 2 hours up to overnight.
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Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Thread 4 to 5 pieces of chicken on each skewer with 1 or 2 pineapple cubes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a bit of olive oil, or cook directly on a hot grill. Cook skewers 4 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Serve immediately with the herb yogurt sauce, extra lime wedges, chopped cilantro and additional pineapple if desired.
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Herb yogurt sauce
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Whisk the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, chives, honey, lime juice, salt and pepper in a bowl until smooth and combined. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve chilled alongside the skewers.
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Oh yeah — pineapple on the skewer too. I can’t be stopped!