Pin My neighbor showed up one summer evening with a bag of fresh pineapple from the farmers market, and I was tasked with turning it into dinner for six people on short notice. I grabbed chicken from the freezer, remembering a honey-lime marinade that had worked magic before, and suddenly these skewers came together in my head—sweet fruit, charred edges, and that bright citrus cutting through everything. The result was so good that he's been asking me to make them ever since, and now they're my go-to when I need something that tastes restaurant-quality but comes together faster than you'd expect.
I made these for a July Fourth gathering where someone brought a cooler full of ice-cold wine, and I remember standing at the grill with tongs in one hand, a drink in the other, turning these skewers while the smoke curled up into the evening air. The chicken was perfectly juicy, the pineapple had these gorgeous caramelized edges, and people kept coming back asking if there were more. That's when I knew this wasn't just a recipe I'd stumbled onto—it was the kind of dish that gets requested by name at the next party.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1½ lbs, cut into 1½-inch cubes): Use breasts that are roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly; if some are thicker, gently pound them down before cubing so no one ends up with a dry piece.
- Honey (3 tbsp): Don't use processed honey if you can help it—raw or wildflower honey adds subtle flavor that makes the glaze taste less one-dimensional.
- Fresh lime juice (2 tbsp): Squeeze it yourself; bottled juice tastes tired compared to the real thing, and the brightness matters here.
- Lime zest (2 tsp): That little pop of oil under the skin is where the real flavor lives, so don't skip this step.
- Olive oil (2 tbsp): Use something you'd actually taste—not the cheap stuff—because it's part of the foundation.
- Garlic cloves (2, minced): Fresh garlic only; garlic powder will make the marinade taste dull and powdery.
- Salt (1 tsp), black pepper (½ tsp), and smoked paprika (½ tsp, optional): The paprika adds a subtle smokiness that hints at what's coming on the grill, but if you don't have it, the recipe still shines.
- Medium zucchinis (2, sliced into ½-inch rounds): Cut them uniform so they grill in the same amount of time as the chicken; thinner pieces will char before the insides soften, thicker ones won't develop that tender texture.
- Small pineapple (peeled, cored, cut into 1-inch chunks): Fresh pineapple matters—canned is fine if that's all you have, but fresh releases its own juices and caramelizes differently.
- Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving: These feel optional until you taste the first bite, then suddenly they're essential.
Instructions
- Make your marinade:
- Whisk together honey, lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika in a large bowl until everything is combined and the honey has dissolved. This should take about a minute, and you want it smooth with no honey clumps settling at the bottom.
- Marinate the chicken:
- Toss your chicken cubes into the marinade, making sure every piece gets coated—use your hands if a spoon feels awkward, because you want the glaze all over each cube. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes; if you have time, go for closer to 2 hours so the chicken absorbs more flavor and stays juicier on the grill.
- Prep your skewers:
- If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes so they don't catch fire on the grill and splinter in your guests' hands. Metal skewers skip this step, but they'll get hot, so have tongs ready.
- Get your grill ready:
- Preheat to medium-high heat (around 400°F/200°C) for about 10 minutes—you want it hot enough that the chicken gets a good char but not so hot that the outside burns before the inside cooks. If you're nervous about temperature, hold your hand about 3 inches above the grates; you should only be able to keep it there for 2 or 3 seconds.
- Thread your skewers:
- Alternate chicken, zucchini, and pineapple, starting and ending with chicken so the proteins hold everything together and you don't have fruit tumbling off into the coals. Don't crowd them too tightly—there should be a tiny bit of space between pieces so heat circulates and everything cooks evenly.
- Grill with intention:
- Place skewers on the hot grill and don't move them for the first 3 or 4 minutes—that's when the good char happens. Turn them every couple of minutes after that, cooking for a total of 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (a quick internal temperature check shows 165°F/74°C if you're being careful) and everything has light char marks.
- Rest and serve:
- Let them sit off the heat for 3 minutes so the juices redistribute into the meat instead of running all over the plate. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges so people can add brightness to taste.
Pin 
There was a moment at that July Fourth dinner when a friend bit into a skewer and closed her eyes like she was thinking about something important, then immediately asked for seconds. That's when I understood these aren't just grilled chicken—they're the kind of thing people remember about a summer evening, the kind of meal that makes someone ask for the recipe even though they probably won't make it and will just order the same thing when they feel like it again.
The Magic of the Honey-Lime Balance
Honey and lime are a combination I keep coming back to because they do something unexpected together—the honey mellows the tartness of the lime while the lime keeps the honey from tasting cloying or one-note. On the grill, the honey caramelizes and develops deeper notes while the lime stays bright and cutting through the richness of the chicken fat. It's the kind of pairing that tastes more complicated than it is, which is probably why people always seem impressed when you tell them there are only two citrus or sweetening ingredients involved.
Why Pineapple Works Here (And Not Just Because It Tastes Good)
Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that gently breaks down proteins, which means the fruit actually helps tenderize the chicken as everything cooks together on the skewer. Beyond the science, there's the practical magic of how pineapple releases its juices as it grills—those juices mingle with the honey-lime glaze and create this syrupy glaze that coats everything. I learned this by accident when I miscalculated cooking time one night and ended up with a beautiful caramelized exterior and insanely juicy meat, and now I actually plan for that extra moisture instead of fighting against it.
Building Your Skewers and Small Decisions That Matter
The order in which you thread your skewers matters more than you'd think, and I'm not being dramatic. Alternating chicken, zucchini, and pineapple isn't just pretty—it ensures heat distributes evenly because different ingredients have different cooking times and weights, and spacing them out keeps them from creating hot spots. Ending with chicken on both ends gives you structural integrity so nothing slides off when you're turning them with tongs. I once got lazy and clustered all the chicken on one end, and I spent half the grilling time rearranging skewers instead of enjoying a drink, which taught me that taking an extra 30 seconds to thread properly saves you frustration later.
- Cut all your vegetables and fruit as uniformly as possible so nothing finishes cooking before something else.
- If you have thicker chicken pieces, pound them slightly so they match the thinner ones and cook at the same rate.
- Use tongs to turn the skewers, never a fork, because tines puncture the chicken and let all that gorgeous juice escape.
Pin These skewers have become my answer to the question of what to make when I want dinner to feel special but don't want to spend the whole afternoon cooking. Every time I stand at the grill with them, I'm grateful for that neighbor and his farmers market pineapple.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → How long should the chicken marinate?
Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors penetrate, though up to 2 hours is ideal for richer taste.
- → Can I use wooden skewers for grilling?
Yes, but soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes beforehand to prevent burning on the grill.
- → What sides pair well with this grilled dish?
This dish pairs nicely with rice, couscous, or a fresh green salad to balance the sweet and tangy flavors.
- → How do I achieve a lightly charred finish?
Grill over medium-high heat for 12–15 minutes, turning occasionally to evenly char the chicken and vegetables.
- → Can chicken thighs be substituted?
Yes, chicken thighs can be used for a juicier texture while maintaining the same marinade and grilling method.