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Home / Main Dishes

Caribbean Citrus Habanero Chicken Skewers

5
/5
20 minutes minutes
48 Comments
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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 07/30/2015

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers… marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

Taste the Caribbean flavors in these citrus habanero chicken skewers… marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

Caribbean Citrus Habanero Chicken Skewers | Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection! | http://thechunkychef.com

Let’s spice things up a bit, shall we?  I’m talking habanero hot sauce spicy!  If you know me, you know I usually don’t do very spicy foods, as I am a spice WIMP… so I came up with a marinade that combines orange juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, fresh herbs and some delicious El Yucateco Caribbean habanero hot sauce.  It has some heat, but it’s a yummy sweet and flavorful heat, not just “set your mouth on fire so you can’t taste”, heat.

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

This is the type of meal that just practically begs to be grilled.  The flavors intensify and that smoky charred flavor works so perfectly here!

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

I chose to serve my chicken skewer-style and add some sweet yellow onions, red bell peppers, and pieces of pineapple.  They add a nice flavor, as well as a beautiful presentation.

If you’d like, you could grill your chicken and fruits/veggies separately.  It’s actually a little easier that way, since you don’t have to worry about your veggies/fruit being overdone while you wait for the chicken to cook through.

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

This marinade comes together really quickly, then you just add your chicken and let those flavors marry for anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours before you grill it.  Obviously, the longer you marinate, the stronger the flavor will be in the chicken 🙂

I like to cut my chicken into 1 inch pieces before I marinate them, it makes it a lot easier to get them on the skewers… plus you don’t need to marinate them as long as a whole chicken breast!

I wouldn’t go much farther than the 2 hours of marinating time though, because the citrus juice can actually start to toughen your chicken or “cook” it.  However, if you left the chicken breasts whole, you could marinate for a longer time.

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

Citrus-y, herb-y, smoky, spicy perfection!!  Want to know my secret weapon for these chicken skewers?

El Yucateco Caribbean Hot Sauce!  This stuff is magic in a bottle you guys.  I can’t lie, it’s got a kick… (I downed a glass of water eating one skewer lol), but it has great flavor to go with it.

I think the honey tames the heat down a bit.  But if you’re worried about the heat, you could use less than I did, or even add a little coconut milk to the marinade.

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

This is one grilling recipe that will “wow” anyone you grill it for!  The chicken stays nice and tender/juicy/flavorful by basting it with the marinade as it grills.

To do this, you have two options.  After you whisk together your marinade, you can reserve out about 1/3 cup and keep it in a separate container in the refrigerator until you need to baste with it.

Or you’ll have great intentions of doing that, but forget and plop all the chicken in the marinade and THEN remember you wanted to save some aside.  Sigh.  However, you can fix it!  When it comes time to skewer your chicken, pour the chicken and marinade through a strainer that’s over a mixing bowl.

The chicken will stay in the strainer and your marinade will be in the mixing bowl below.  Just pour that in a small saucepan and bring it to a light boil and boil it for about 10 minutes or so (to cook off any bacteria from the raw chicken), and baste away.

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

You could serve these bad boys with just about anything, but my personal favorite is this pineapple coconut cashew rice, or these slow cooker roasted mushrooms!

If you’re using metal, re-usable skewers, you don’t need any prep for that, just go ahead and slide the ingredients right on the skewer.  If you’ll be using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20-30 minutes so they don’t burn on the grill!

For a kid-friendly version, you could omit the hot sauce all together 🙂

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

Caribbean Citrus Habanero Chicken Skewers

5 from 4 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 -6 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
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Taste the Caribbean in these citrus habanero chicken skewers... marinated chicken, onions, peppers, and pineapple.. all grilled to smoky charred perfection!

Ingredients

  • 8-9 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1"
  • 2 pieces yellow or sweet onions diced into 1"
  • 2 pieces red or green bell peppers diced into 1"
  • pieces Fresh pineapple diced into 1" (I bought some already diced from my grocery store)
  • MARINADE:
  • 3 tsp orange zest
  • 1 1/2 cup orange juice fresh is best, but good quality bottled juice is okay
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 10 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 Tbsp El Yucateco Caribbean Hot Sauce more or less for your tastes
  • 2 1/2 tsp fresh thyme minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh oregano minced
  • 5 Tbsp honey more or less to your tastes

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, add marinade ingredients and whisk to combine well. Remove about 1/3 cup and place into an airtight container and refrigerate. Set aside the remaining marinade.
  • Trim chicken breasts of fat and dice into 1" pieces.
  • Add to bowl with the marinade and toss to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
  • Dice onion, pepper and pineapple into 1" pieces and set aside.
  • Preheat grill over MED heat.
  • Make skewers by alternating chicken, onion, bell pepper and pineapple.
  • Grill, basting with reserved marinade, for several minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

** if you're going to be basting with the marinade that had RAW chicken in it, you need to boil it for 10 minutes before basting with it!
** Recipe makes enough to feed a crowd, but can be halved for an average family size
** these go amazingly well with some tropical pineapple coconut cashew rice

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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Recipe Rating




  1. Nataliya says

    Posted on 8/3 at 9:34 pm

    These look delicious! Perfect for summer.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/4 at 10:17 pm

      Thank you Nataliya! 🙂

      Reply
  2. mila furman says

    Posted on 8/3 at 12:26 pm

    Amanda I cannot get over how gorgeous these pictures are!!! Stunning! And this marinade does look really fantastic! I think habaneros are unique because they actually taste good… they aren’t just hot. I’m sure the flavor on these babies is fantastic!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/4 at 10:17 pm

      Thank you SO much Mila!! I’ve been finally shooting in full manual mode and was able to make the most of some gorgeous natural light that day 🙂 These are already on our meal list for this week again lol 🙂

      Reply
  3. Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says

    Posted on 8/1 at 11:54 am

    Oh wow!!! This looks insanely good, Amanda!! Want some now! 😀

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:25 pm

      Thanks so much Jhuls!! I’ll grill you a few skewers 😉

      Reply
  4. Stephanie says

    Posted on 8/1 at 10:39 am

    I’m always on the lookout for new marinades!!!!! This looks incredible! I love the pictures too, as always ! Definitely pinning!! 🙂

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:25 pm

      Thanks my food sista!! I’m finally getting comfortable with the manual setting on my camera lol 🙂

      Reply
  5. Rachel @ athletic avocado says

    Posted on 8/1 at 7:25 am

    these are so perfect for a summer Cookout! Pinning for later 🙂

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:22 pm

      Thank you so much Rachel!! I love grilling out in the summer 😀

      Reply
  6. Claudia | Gourmet Project says

    Posted on 8/1 at 6:08 am

    I love spicy food! Must try this recipe. Soon.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:21 pm

      Thank you Claudia!! I hope you LOVE it 🙂

      Reply
  7. Hilda says

    Posted on 7/31 at 9:49 pm

    This is a great recipe for the grill. I love the flavours and spice you have in it. And thanks for the tip about cooking the marinade to use afterwards – I had never thought of that but it does make perfect sense.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:21 pm

      Thank you so much Hilda!! Cooking the marinade has saved my butt so many times… I never remember to set some aside beforehand lol 🙂

      Reply
  8. Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake says

    Posted on 7/31 at 6:23 pm

    These look soooo good! I’m a wimp when it comes to spicy things too, but it’s sooo much better if there’s a lot of flavour too!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:18 pm

      Thank you so much Michelle!! I’m glad I’m not the only heat wimp 🙂

      Reply
  9. Dini @ The Flavor Bender says

    Posted on 7/31 at 12:52 pm

    YUM!! I love this Amanda! A spicy sauce is exactly the kind that our family would go for too! Im going to look for it 🙂
    There’s something insanely delicious about skewered food right? 🙂

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:17 pm

      Thank you so much Dini!! You’re so right… grilled skewered food is just so much fun to make and eat! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

    Posted on 7/31 at 11:57 am

    You had me at habanero!!! Cannot wait to give these delicious skewers a try!!!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:16 pm

      Thank you Erin!! I hope you LOVE them as much as we do 🙂

      Reply
  11. Shashi at RunninSrilankan says

    Posted on 7/31 at 11:06 am

    Just looking at these pictures has me Wow-d! I simply love that spicy citrus marinade! What a winner

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:14 pm

      Thank you SO much Shashi!! Citrus and spicy is one of my favorite flavor combinations 🙂

      Reply
  12. Megan Marlowe says

    Posted on 7/31 at 10:19 am

    Love the kick of flavor in this marinade! Skewers are my favorite grilling food. I’ll be trying this version next!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:12 pm

      Thank you so much Megan!! Skewers are just so much fun to make, (and eat) 😉

      Reply
  13. Jess@CookingisMySport says

    Posted on 7/31 at 10:12 am

    This marinade looks awesome Amanda, I love the different blend of flavors 😉

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:12 pm

      Thank you so much Jess!! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Tara says

    Posted on 7/31 at 9:55 am

    We love spicy in our house! I am going to add this to the menu for our next BBQ.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:10 pm

      Thank you Tara!! I’m so excited you’ll be trying it, I hope you all LOVE it 😀

      Reply
  15. J @ A Hot Southern Mess says

    Posted on 7/31 at 9:06 am

    Yum! I actually love spicy food, but definitely not the kind that has no flavor and just tears up your mouth. These skewers sound right up my alley! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:09 pm

      Thank you J!! Yep, I have to have good flavor with my heat, or I don’t want to deal with it lol 🙂

      Reply
  16. Rachel @ Simple Seasonal says

    Posted on 7/31 at 8:52 am

    What sweet, spicy, and finger looking good deliciousness! And I love that it’s pretty quick and easy to make! I be this marinade would do well pre-made and frozen for busy nights!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:09 pm

      Thank you so much Rachel!! Ooooh I bet you’re right… I’ll have to try that the next time we make these. Love meals like that!

      Reply
  17. Shivani Saxena says

    Posted on 7/31 at 7:44 am

    Beautiful pics and recipe!thanks

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:08 pm

      Thank you Shivani!! 🙂

      Reply
  18. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

    Posted on 7/30 at 11:37 pm

    What a fantastic marinade! It looks and sounds so flavoursome.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:07 pm

      Thank you Thalia!! I love marinades that come together quickly, yet are so full of flavor 🙂

      Reply
  19. Julie is Hostess At Heart says

    Posted on 7/30 at 9:51 pm

    This looks delicious! I like heat but not like my husband. I like a kick after the flavor.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:05 pm

      Thank you Julie!! I definitely need some flavor with my heat too. My husband can handle SOOOO much more heat than I can lol

      Reply
  20. Adriana Martin says

    Posted on 7/30 at 5:20 pm

    What a delightful combination and the pictures are beautiful thanks for participating in this shop #client

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 8/1 at 11:04 pm

      Thank you so much Adriana!! This shop was a lot of fun, thank you for heading it up 🙂

      Reply
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