Teriyaki Chicken Skewers With Pineapple
A beloved Japanese classic enjoyed worldwide, these Chicken Skewers With Pineapple are coated in homemade teriyaki sauce and then grilled or air-fried to perfection.
Traditional teriyaki isn’t a sauce—it’s a cooking technique that involves broiling or grilling meat or fish with a glossy, sweet-savoury glaze. This air-fried version features a homemade teriyaki sauce, skipping the store-bought bottles packed with additives. Made with soy sauce, mirin, and maple syrup for a natural touch of sweetness, it stays true to its roots. While ginger and garlic aren’t traditionally included, they are accepted and add incredible depth of flavour. Fresh pineapple and red bell peppers bring a pop of colour to the Teriyaki Chicken Skewers and nicely complement the sauce.
The Marinade / Glaze
The key here is to marinate the chicken for about an hour before cooking, letting it suck in these flavours. The Teriyaki sauce is simple to make in under 5 minutes: traditionally, they cook to dilute the sugar into the sauce. However, by using maple syrup, you can skip this step and prevent the waiting time for the sauce to cool down before marinating. Once the chicken is marinated and inserted into the skewers, cook the leftover marinade until thicker, about 5-7 minutes. Then, add the cornstarch slurry and simmer until thicker and shiny, and you’ve got a sensational glaze.
Air Fryer, Grilled or Broiled
Usually, Teriyaki skewers are made on the grill or broiled in the oven, but the air fryer also does a fantastic job! Like these traditional cooking methods, the air fryer can cook rapidly and at a high temperature in no time! The recipe card will provide the three cooking methods for our Chicken Skewers With Pineapple to achieve the same result.
FAQ
What is Mirin?
Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine; it has a lower alcohol content than sake and a higher sugar content, which gives dishes a glossy, caramelized finish.
Types of Mirin:
- Hon Mirin (True Mirin) – Contains about 14% alcohol and is naturally sweet from fermentation.
- Shio Mirin (Salted Mirin) – Similar to Hon Mirin but with added salt.
- Mirin-Fu (Mirin-Style Seasoning) – A non-alcoholic version that mimics the flavour.
If you want to learn more about Mirin, check this article.
Which Chicken Part Is Best?
- Chicken breast absorbs flavours faster and stays tender, but can become chewy if overcooked for a quick marinade.
- Chicken thighs, on the other hand, benefit from a longer 2-4 hour marinade and hold up better to high-temperature cooking.
What Can I Serve It With?
Whether it’s lovely, fluffy rice or noodles, add extra sauce on the table for those who want more.
Teriyaki Chicken Skewers With Pinapple
Equipment
- skewers medium-size and pre-soak before use.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts cut into cubes
- 1 red bell pepper cut into squares
- ¼ pineapple cut into cubes
Teriyaki Sauce
- 150 ml soy sauce shoyu or tamari
- 100 ml mirin
- 50 ml maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove minced or mashed
- 1 fresh ginger grated
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp of cold water.
Topping
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients of the Teriyaki Marinade/Sauce, except the cornstarch, and mix well.
- Add to the chicken container, let marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Make the skewers (presoaked) with the red bell pepper, pineapple and marinated chicken.
- Preserve the chicken marinade, add to a saucepan and boil until slighlty thicker, about 5-10 minutes.
- During that time cook the skewers with:AIR FRYER: at 200C° (400°F) for 12 minutes.GRILL or BBQ: On high flame for 10 to 12 minutes, turning mid-way.BROIL in the Oven: Broil for 12 minutes, turning mid-way.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the teriyaki sauce and let simmer until it thickens and sticks on the back of a spoon.
- Brush a last glaze of teriyaki on the skewers before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Did You Make This Recipe?
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Any dish with pineapple 🍍 taste great. The enzyme, bromelain, in pineapples help to tenderize meats and also add a tropical flavor. So, I know your chicken pineapple skewers are a hit. I visited Teriyaki One Japanese restaurant here in NYC and always thought it was their teriyaki sauce in the chicken and beef dishes that were the star. Never heard of Mirin; love the information.
The pineapple isn’t in the marinade but still ultra tender and moist. You could add the pineapple into the marinade if you want, but I bet the colour and firmness of the fruit will vanish.
Nice! I love the salty teriyaki with the sweet pineapple and chicken. This was a big hit with the family.
A family’s favourite for many families around the globe.
These are so good! I made them last night with some veggie fried rice. Perfection!
Nothing beats homemade sauces!
These skewers were packed with flavor! The teriyaki glaze was the perfect mix of sweet and savory, and the grilled pineapple added such a nice touch!
Nothing beat this combo of sweet and savoury!
Yum! We usually avoid chicken breast because it’s dry but this was juicy and tender and perfectly seasoned
Yes, chicken breasts demands a bit more precise cooking, they get chewy when overcooked, which most people tend to do.
These Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Pineapple turned out amazing! They were easy to prepare and everyone just loved them!!
The a true crown-pleaser these skewers! Couldn’t agree more.
Oh yes! Its finally that time when I can get outside and get my skewers game going. These chicken skewers are the first to go!
BBQ season is almost there, just a few more weeks!
The balance of sweet and savory flavors in this is spot on. Everything caramelized beautifully, and the pineapple adds such a nice touch!
My mom used to add pineapples to these, brings in some juicy sunshine to the dish.