Pineapple-Basil Chicken Skewers

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This month, Kitchen Play has teamed up with the Ad Council to remind home cooks of safe food practices.

Popsicles are showing up everywhere these days, with intriguing flavor combinations highlighting summer’s flavors. My absolute favorite popsicles come from the local company goodpops, which I first tasted last year at a SXSW event. Although I haven’t yet had a goodpop this summer, I can’t forget the taste of that pineapple basil popsicle.

With this combination on my mind as I sweat through the days, it was only logical that I would translate the popsicle into a marinade for chicken. Marinades are an incredibly easy way to bump up the flavor on everyday dishes, and chicken on the grill is naked and ashamed without it on. With the prep work done in advance, there is plenty of time to get your side dishes ready or relax on the patio with a margarita and congratulate yourself for how smart you are.

Kitchen Safety - Don't put a damper on your summer - be sure to grill safely and be aware of kitchen safety!

One of the most important things to remember when dealing with marinades is that you must discard the marinade once your meat has finished bathing in it. Many people are tempted to use the same marinade for basting, but please don’t make that mistake. Raw chicken can harbor bacteria, such as salmonella, that is only killed with thorough cooking. If you’d like to baste with your marinade, be sure to divide out a portion before adding the raw meat to soak.

Now, even though I have no issues eating meat, I really hate handling the raw stuff. Because of this, I wash my hands about sixteen times during the process of slicing the chicken. You don’t need to be as vigorous as I am, but be sure to wash your hands before and after handling any raw foods, and especially if you get interrupted halfway through prepping by a small child clamoring for a snack. Trust me, he does not want a topping of E. Coli on his fruit.

Kitchen safety - raw chicken

I like to cut raw meat on a plastic cutting board, saving our wooden boards for fruits and vegetables. Using different materials makes it easy to keep track of what cutting board is for which food, and raw juices don’t soak into the plastic boards.

Don’t forget that when marinating, the meat needs to go back into the refrigerator, especially in the summer. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to avoid accidental spills. Once you have the meat marinating, make sure to wash your cutting board, knife, hands, and clean the surfaces of where you were prepping the food. Taking care of these tasks immediately will cut down on the potential for germs spreading in your kitchen.

Clean: Clean kitchen surfaces, utensils, and hands with soap and water while preparing food.
Separate: Separate raw meats from other foods by using different cutting boards.
Cook: Cook foods to the right temperature by using a food thermometer.
Chill: Chill raw and prepared foods promptly.

Follow these guidelines when cooking and you’ll have a safe summer!

Kitchen Safety - Pineapple-Basil Chicken Skewers

Although I used the chicken for skewers, the marinade would also work well with whole breasts, cooked and then sliced thinly for tacos. Topped with a pineapple salsa, it’s another versatile way to have a cooled-down meal.

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Pineapple Basil Chicken Skewers

Pineapple-Basil Chicken Skewers

Light, refreshing, and perfect for summer parties
Author : Megan Myers
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinade Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 642 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup loosely packed basil
  • 1 20- ounce can pineapple in juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken
  • 1 medium white onion
  • 1 green pepper
  • 24 grape tomatoes
  • 10-12 bamboo skewers

Instructions

  • Wash basil and pat dry. Drain pineapple juice from can, reserving the chunks for the skewers. (You will only use about half, so go ahead and put the other half in a reusable container, or eat them.)
  • Put basil, pineapple juice, olive oil, salt, and three cracks of pepper into a food processor or blender. Process until basil is thoroughly chopped and integrated through liquid. Pour into a large bowl. If you want to reserve some of the marinade in a separate bowl for basting, do it now.
  • Cut chicken into chunks approximately 1 inch by 1 inch. Put into bowl of marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for at least an hour.
  • When ready to cook, put bamboo skewers into a shallow container of water and let soak. Chop onion and pepper into large pieces on a clean cutting board.
  • Remove skewers from water and thread chicken, onion, pineapple, pepper, and tomato in an alternating pattern. Place finished skewers on a large plate, and repeat until you’re out of chicken.
  • Grill over a medium-hot flame for 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into a piece registers 165°F.
  • Be sure to chill any leftovers within two hours of cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 642 kcalCarbohydrates: 114 gProtein: 27 gFat: 13 gSaturated Fat: 3 gCholesterol: 67 mgSodium: 452 mgFiber: 12 gSugar: 85 g

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

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About Megan

I focus on fresh ingredients and easy methods, with spins that keep meals interesting. Dinnertime shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and I’m here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Read more…

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9 Comments

  1. I’ve never had it, but pineapple/basil sounds like a brilliant combo! I love how you translated the flavor of the popsicle into a marinade for chicken, it really sounds incredible.

  2. Sounds like a winning combination of flavor here. I bet the tang and sweetness from the pineapple matches wonderfully with the chicken and basil. Can’t wait to give it a try. Great tips and info on the food safety as well. 🙂

  3. Great tips for food safety! Only thing I would add is that you can use the marinade for a sauce or basting IF you bring it to a rolling boil – this will kill salmonella and make it safe to eat!

  4. Great recipe and tips. I’ve started using disposable gloves when I work with chicken; helps to not only keep my hands clean but a great reminder that I shouldn’t be touching work surfaces either…or pick up the phone mid cut!

  5. My sister just called. She’s trying to make pineapple teriyaki chicken and asked if she can put pineapples in with the raw chicken marinade. I’ve never been totally sure or felt secure cooking anything with raw chicken and generally just avoid it and play it safe. But I google’d it and every recipe has you throw the pineapple chunks in with the chicken and then bake or grill them. How come the pineapples don’t pick up salmonella, bacteria, etc.? Thanks.