Paleo Hoisin Chicken Kebobs
Updated: Apr 11
Juicy tender chicken with sweet and mouthwatering grilled pineapple slathered in an umami rich Paleo hoisin sauce is summer grilled perfection. These delicious kabobs are a fabulous and easy weeknight meal or an impressive appetizer for your next barbecue or party! Paleo and Whole30 friendly, these kabobs are everything you want all on a stick!
Why Paleo?
With so many lifestyle options, why did I choose to make this hoisin sauce Paleo and Whole30 friendly?
1. Sugar. Refine white sugar (white beet sugar) has a few characteristics that I find undesirable, so I avoid it at all costs.
GMO: white beets or sugar beets are genetically modified to be herbicide resistant and grown with glyphosates (RoundUP)
Ultra Refined: sugar beets are highly refine to produce the sugar products used in so many foods: condiments, cereals, snacks, breads, candies and more.
2. Organic. By choosing to make my own sauce at home, I am able to choose the quality of the ingredients that go into my sauce.
3. Whole Food Ingredients: Processed and ultra refined foods such as sugar, salt, flours and oils are inflammatory to the body and are void of nutrients. The refinement process eliminates the bioavailable nutrients in these foods and although some of these foods have been "fortified" (where the food companies try to add the nutrients back in) these are typically synthetic and are not as available to the body and are not absorbed.
Choosing minimally processed ingredients maintains nutrient density, is more bioavailable to the body, and is does not have the inflammatory properties ultra refined foods do.
Why Chicken is So Good For You!
We all know that chicken is a tasty and fantastic source of protein, but do you know why it is so good for you? Chicken, along with many other sources of animal protein, such as beef, eggs and fish, are a complete source of protein. This means that all nine essential amino acids are present and available to you when you eat these foods. When it comes to nutrients, anything labeled as "essential" means that your body cannot make or synthesize this nutrient, so it must be provided to your body by the foods you eat.
As mentioned above, there are nine essential amino acids that we must eat everyday to provide our bodies energy as well as the building blocks necessary in everyday functions such as growth and repair, immune support, and in the synthesis of our hormones and neurotransmitters.
The nine essential amino acids and their roles are [1]:
Histidine: necessary for the production of histamine and also plays a role in nervous system health
Valine: necessary in energy production as well as muscle growth and repair
Phenylalanine: building block for neurotransmitters like dopamine and epinephrine (adrenaline), and in the production of other amino acids.
Leucine: necessary in stimulating wound healing, muscle repair, and blood sugar regulation.
Isoleucine: necessary in immune function and energy regulation.
Tryptophan: necessary building block for serotonin.
Methionine: necessary in detoxification, metabolism, and in your body's ability to absorb selenium (supports thyroid health) and zinc (necessary in production of HCl in your stomach).
Threonine: necessary in skin and connective tissue health.
Lysine: necessary in hormone production and your body's ability to absorb calcium (bone, heart, muscle and nerve health.)
So grab some chicken breasts and let's get cooking!
Paleo Hoisin Chicken Kebabs Ingredients
Serves 4-6
2lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
½ Fresh Pineapple
½ Red Onion
1 tsp Fine Sea Salt or Pink Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp EVOO or Avocado Oil
How to Make Paleo Hoisin Chicken Kebabs
1. Soak the skewers in cool water for at least an hour and preheat the grill to 425 when you are almost ready to grill.
2. Dice the chicken into 1/5"-2" chunks and transfer to a medium bowl.
3. To the chicken add the EVOO, salt and pepper and mix well to coat.
4. Cut the pineapple* and onion into large pieces that are easy to skewer.
5. Layer the chicken, onion and pineapple on the skewers.
6. Grill the chicken kabobs for 6-minutes on the first side. Flip over and baste** the grilled side. Grill for 6 more minutes, flip and baste the first side, cover and grill for 1-2 minutes more.
Enjoy and serve with extra sauce!
*I typically quarter the pineapple and then cut the spears into 1/2"-1" triangles.
** Do not use sauce out of the jar as this will need to be discarded in case it comes into contact with raw chicken.
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FAQs
Q: Do you have to use fresh pineapple to make chicken pineapple kabobs?
A: No, however, canned pineapple is more delicate and may not hold up as well on the grill.
Q: Help! My pineapple isn't quite ripe, how do you ripen a pineapple quickly?
A: I always keep my fresh pineapple next to my banana hook as the ethylene (a hormone that ripens produce) gas released from the bananas helps to ripen the pineapple and then once it's ready I stick it in the fridge if I'm not ready for it quite yet.
Q: Can you use skewers that haven't been soaked to grill kabobs?
A: You can, but the skewers are more likely to burn, best practice is to soak them for at least an hour up to overnight to minimize burning.
I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. - Amy
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