Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs with Jaca

By Jaca Kitchen · · Updated

These sugar-free Hawaiian chicken kabobs swap the brown sugar for Jaca allulose, so you get all the sweet, tangy, pineapple-teriyaki flavor of the grilled classic with zero added sugar. Juicy chicken, fresh pineapple, bell pepper and red onion get threaded onto skewers, brushed with a sticky ketchup-soy-ginger glaze, and grilled until caramelized. This is a Jaca-adjusted, healthier version of the summer favorite — the sweetness comes from Jaca, not sugar.

Ingredients:

Marinade

  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 2/3 cup Jaca (allulose) — replaces 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup canned pineapple juice
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided (plus more for the grill)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Kabobs

  • 1 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
  • 3 heaping cups fresh pineapple, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 large green bell peppers, cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 large red onion, cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces

Instructions:

  1. Make the marinade: In a bowl, whisk together the ketchup, Jaca, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Whisk until the Jaca dissolves, then season with 3/4 tsp black pepper and salt to taste.
  2. Place the chicken cubes in a large resealable bag. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade in the refrigerator, then pour the rest over the chicken. Seal and refrigerate 1 hour. Soak wooden skewers in water at the same time.
  3. Preheat the grill to 400°F (medium-high). Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over the red onion, bell peppers and pineapple; toss to coat and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Thread the chicken, pineapple, peppers and onion onto the soaked skewers, alternating as you go.
  5. Oil the grill grates and add the skewers. Grill 5 minutes, then brush with 1/4 cup of the reserved marinade. Rotate and brush the other side with the remaining 1/4 cup reserved marinade.
  6. Continue grilling about 4 minutes longer, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally. Serve warm.

Prep time: 25 minutes  |  Cook time: 15 minutes  |  Marinate: 1 hour  |  Servings: about 5 (10 kebabs)

Jaca tip: because allulose browns and caramelizes like sugar, the glaze still gets that glossy, sticky char on the grill — without the added sugar. Total sugar here comes almost entirely from the fresh pineapple and onion.