Get ready for spring and summer grilling with this gluten-free Hawaiian turkey kabobs recipe. Light, bright, and full of flavor, these grilled turkey skewers make a healthy dinner your whole family will enjoy. I developed this recipe as part of my partnership with Honeysuckle White, a company that works with hundreds of independent family farms across the U.S. — I’m proud to partner with them and excited to share this dish!
After a long Idaho winter with record snowfall, we’ve been waiting for sunny days and the chance to fire up the grill. Kabobs are one of my favorite warm-weather meals: they feel fresh, clean up is simple, and they cook quickly. In the past my husband thought kabobs were fussy to make and tricky to cook evenly, but these turkey skewers changed his mind — he loved them.
The turkey cutlets I used were the perfect thickness for even grilling, and the combination of colorful bell peppers, sweet and red onions, and a pineapple-based marinade gives each bite a bright Hawaiian flavor. Pineapple juice, coconut aminos (or gluten-free soy sauce), sesame oil, garlic, and a touch of brown sugar make a tangy-sweet marinade that doubles as a basting sauce and finishing drizzle.
Below you’ll find the full gluten-free Hawaiian turkey kabobs recipe, ingredient notes, and step-by-step instructions. The photos show the vibrant skewers before and after grilling — they’re as pretty as they are delicious.
Notes on ingredients
- Turkey: Turkey breast cutlets are ideal because they’re thin and cook at a similar rate to the vegetables. One 1.5 lb package made plenty for our family of four; increase quantities for more guests.
- Bell peppers: Use a mix of red, orange, green, and yellow for color and flavor.
- Onions: I used a red onion and a sweet yellow onion for contrast. If someone avoids onions, you can make a portion without and still have attractive skewers.
- Pineapple juice: Essential for the Hawaiian flavor—small cans work well for making the marinade.
- Coconut aminos: I like the flavor, but gluten-free soy sauce is an easy substitute if you can’t find it.
Gluten-free Hawaiian Turkey Kabobs
Yield: 4 servings (about 8–10 kabobs). Serve over jasmine rice or your preferred grain. Double or triple the ingredients for larger families.
Prep and cook times
- Prep time: 1 hour (active) plus marinating time
- Cook time: about 20 minutes
- Additional marinating time: 4 hours (up to 24 hours)
- Total time: about 5 hours (including marinating)
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs turkey breast cutlets
- 12 oz pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 5–6 bell peppers, mixed colors
- 1 large purple onion
- 1 sweet onion
- Pineapple slices (optional)
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- Line a bowl with a zip-top freezer bag and place the turkey cutlet pieces inside. Set aside while you prepare the marinade.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, coconut aminos (or gluten-free soy sauce), brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, sea salt, and ground ginger until smooth. This should yield about 2 cups of marinade.
- Pour about 3/4 cup of the marinade over the turkey in the bag, seal, and massage to coat the meat. Refrigerate the sealed bag for 4 hours or up to 24 hours for best flavor.
- Reserve the remaining marinade at room temperature for basting and for serving as a sauce. Keep the reserved portion separate from raw turkey to avoid cross-contamination.
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before assembling to reduce the chance of burning on the grill.
- Chop peppers and onions into pieces about the same size as the turkey (roughly 1.5–2 inches).
- Remove turkey from the marinade and discard any marinade that has been in contact with raw meat. Thread the turkey, peppers, and onions alternately onto the skewers. Placing peppers on the ends helps keep other pieces from sliding off. Leave about 1–1.5 inches at each end of the skewer for handling.
- As the grill heats, cook jasmine rice according to package instructions.
- Preheat the grill to about 400°F and lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
- Grill the kabobs for about 5 minutes, brush with the reserved marinade, flip, and baste the other side. Continue grilling and basting, checking the internal temperature, until the turkey reaches 165°F. Total cooking time will vary but was about 20 minutes for my kabobs.
- Remove kabobs to a platter. Bring any leftover reserved marinade (that did not touch raw meat) to a boil on the stove before serving and drizzle over the kabobs and rice for extra flavor.
Serving and storage tips
Serve the kabobs over jasmine rice and drizzle with the boiled reserved sauce. Leftovers reheat well: remove the pieces from skewers, add to a container with rice, and drizzle with extra sauce for a quick lunch. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and consume within a few days.
Notes
Plan ahead so the turkey has time to marinate for at least four hours—overnight gives the best flavor. If you can’t find coconut aminos, use gluten-free soy sauce as an easy substitute. If using canned pineapple slices on the kabobs, pre-drain them well to avoid excess liquid on the grill.
I hope you and your family enjoy these gluten-free Hawaiian turkey skewers — they’re a simple, flavorful meal we keep coming back to. My husband loved the leftovers for lunch too!
This sponsored post was created through my partnership with Honeysuckle White as an ambassador for 2017. For those on the East Coast, look for their sister brand, Shady Brook Farms. All opinions are my own; partnering with brands I trust helps me continue sharing new recipes with you.