Papa's Chicken Sh#t on the Blackstone
All the flavor of a kabob with none of the skewer drama. Marinated chicken, peppers, onions, pineapple, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes on the flat top. Done in 15 minutes.
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Why This Exists
Kabobs are a great idea until you're actually making them. You have to cut everything the same size, thread it all onto skewers without stabbing yourself, figure out how to keep the chicken from spinning, and then cook it all at the same rate even though chicken and vegetables don't cook at the same rate. It's a project.
This recipe has all the same ingredients. You just don't put them on a stick. That's it. That's the whole innovation. Papa figured this out and it's been on regular rotation ever since.
We call it Chicken Sh#t because that's what it is: cut-up chicken with random vegetables thrown on the griddle. No technique required. No special equipment. Just a Blackstone and a spatula.
What You Need
For the marinade and chicken:
- 1.5 to 2 lbs chicken breast or thigh, cut into chunks (thigh is more forgiving, breast works fine)
- Kickin' Chicken seasoning, enough to coat generously
- Caribbean Jerk seasoning, enough to coat generously
- Italian dressing, about half a cup (the marinade base)
For the griddle:
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 to 3 colored bell peppers, sliced (mix the colors)
- 1 can pineapple chunks in heavy syrup, drained
- 8 oz brown mushrooms, halved
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
Serve plain or over rice. Both are valid. Papa eats it plain. Amanda won't touch it without the pineapple. The rest of us want the rice.
The Marinade
Cut the chicken into chunks, roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate. Season with Kickin' Chicken and Caribbean Jerk, then pour in enough Italian dressing to coat everything. The dressing does double duty: it keeps the chicken moist and adds an acidic base that helps the seasoning penetrate.
Minimum soak time is one hour. Two or three hours is better. If you want to prep ahead, overnight in the fridge works great.
Pro tip: Don't overthink the ratios. Heavy on the Kickin' Chicken and Jerk, enough dressing to get everything coated and a little pooled at the bottom of the bag. Shake it and leave it alone.
The Cook
Step 1: Onions, Peppers, and Pineapple First
Get the Blackstone up to medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, and drained pineapple chunks and let them start to cook. The pineapple will caramelize quickly in the heavy syrup and add a sweetness that ties the whole dish together. Cook until the onions and peppers start to soften, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 2: Chicken Goes on Beside Them
When the vegetables start to soften, push them to one side and lay the chicken down on its own zone. Do not mix them yet. The chicken came out of a marinade and you don't want that raw chicken marinade touching the already-cooking vegetables.
Cook the chicken, turning it as it browns, until it has color on all sides. The middle can still be a little pink at this stage. You're just building a crust before you combine everything.
Step 3: Bring It All Together and Add Mushrooms
Once the chicken has browned on all sides, mix everything together and add the mushrooms. The mushrooms go in at this stage because they cook fast and you don't want them to turn to mush. Two to three minutes is all they need.
Step 4: Cherry Tomatoes, Wait for the Pop
Add the cherry tomatoes and toss everything together. Watch for the first one to pop open. When it does, pull everything off the griddle immediately. That pop is your signal that the tomatoes are done and anything left on the heat is going toward mush.
Doneness check: If you have any large chunks of chicken and you're not sure they're done, chop one open with the spatula right on the griddle. It should be white all the way through with no pink. Or use a thermometer and look for 165°F internal.
The Finished Dish
Plate it up plain or over a bed of rice. The juices from the marinade, pineapple syrup, chicken, and popped tomatoes pool in the serving dish and work as a natural sauce. Don't waste it.
When the Smoke Clears
Kabobs Are Overrated
Every summer somebody at a cookout suggests doing kabobs and everybody nods along and then the person making them spends 45 minutes threading vegetables onto skewers while everyone else stands around a cooler.
Papa solved this problem by just not doing the skewers part. Same ingredients, same flavors, way less time standing over the prep area. The Blackstone handles everything in a single cook with a single spatula. You spend about 15 minutes on the actual cook and the rest of your time wherever you'd rather be.
Sadie approved. Serve plain or over rice. Either way it's done before anyone has finished their first drink.
Gear Used in This Cook
These are the tools that make the Blackstone cook go smoothly. Affiliate links help keep the site running.
Island Spice Jerk Seasoning
This is the main flavor driver. It is the jerk seasoning backbone that makes the chicken, peppers, pineapple, and tomatoes all work together. I used to pay around $40 to $50 to have it shipped from Jamaica after a trip there. Amazon makes that a lot easier.
Check Price on AmazonTempPro TP420 Instant-Read Thermometer
The spatula-chop check works, but a probe is faster. Pull at 165°F internal and you're done second-guessing yourself.
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