This recipe for Hawaiian chicken is chicken thighs that are flavored with a tropical coconut marinade then grilled to perfection. An easy dinner option that’s perfect for entertaining.
I love pairing pineapple with chicken for a tropical flavored meal and this Hawaiian chicken is no exception. If you’re a fan of this flavor combination, be sure to try pineapple chicken and Hawaiian chicken kabobs.
My girls are just a bit obsessed with Hawaii right now, mainly due to the movie Lilo & Stitch but also because one of my daughters has developed a fascination with volcanoes. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve watched videos of lava flow over the past month. I knew that if I served them this recipe for Hawaiian chicken they’d be willing to try it just because of the Hawaii factor. And really, who doesn’t want to feel like they’ve been transported to the tropics?
How do you make Hawaiian chicken?
This recipe is all about the marinade – it’s a combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil and coconut milk. I am a huge fan of marinades, mostly because they’re so easy to put together the night before – your meat will flavor itself as you go about your day and then can be simply cooked at dinner time without a lot of extra fanfare. You can cook this chicken on an outdoor grill or inside on a grill pan.
I really prefer to use chicken thighs for this dish because they’re less likely to dry out on the grill and they have a richer flavor. If you’re not a fan of chicken thighs, you can use chicken breasts or chicken breast tenders instead.
How long do you marinate chicken?
This Hawaiian chicken needs to marinate for at least 2 hours, but I like to leave the chicken in the marinade for up to 24 hours if I have the time.
How long do you grill chicken thighs?
You’ll want to grill your chicken thighs for about 6-7 minutes per side, depending on the size and thickness of your chicken pieces. If you’re not sure if your chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. The temperature of the thickest part of the chicken should be at least 165 degrees F.
Pineapple and coconut is a wonderfully popular flavor combination, and I took this one step further by serving this Hawaiian chicken on a bed of coconut rice. You’re going to cook your rice as usual, except instead of water the rice simmers in coconut milk. I add a touch of brown sugar at the end, it doesn’t make the rice sweet at all, it just enhances the flavor of the coconut.
What sides go with Hawaiian chicken?
I like to serve this Hawaiian chicken with a side of coconut rice and grilled pineapple. Other great options for side dishes are
- Tropical Fruit Salad
- Veggie Fried Rice
- Grilled Asparagus in Foil
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Ramen Noodle Salad
The next time you’re wishing you were on a tropical island (or watching Lilo & Stitch with your kids!), make some of this Hawaiian chicken. It won’t transport you to an exotic vacation destination but it’s the next best thing!
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More delicious chicken recipes
- Mango Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Tenders
- Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
Hawaiian Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup pineapple slices fresh or canned
For the coconut rice
- 1 cup white rice I prefer short grain for this recipe
- 1 1/4 cup light coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- cilantro leaves and lime wedges for garnish optional
Instructions
- For the chicken: Combine the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, coconut milk and pineapple juice, then pour into a container or resealable bag.
- Add the chicken and marinate anywhere from 2-24 hours.
- Heat the grill to medium. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for 6-7 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through.
- Add the pineapple to the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Arrange the pineapple and chicken on a serving plate.
- For the rice: Bring the coconut milk and water to a boil. Add in the salt and rice. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 18 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar.
- Serve the chicken and pineapple with the coconut rice. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro if desired.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on June 14, 2015 and was updated on May 5, 2019 with new content.
Courtney says
DELICIOUS!
I was craving some Hawaiian style chicken and stumbled across this recipe. Doubled it to feed 6 people which worked perfectly. I did have a little trouble with the rice liquid cooking off quickly but I kept adding a little liquid at a time over low heat and eventually it turned out perfect. I used jasmine rice which I find has a longer cooking time and needs more liquid, so I don’t believe it was the recipe that was the issue. Marinated the chicken for 4 hours and it was perfect. Used a griddle on my stove top on high heat and the sauce carameliZed on the chicken so beautifully and it was tender and juicy. Definitely keeping this one in my recipe book for future use! Thank you!
Deb says
Hi Sara,
What brand/type of short grained white rice did you use to make the coconut rice? ? I tried it with Arborio and wasn’t impressed?
Thanks a Bunch,
Deb
Sara says
I use Calrose rice, I made it the other day with jasmine too because that’s what I had on hand and it was great!
Kendal P says
Can I use white minute rice?
Sara says
Yes that will work!
Nina says
Delicious! The rice was perfect and not too sweet. We let our chicken marinate for about 8 hours, and it came out tender, juicy, and very flavorful. Our grill wasn’t working, so we switched to the stove and that worked well, too! Everyone was asking me for the recipe, and we will absolutely be making this again.
Carol says
When cooking dinner n the over, what temp and for how long?
Janine says
This was so amazing! Used cream of coconut. Delicious!!
Jenny Clay says
This was so good. My family loved it, even the kids!
Gloria Job says
I made this recipe for my Hawaiian Luau and it was a hit amongst my friends! Instead of grilling it, I baked it, so delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Gloria Job
Billie Hill says
I’m allergic to coconut, what can I replace the coconut milk with?
Sara says
I’d just omit it!
Kandy Boble says
Hi..you can also replace it with other milks like soy ..almond…cashew..evaporated or rice milk.
Dana Tran says
Made the chicken and coconut rice this week and it was amazing! Super easy but so packed with flavor. Thank you. I’m excited to try your other recipes.
ERIC HATTEN says
Yes canned milk aftet looking all over the store in the refrigerator isle, the rice came out great,chicken was delicious.
Patricia Bellini says
Did you use canned coconut milk?
Sara says
Yes canned coconut milk!
NICOLE ROBERSON says
Yes I did. Hopefully it turns out great. I only used can because i couldnt get the real coconut open.
Oscar says
You wouldn’t get coconut milk from a coconut without grating and processing the coconut meat to make milk. Lot of work, liquid in coconut is water.
Oscar says
Coconut water
I am terrible at proofing my own comments
Christal says
Made this today for lunch and it was absolutely delicious after marinating only 3 1/2 hours . Happy 4th of July everyone!!!
Jennifer says
I made this today and it was so delicious! I marinated my chicken for 4 hrs and it had great flavor! My family loved it!
Krista says
This is a great dish to grill up! Love the grill marks!
Kandy says
If I dont have a grill what would be a good temp for stove? Either stovetop or oven….thank you!
Sara says
I’d cook on the stove top for 6-8 minutes per side over medium heat. Or you can just brown the outside of the chicken, then bake it at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Kandy says
Thank you!! I’m making it this coming week 🙂