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.
This recipe was delicious, but the clean-up is horrible! I used an iron skillet the first time on the ridges side. I spent over an hour scraping with a butter knife, Brillo pads, and a scrub brush. Then I had to season this skillet in the oven for an hour. So I made it again, and this time cooked the chicken on the flat side of this iron skillet. Oh, my goodness! Once again I am scraping with a metal spatula, Brillo pad, etc. This skillet is now seasoning in the oven. Never again will I cook this, but I will cook the rice recipe. I’m so glad that I did not make this on our outside grill or in one of our alloy pans. We never cook on the non-stick pans that have health hazards.
Soo good! It was a hit with the entire family, although the kids did balk a bit at the charred pineapple and they were very suspicious of the rice, but overall it was a win and we will do it again. I scaled back to 1 tsp. of brown sugar in the rice and would probably throw a Kafir lime leaf in it next time for a bit more flavor. Thank you for all your awesome recipes, so many have become staples for our family!
Great recipe!
My family LOVED this recipe! I was wondering if you thought it would be ok to use on ribs??
That should be fine! Just be aware that ribs typically take a lot longer to cook, so you’d want to cook them over indirect heat so the sugar in the marinade doesn’t burn.
Love this recipe ❤️! Thanks so much! I made it this weekend and I usually hate chicken breast but this recipe makes the chicken breast more delicious!