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Home » Dinner » Hawaiian Chicken

May 5, 2019 By Sara 73 Comments

Hawaiian Chicken

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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.

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A plate of Hawaiian chicken with grilled pineapple.

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.

Chicken thighs in a pineapple coconut marinade.

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.

Chicken thighs and pineapple slices on a grill pan.

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.

Hawaiian chicken thighs and grilled pineapple served over rice.

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!

Grilled Hawaiian chicken thighs with pineapple and cilantro on a plate.

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More delicious chicken recipes

  • Mango Chicken
  • Grilled Chicken Kabobs
  • Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
  • Grilled Chicken Tenders
  • Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
A plate of Hawaiian chicken with grilled pineapple.
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5 from 17 votes

Hawaiian Chicken

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.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Asian Fusion
Keyword hawaiian chicken
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 568kcal
Author Sara Welch

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

Serving: 1g | Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 743mg | Potassium: 640mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 785IU | Vitamin C: 44.4mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2.7mg

This recipe was originally published on June 14, 2015 and was updated on May 5, 2019 with new content.

Filed Under: Dinner, Everyday Meals, Grilling Tagged With: Chicken, Coconut, Grilling, Pineapple, Rice

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Comments

  1. Brianna says

    September 24, 2020 at 10:55 am

    5 stars
    This chicken is AMAZING!!! Question, I’m trying to count calories but what is the count for just the chicken without pineapple? It showed 65 carbs and I was confused

    Reply
  2. Terri says

    July 25, 2020 at 5:52 pm

    If I grill the pineapple, do I use a maranade so it doesn’t burn?

    So, light coconut milk in a can?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      July 26, 2020 at 3:05 pm

      You just grill it quickly, maybe 1 minute per side. Yes, canned coconut milk!

      Reply
  3. Sue says

    July 19, 2020 at 7:08 pm

    5 stars
    This has become a family favorite! I make it multiple times a month now.

    Reply
  4. Courtney says

    July 9, 2020 at 7:48 am

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
  5. Deb says

    June 28, 2020 at 4:17 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Sara says

      June 28, 2020 at 8:57 pm

      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!

      Reply
  6. Kendal P says

    April 29, 2020 at 7:14 pm

    Can I use white minute rice?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      April 29, 2020 at 9:26 pm

      Yes that will work!

      Reply
  7. Nina says

    April 16, 2020 at 5:52 pm

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Carol says

      May 5, 2020 at 2:46 pm

      When cooking dinner n the over, what temp and for how long?

      Reply
  8. Janine says

    March 18, 2020 at 4:51 pm

    5 stars
    This was so amazing! Used cream of coconut. Delicious!!

    Reply
  9. Jenny Clay says

    February 17, 2020 at 10:04 am

    5 stars
    This was so good. My family loved it, even the kids!

    Reply
  10. Gloria Job says

    December 12, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    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

    Reply
  11. Billie Hill says

    November 7, 2019 at 11:15 pm

    I’m allergic to coconut, what can I replace the coconut milk with?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      November 8, 2019 at 8:45 am

      I’d just omit it!

      Reply
    • Kandy Boble says

      November 8, 2019 at 2:35 pm

      Hi..you can also replace it with other milks like soy ..almond…cashew..evaporated or rice milk.

      Reply
  12. Dana Tran says

    October 24, 2019 at 9:26 pm

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
  13. ERIC HATTEN says

    August 25, 2019 at 4:52 pm

    Yes canned milk aftet looking all over the store in the refrigerator isle, the rice came out great,chicken was delicious.

    Reply
  14. Patricia Bellini says

    July 8, 2019 at 7:03 am

    Did you use canned coconut milk?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      July 8, 2019 at 8:45 am

      Yes canned coconut milk!

      Reply
    • NICOLE ROBERSON says

      August 19, 2019 at 1:49 pm

      Yes I did. Hopefully it turns out great. I only used can because i couldnt get the real coconut open.

      Reply
      • Oscar says

        March 1, 2020 at 8:18 am

        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.

        Reply
        • Oscar says

          March 1, 2020 at 1:44 pm

          Coconut water
          I am terrible at proofing my own comments

          Reply
  15. Christal says

    July 4, 2019 at 11:57 am

    5 stars
    Made this today for lunch and it was absolutely delicious after marinating only 3 1/2 hours . Happy 4th of July everyone!!!

    Reply
  16. Jennifer says

    June 2, 2019 at 3:53 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
  17. Krista says

    May 8, 2019 at 8:05 am

    5 stars
    This is a great dish to grill up! Love the grill marks!

    Reply
    • Kandy says

      May 26, 2019 at 6:49 pm

      If I dont have a grill what would be a good temp for stove? Either stovetop or oven….thank you!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        May 27, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        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.

        Reply
        • Kandy says

          June 2, 2019 at 9:26 pm

          Thank you!! I’m making it this coming week 🙂

          Reply
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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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