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.
I love a good chicken recipe. Especially when there’s a little sweetness involved. Add a little spice and it’s the perfect dish.
So delicious! A perfect dinner to get grilling season started!
These photos are making my mouth water. Love this flavor combination!!!
New favorite chicken for sure! We’ll be making this again and again.
This is so unbelievably amazing! Made this for dinner last night and it tasted very, very good
Such a great summertime classic for dinner! Love the flavor combination.
Hi there!
Love this recipe. Just wondering — at what point do you use the 1/4 cup of pineapple juice?
It goes in the marinade, thank you for catching that!! I just updated the recipe.
Made this todsy for dinner, it’s delicious and so easy! 😀
1/2 cup of cilantro – is this right? It is a lot of cilantro. The dish is AMAZING!
It is correct, but you could definitely use less cilantro if you prefer and it will still be great!
looks delicious and yummy.. love the name of ur blog
Thanks! My husband came up with it one day when dinner time was particularly chaotic 🙂
This is GORGEOUS! I love anything with coconut, and I bet this chicken is so moist and flavorful with the salsa.
WHAT!!!!!!! I need this dish in my life. It looks so perfect, so summery, so sweet and savory flavorful.
YUM! We went to Dominican Republic a few months ago and they had pineapple pork tacos there. I ate them ALL the time. This makes me miss it. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
I am loving how summery this is!
You offer so many great recipes on your blog. This is another one I’m adding to my “To-Make” list.
Yes, yes, and more yes!! I’m always looking for new chicken recipes and I LOVE coconut pineapple anything. Pinning and making!
This chicken looks amazing! My oven door recently broke and won’t close all the way so until I get it fixed I’ll definitely be using my grill more and am excited to try this recipe- it looks so fresh!
Now I want to make this and have a Lilo and Stitch movie night! Thanks for posting 🙂
These look amazing! I have pineapple salsa on my to-do list for this week!
Loving the look and sounds of this grilled chicken – how perfect for Summer!