Hawaiian grilled chicken with a tropical sweet and savory marinade, a zesty lime kick, and a yummy glaze! This marinated chicken is grilled with pineapple rings that caramelize beautifully… And it’s all served with this easy coconut rice recipe for the perfect dinner!
Ingredients
For the chicken we’re using: boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 (15 oz) can pineapple rings, packed in juice (reserve 1/2 cup juice for marinade), coconut aminos, brown sugar, minced garlic, salt, black pepper and lime juice!
For the Glaze we’ll use: honey, soy sauce or coconut aminos, grated ginger, and optional lime juice!
For the Coconut Rice: long-grain white rice, 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk, water and salt.
How to Make Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Dinner
Marinate the Chicken: In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, coconut aminos, brown sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Add the chicken breasts and coat them evenly with the marinade. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor.
Prepare the Grill: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. If using skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.
Prepare the Coconut Rice: In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork and set aside. Optional: Garnish with lime zest.
Grill the Chicken and Pineapple: Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Thread the chicken onto skewers if desired. Place the chicken and pineapple rings on the preheated grill. Season with salt and pepper.
Grill the Chicken: Grill the chicken breasts for 20 minutes per side, or until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 170-180°F (77-82°C). Baste the chicken occasionally with any leftover marinade during grilling.
Caramelize the Pineapple: Grill the pineapple rings for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they develop a caramelized golden brown color.
Make the Glaze: While the chicken is grilling in the last few minutes, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, and ginger in a small bowl. Brush the glaze generously over the chicken thighs.
Serve: Once cooked through, remove the chicken and pineapple from the grill. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve the Hawaiian chicken with the caramelized pineapple rings and a side of fluffy coconut rice!
Recipe Tips
- Reserve some of the leftover marinade for basting the chicken while grilling for added flavor.
- If the pineapple rings start to burn too quickly, move them to a cooler area of the grill.
- For a smoky flavor, add a few wood chips to your grill while preheating.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
- If you don’t have rice, soft sourdough rolls are a great side with this recipe too;)
Optional Additions
- You can adjust the amount of lime juice in the marinade depending on your desired level of zestiness.
- Feel free to experiment with different types of honey or soy sauce in the glaze.
Please review the Recipe Card!
Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Dinner
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 15 oz can pineapple rings, packed in juice (reserve a 1/2 cup juice for marinade)
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- For the Glaze: 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- Skewers optional
- For the Coconut Rice: 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Marinate Hawaiian Chicken: In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), brown sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, and lime juice.
- Add the chicken breasts and coat them evenly with the marinade. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor.
Prep the Grill: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. If using skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning. - While Marinating Prepare the Coconut Rice: In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat. Then, reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork, garnish with lime zest, and set it aside.
- Grill the Chicken and Pineapple: Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Thread the chicken onto skewers if desired.
- Place the chicken and pineapple rings on the preheated grill. Season with salt and pepper.
- Grill the chicken breasts for 20 minutes per side, or until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 170-180°F (77-82°C). Baste the chicken occasionally with any leftover marinade during grilling.
Caramelize the Pineapple: Grill the pineapple rings for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they develop a caramelized golden brown color. - The Glaze: While the chicken is grilling in the last few minutes, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, and ginger in a small bowl. Brush the glaze generously over the chicken thighs.
Serve: Once cooked through, remove your chicken and pineapple from the grill. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve the Hawaiian chicken with the caramelized pineapple rings and a side of the fluffy coconut rice!
Nutrition
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
