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!
Simple 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. Set aside 1/4 cup of this marinade to baste chicken with later. 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 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 165°F. 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 this glaze generously over the chicken breasts.
Serve: Once cooked through, remove the 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 fluffy coconut rice!
Hawaiian Grilled Chicken 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.
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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. Set aside 1/4 cup for basting.
- Add the chicken breasts and coat them evenly with the remaining 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 that the chicken was in (not the 1/4 cup you reserved). 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 165°F. Baste the chicken breasts occasionally with the 1/4 cup of reserved 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 breasts.Serve: Once cooked through, remove your chicken and pineapple from the grill. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve the Grilled Hawaiian chicken with the caramelized pineapple rings and a side of the fluffy coconut rice!
Notes
- Thermometer is Key: For the juiciest chicken, use a digital meat thermometer. Pull the breasts off the grill when they hit 165°F. Avoid going higher, as white meat dries out quickly once it passes this mark.
- The “Clean” Basting Rule: To prevent cross-contamination, never use the marinade that the raw chicken sat in for your final basting. I always set aside about 1/4 cup of the fresh marinade before adding the raw meat to use as a safe, flavorful baste during the last few minutes of grilling.
- Preventing Skewer Burn: If using wooden skewers, don’t skip the 30-minute water soak. This keeps them from charred or snapping while you’re flipping the chicken.
- The Coconut Rice Secret: For the fluffiest rice, resist the urge to peek! Keeping the lid tightly sealed during the 18-minute simmer traps the steam necessary to cook the grains evenly. Once finished, let it sit for 5 minutes (still covered) before fluffing with a fork.
- Substitution Tip: If you don’t have coconut aminos, you can swap them 1:1 with soy sauce. If you prefer a less sweet glaze, you can reduce the brown sugar or swap it for a tablespoon of maple syrup for a more earthy, farmhouse-style sweetness.
- Storage & Reheating: This meal is excellent for meal prep. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To keep the chicken moist when reheating, add a tiny splash of water or pineapple juice before popping it in the microwave or oven.
Nutrition
About Juliea
Juliea is a mother of six, a sourdough baker, and a homestead builder living in Idaho. Alongside her husband and their horse, Dude, she manages a busy farmhouse and shares her love for scratch-cooking and simple homemaking. Through her blog and YouTube channel, she helps millions of families every year master the art of the handmade home.
