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Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice

This Hawaiian Chicken recipe is a tropical-inspired meal that is simple, delicious, and makes me feel like I’m on a tropical vacation! The chicken is marinated in a flavorful soy and pineapple juice sauce, and can be grilled or pan-fried.

Served with sweet grilled pineapples and coconut rice, this Hawaiian Chicken dish is loaded with flavors of sweet, tangy and savory…a real treat especially for those who complex flavors.

A bowl of Hawaiian Chicken and pineapple on top of a bed of Coconut Rice

This lovely flavor combination is that truly spectacular and will make your tastebuds dance the happy dance.

Easy Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

One of my favorite things about Hawaiian chicken is that one bite into it, especially with that grilled pineapple and coconut rice, I truly feel like I am whisked away to some tropical island and living that carefree island life.

Island life. That sipping-fruity-alcoholic-drink, live-in-your-bathing-suit, sand-between-your-toes, go-to-sleep-listening-to-the-ocean-breeze, eating-fresh-seafood-and-tropical-fruits-all-the-time kinda life. A girl can dream!

The key to this Hawaiian chicken recipe is that lovely Hawaiian chicken soy marinade that is sweet, savory, tangy, inspired by Polynesian flavors.

Hawaiian chicken is truly not complete without grilled pineapples. Sweet grilled pineapples pairs perfectly with the chicken, giving a nice sweet and savory flavor balance.

Just like any marinade, the longer you can marinade Hawaiian chicken the better, as you want to let the flavors sip into the chicken bringing flavor to the insides and not just the surface.

One of the many reasons I love this Hawaiian chicken recipe is because it always, always reminds me of the flavors and smells of the food we enjoyed in French Polynesia, where we honeymooned.

Island Life
On our honeymoon in French Polynesia. Legit island life livin

TOO DREAMY FOR WORDS.

And since island life isn’t happening anytime soon, I’m BRINGING IT TO ME. In the form of this glorious Hawaiian chicken dish.

A girl’s gotta go what a girl’s gotta do. 🙂

Ingredients Notes

This Hawaiian chicken recipe calls for a simple marinade that consist of the following ingredients. My goal is to keep the ingredient list short and simple, yet producing maximum flavors.

  • chicken tenderloins – you can use chicken breast or chicken thighs as well
  • pineapple juice – for ease I get canned pineapple juice.
  • soy sauce – if you prefer you can use low sodium soy sauce
  • ketchup – this brings the tangy flavors to the Hawaiian chicken.
  • brown sugar – this brings sweetness to the Hawaiian chicken, and also the reason for the slight charring if you make this on the grill.
  • fresh garlic – avoid substituting with garlic powder – it’s just not the same!
  • canola oil – other types of neutral oil works too, e.g. vegetable oil, olive oil, avocado oil etc.
  • honey – this is technically not part of the marinade but it is brushed onto the chicken at the end to give it that glossy look, while bringing lots of amazing sweet and tangy flavors. I prefer to brush this one at the end to avoid burning the chicken.

How to make Hawaiian Chicken

This Hawaiian Chicken is a marinate-and-grill (on a grill pan or outside grill) kind of recipe. EASY PEASY.

Hawaiian Chicken with pineapple rings

If you do not have a grill or do not want to mess with it, it will work pan fried as well. The only thing missing will be grill marks. I do love me some grill marks, because they sure are pretty, but not necessary.

If you use an outdoor grill, you do get a bit of a smoky flavor which is always a plus. But honestly, the marinade is so good it will work just fine indoor (not to mention easier clean up) on a grill pan or a regular pan.

The marinade for the Hawaiian Chicken has a variety of flavors – sweet, salty, tangy, tropical, and citrusy consisting of pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, ketchup, vegetable oil, and brown sugar.

It is a gorgeous, gorgeous marinade. This Hawaiian Chicken recipe calls for marinating it for an hour, but if you are planning ahead you can let it sit for up to 24 hours.

In fact, the longer the chicken sits in the marinade, the more flavorful the chicken is.

When the chicken is fully cooked, brush honey generously on both sides of the chicken.

Honey, combined with all the flavors in the marinade, create this sticky, complex concoction of flavors that is just out-of-this-world delicious. YUM.

What to serve with Hawaiian Chicken

The best way to serve Hawaiian Chicken is with grilled pineapples and coconut rice.

A closeup of Hawaiian Chicken and pineapple rings

Grilled Pineapples

There’s something magical about putting fresh ripe pineapple on  grill (or pan). It  caramelizes the pineapple and brings out so much sweetness

Coconut Rice

In my humble opinion, there’s only one way to make this Hawaiian Chicken dish complete. And that is to serve it with coconut rice.

The idea of serving this with coconut rice was inspired by one of my favorite Malaysian dishes, Nasi Lemak, which is a rice dish cooked with coconut milk.

Fragrant coconut rice, combined with the salty, sweet, tangy, citrusy chicken, and the sweet and warm pineapple, will tantalize your tastebuds, and take you on a a fun culinary adventure.

Here are the ingredients you will need for the coconut rice:

  • basmati or jasmine rice – I like these better than long-grain rice, they are more fragrant and pairs better with the Hawaiian Chicken and grilled pineapples
  • coconut milk – unsweetened coconut milk that typically comes in a can.

You will be basically cooking rice per usual, but adding coconut milk to it as well instead of just water to give it that fragrant coconut flavors. YUM!

A top down view of a bowl of Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice

Appliances Used

Here are a few appliances that will make making Hawaiian chicken much easier!

  • Outdoor grill – gas or charcoal
  • Cast Iron Grill Pan (This is the one I have for many years and love!) – if you want to grill Hawaiian chicken indoors, this is a good option
  • Food Processor – used to blend all the marinade ingredients together. Blender works as well, or you can also whisk everything together (make sure to mince garlic if doing it this way).
  • Meat Thermometer – use to make sure chicken is fully cooked. Once the thickest part of chicken reaches 165℉ it is fully cooked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pan fry or bake chicken instead of grilling?

If you don’t have or want to grill, I recommend pan frying but not baking. When chicken is baked, we are not able to seal as much flavor to the surface of the chicken and thus making it less flavorful.

My chicken isn’t as flavorful as I like it to be – what can I do differently?

Marinade chicken for longer. The longer you marinade the chicken the tastier it will be. I suggested a minimum time of 1 hour but I like to marinate for longer if I can to make it more flavorful.

Can I use dark meat chicken or bone-in chicken instead of tenderloins?

Yes! You can use any type of chicken as long as you marinade it well and cook it until it reaches 165℉

What else can I serve with Hawaiian Chicken besides coconut rice?

Veggie sides go really well with this dish. Check out some of my favorites such as Asian Style Green Beans, Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli, and Easy Garlic Parmesan Asparagus.

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE? Please comment below and give us a 5-star rating! This will help others find this recipe on Google and Pinterest. We very much appreciate your help! 🤍

Other Chicken recipes!

A bowl of Hawaiian Chicken and pineapple on top of a bed of Coconut Rice

Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice

A yummy, easy and super flavorful dinner meal! Grilled Hawaiian Chicken recipe bursting with salty, sweet, tangy flavors serve with grilled pineapple on a bed of coconut rice. Save well as leftovers and perfect for meal prep as well!
4.81 from 91 votes
Print Pin
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, asian, Polynesian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marinate time: 1 hour
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 879kcal
Author: MinShien

Ingredients

Hawaiian Chicken

  • ~1 1/2 lbs chicken tenderloins 7-8 pieces
  • 1/2 fresh ripe pineapple
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 5-6 cloves fresh garlic
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 tbsp honey

Coconut Rice

  • 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp Fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

Hawaiian Chicken

  • In a food processor or blender, blend pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, fresh garlic and canola oil to create the marinade for the chicken.
  • Add chicken and marinade into a zip lock bag, mix well to ensure all chicken tenderloins are covered with marinate. Marinate for 1 hour, or up to 24 hours (the longer the better!). 
  • Grease a grill pan, cast iron grill, charcoal grill, electric grill or non-stick skillet. 
  • Cook chicken until it reaches 165℉. Flip halfway through. Once chicken is done, brush honey on both sides of the tenderloins and remove.
  • Slice pineapple into 1/2-1 inch thick slices and grill on both sides.

Coconut Rice

  • On the stovetop, in a pot, bring to boil rice, water and coconut milk. Once boiled, bring to medium low heat and cook covered (cover with a tight lid and do not open) for ~17-20 minutes (See Note 1). Remove from heat.
  • If using a rice cooker, follow rice cooker instruction. Use 1:1 ratio of coconut milk to water to substitute for the amount of water needed to cook the rice.

Combine

  • Serve chicken and pineapple on a bed of coconut rice, and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Different stoves and pots heat up at different rate, cook time may vary. 
Also note that cup measurements for the rice is based on a U.S. cup measurement, not the measuring cup that typically comes with the rice cooker.

Nutrition

Calories: 879kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1517mg | Potassium: 1339mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 81mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you make this recipe?Take a pic and tag me at @joyous.apron, or hashtag #joyousapron on Instagram!

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Recipe Rating




95 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was delicious! I am not a coconut fan, so cooked my rice in chicken broth and added a little soy sauce when it was done. I also made a quick salsa with mango, red bell pepper, red onion, Penzey’s pico spice mix and lime juice. It tasted incredible on top!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yum! I love your variation! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    I just made this recipe tonight and it was so yummy! The marinade and cooking is super simple and the taste was great! I was worried about the rice, I’m normally a 5 minute instant rice girl lol but the directions and amounts worked perfect and it tasted so good. Simple and yummy, couldn’t ask for a better combo. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yay! So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!

  3. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner. Hubby and I loved it!! Will definitely make again.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      That’s great!! Thank you for sharing! 🙂

  4. We are making this tonight and are excited to try something new. We will be having Mai Tai drinks as well to remind us of the tropic even more.

    Do you have any recommendation for using instant Jasmine rice? I have some from Trader Joe’s I’m planning to heat on the stove.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Instant jasmine rice will work just fine! Not sure what the instructions are like, but best guess is you can sub some of the water it calls for with coconut milk if you want to make it into coconut rice. Enjoy and let me know how it goes! 🙂

  5. I’d like to make this at the beach, can I make the marinate a few days before? Then put the chicken in when It’s my turn to cook.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Absolutely! The longer you marinade it the more flavorful the chicken would be! Let me know how it goes!

  6. Lorry Norton says:

    Is the coconut milk from a cartoon or a can?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Canned! Avoid the low-fat kind!

  7. 5 stars
    Could I use brown rice instead? Cooking it tonight?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Absolutely!

  8. 5 stars
    I just want to let you know that this has become a favorite of ours. I have made this recipe already 5 or 6 times! Thank you so much, tastes amazing every time and super easy!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yay!! Thank you SO much for sharing! Thrilled to hear that you all are loving it! 🙂

  9. Planning on making this for a Luau next week. Have the chicken cut up bite size and marinating in freezer.
    do you think I could make it the day before, refrigerate and serve it as a cold salad/side? Just found our we aren’t having any hot food.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I have not served it cold before. I personally prefer it warm but I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work cold!

  10. Elissa Doss says:

    Absolutely love this dinner! But is the calorie count you provide for the overall recipe or just a serving? Thank you!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      It’s for one serving estimated based on the ingredients in the recipe. Glad you enjoyed it!

  11. 5 stars
    Wow, this Hawaiian chicken is so tasty. Nice and easy to make.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thanks so much for sharing! I love the flavors in this as well! 🙂

  12. 5 stars
    Great easy recipe I make a lot of Mexican Chicken Recipes. So this recipe was a great change and delite for my family. Our taste buds were dancing thank you for sharing this recipe with us.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      That’s great, Yolanda! Happy that you found this recipe and like it!! 🙂

  13. Marie-Christine says:

    5 stars
    If I can’t find fresh pineapple, would canned do the trick?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yes! That should be just fine! 🙂

  14. Elizabeth says:

    Just wanted to stop by and tell you that this is my daughter and my favorite recipe. We’ve eaten this meal every other week for at least the last year, probably longer. That is abnormal for us but this is just that easy and good! I use canned pineapple done we don’t have luck with the fresh and we add a heavy scoop of sugar to the rice, cuz why not lol. But thank you for this recipe, it’s definitely the highlight of my meal planning every month!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing this, Elizabeth! LOVE hearing that you and your daughter have been enjoying it for so long. 🙂

  15. I normally don’t cook my rice that long, per the instructions on the bag, is it because of the coconut milk? It’s normally 15 min on heat, 10 off heat before opening the lid. I just want to be sure which instructions I should follow.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      You can do 15 min on 10 min off heat too. I think either method should work fine and it shouldn’t be too much of a difference! Hope that helps!

    2. TY! I wasn’t sure if maybe the coconut milk affected the cooking approach/time. Appreciate the quick response, the chicken is marinading and we’re having this for dinner tonight.

    3. Joyous Apron says:

      Np problem 🙂 I hope you enjoyed it!

  16. 5 stars
    This was really good!! Made it in a cast iron pan. Its probably even better on a grill. Will be doubling this recipe in the future to have leftovers!!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thanks Scott! Give it a try on the grill for sure! It’s my favorite way to make this! 🙂

  17. 5 stars
    Everyone loved it! Served with Mai Tai’s for a birthday dinner celebration.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      YUM!! Such a great pairing!

  18. I’ve been looking for a great tropical chicken recipe and yours sounds delicious. Only have one question before I make it…is the amount of sodium and sugar intake for 1/2 breast or whole breast?

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Hmm..my guess is it’s probably closer to 1/2 chicken breast.

  19. 5 stars
    This was sooo yummy!!!! 10/10

    We did end up adding a little salt and honey to the rice but still was amazing!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it so much!

  20. 5 stars
    This was so amazing! The marinade was absolutely perfect and I doubled the rice! A definite make again!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thank you for making it and sharing how it went, Crissy! So glad it turned out well.