This Hawaiian Chicken will transport you to a tropical island with this fruity and tangy sauce! Ok, maybe not quite. But this recipe is so easy it’ll feel like a breeze to make, and your mouth will be happily bathed in tropical flavors, at least! We often have chicken for dinner, and this recipe is so quick and easy that it’s great for any day of the week. The sweet and tangy pineapple sauce is so yummy! It makes a perfect chicken dinner, but you can use it on vegetable kabobs or with a different meats as well. I’ve included instructions for how to use it for chicken on the grill or oven-baked — we often grill when it’s warm out and bake it when it’s chilly. There are similar flavors in my Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken, and you could cook this recipe all in one pot to make Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken if you prefer! For more Hawaiian inspired meals, try my Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs, these Hawaiian Chicken Burgers with Grilled Pineapple, or my Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Rice Bowls!
Ingredients Needed:
Pineapple Juice: preferably use unsweetened fresh pineapple juice here. Brown Sugar: adds a sweetness to the chicken marinade, and makes the sauce caramelize when cooked. Water: to make the base of the marinade. You can use a low-sodium chicken broth if you prefer. Soy Sauce: I always use low-sodium soy sauce and add salt. If you are using regular soy sauce, you may want to reduce the salt and season after it is cooked. Seasoning: a mixture of freshly minced garlic, fresh ginger, kosher salt, and red chili flakes will pack a flavorful punch with a bit of a kick. Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you could use boneless chicken thighs with the skin off or on if you prefer.
How to Make Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
This recipe is quick and easy to make. Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
Marinate Chicken
Cook Chicken
To Grill: Preheat the grill, then cook chicken, flipping once halfway through until done. To Oven-Bake: Preheat oven, place chicken in the prepared baking dish, and bake until done.
Make Hawaiian Sauce
Tips and Notes
Marinade. Make the marinade the day before you want to marinate your chicken. Store it in the refrigerator to mature the flavors and ensure they meld together fully, then use it with your chicken the next day. Marinating time. Chicken doesn’t need long to marinate, I’d recommend letting it sit in the sauce for 30 minutes to 2 hours. You could even just brush it onto the chicken during the last half of the cooking time. Meat Thermometer. Invest in a good meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your chicken to check that it’s done. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken will read 165 degrees F when it is done.
Hawaiian Chicken Recipe Variations
Change the juice. If you don’t have pineapple juice, try mango! You can also use the juice from a can of pineapple if you are grilling pineapple slices or pineapple chunks alongside the chicken. Extra flavor. You can add some BBQ sauce, a little bit of Worcestershire sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, or your favorite hot sauce for some extra flavor and a bit of spice. Brown sugar. You can use almost any sweetener instead of brown sugar. Granulated white sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave would be great. Seasoning. Fresh seasonings add so much flavor, but if need be you can substitute with dry ground spices like ground ginger or garlic powder: about ¼-½ teaspoon of dried per teaspoon of fresh. Swap the meat. This recipe would also work well with boneless chicken thighs or pork tenderloin. You can use it with bone-in chicken, but it will require additional cook time. Garnish. Top the chicken with some chopped green onions, freshly chopped herbs, and/or sesame seeds.
Serving Suggestions
Use this easy recipe to make chicken for wraps or to have in a salad bowl with greens and my Easy Broccoli Salad, or this Southwest Potato Salad. Make it go a bit further by turning it into a complete meal with carby sides like my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe, Roasted Red Potatoes, Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, or Air Fryer Potato Wedges. Add some veggies on the side, like my Air Fryer Green Beans or Air Fryer Broccoli, or roasted red bell pepper and red onion! We always have some bread with dinner as well, you can try my Garlic Bread or these Homemade Crescent Rolls too.
More Easy Chicken Recipes to Try
Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Bake
Italian Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
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