Hawaiian BBQ
intro
Sweet, smoky, tangy Hawaiian BBQ chicken coated in sticky pineapple-soy sauce, served with charred fresh pineapple for a bright, island-inspired grilled meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Make Hawaiian BBQ Sauce
Add 240ml crushed pineapple (with its juice), 80ml low-sodium soy sauce, 65g packed light brown sugar, 60ml ketchup, 15g grated ginger, 10g minced garlic, 30ml rice vinegar, 2g smoked paprika, and 1g black pepper to a small saucepan set over medium stovetop heat (175°C/350°F). Stir to fully combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, split into two equal 240ml portions (one for basting cooking chicken, one for clean serving), and set aside.
Prep chicken for grilling
Pat 900g trimmed boneless, skinless chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels to encourage crisp grill marks. Pierce each thigh 3-4 times on both sides with a metal fork to help sauce adhere during cooking, then season lightly with an extra pinch of black pepper. Let chicken rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while the grill preheats, to promote even cooking across every piece.
Preheat and oil grill
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (200°C/400°F). Once fully heated, use a stiff wire grill brush to scrape grates completely clean of any leftover food residue. Fold a paper towel into a tight pad, dip it in 15ml neutral vegetable oil, and use long-handled tongs to rub the oiled towel evenly across the grates to create a non-stick cooking surface.
Sear chicken on grill
Place room-temperature chicken thighs on the oiled grates smooth-side down. Close the grill lid and cook for 6 minutes, until the bottom surface develops deep, dark grill marks and releases easily from the grates without tearing. Flip each thigh to the second side, close the grill lid, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Baste and finish chicken
Brush the top surface of the partially cooked chicken generously with the reserved basting portion of BBQ sauce. Flip chicken sauce-side down, brush the new top surface with more sauce, close the lid, and cook for 3 minutes. Repeat this flip-and-baste process two more times for a total of 9 minutes of sauced cook time, until chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F measured with an instant-read meat thermometer. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and rest for 5 minutes to lock in juices.
Grill fresh pineapple
While chicken rests, place 4 fresh 1cm-thick cored pineapple slices directly on the hot grill grates. Cook for 2 minutes per side, until fruit softens slightly and develops light golden-brown char marks on both surfaces. Remove pineapple from the grill and set aside for serving.
Plate and serve
Arrange the rested sticky BBQ chicken on a large serving platter alongside the charred pineapple slices. Drizzle chicken with the reserved clean serving portion of BBQ sauce, then sprinkle evenly with 20g sliced green onion tops for a bright, fresh garnish. Serve immediately while hot.
Tips
2.Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are ideal for this recipe because their mild fat content stays juicy through high-heat grilling; if substituting chicken breast, reduce initial sear time by 3 minutes per side to avoid dry, tough meat.
3.For extra authentic smoky island flavor, add 50g of pre-soaked mesquite wood chips to your grill coals (or a metal smoker box for gas grills) right before adding the chicken, for deep, wood-fired depth.
OMG this recipe is a total game changer! My three kids are super picky and they all went back for seconds, even the one who swears he hates pineapple. I made this for our weekly Sunday family dinner and everyone asked for the recipe. So easy too, I didn’t have to run to the store for any fancy ingredients! 10/10 will be making this every other week for meal prep.
Threw this on the grill for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and it was the first dish gone! People were hovering over the platter asking when I’d make more. Only note: I let the chicken marinate for 6 hours instead of the suggested time and the flavor was chef’s kiss.
This is perfect for my weekly meal prep! I cooked up a big batch Sunday night, portioned it with rice and roasted broccoli, and it held up great all week for lunch. Super affordable too, way better than getting takeout BBQ for $15 a plate.
Full transparency: I thought pineapple on chicken sounded absolutely insane, but my roommate begged me to make this with them. I ate my words. The sauce is so tangy and sweet, it doesn’t taste like straight pineapple at all, it just balances the smoky BBQ perfectly. Wild. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish there was a little less sugar in the sauce, I cut it by a tablespoon next time and it was perfect for me.
40 minute cook time is not lying! I got home late from work, threw this together, and had dinner on the table before my kid even finished his math homework. The whole house smelled amazing, my husband thought I ordered from that fancy Hawaiian spot downtown, and my kids loved it so much they asked for it again the next night. Win win.
I’ve tried so many Hawaiian BBQ chicken recipes online and this one is by far the closest to the stuff I get at the food trucks when I visit Maui. The little kick of ginger in the sauce? Genius. I added a pinch of red pepper flakes for a tiny heat boost and it was perfect.
Made this for my office potluck today and I kid you not, three people asked if I catered it. It’s so easy to scale up for a crowd too! I doubled the recipe for 12 people and it was zero stress. Will absolutely be adding this to my regular potluck rotation.
This is literally the first thing I’ve ever cooked that didn’t come out burnt or bland! I was so nervous making dinner for my girlfriend’s parents, but they raved about it the whole meal. Thank you for making the steps so easy to follow, even a total newbie like me could nail it.
Great macro-friendly option if you use a low-sugar BBQ sauce! I paired it with cauliflower rice and grilled veggies for a high protein, lower carb dinner and it didn’t even feel like “diet food.” The flavor is so rich you don’t even miss the extra sugar and carbs.
I served this with coconut rice and grilled pineapple slices on the side and my whole family, including my two super picky kids, thought I was a professional chef. It felt like a fancy tropical vacation dinner but it took less than an hour to make on a random Tuesday night. 10/10, no notes.
The sauce on this is INSANE. I made extra to drizzle over my rice and even dipped my fries in it later that night. It’s the perfect balance of smoky, sweet, tangy, I could drink it straight no cap.
I’ve been eyeing this recipe forever because Hawaiian BBQ chicken is my son’s absolute favorite for his birthday dinner, but he has a severe soy allergy. Is there a good swap for the soy sauce in the marinade?
Pro tip: don’t overcook the chicken thighs! I took mine off when they hit 165°F internal and they were so juicy, no dry chicken at all. I used bone-in skin-on thighs for extra flavor and the skin got all crispy and caramelized in the sauce. Chefs kiss.
Made this for our Fourth of July cookout and everyone was raving. It paired so well with macaroni salad, coleslaw, and corn on the cob. I’ve already had three friends text me for the recipe link since I posted pics of the spread on Instagram. So good.
How well do the leftovers hold up? I wanna make this on Sunday for the week but I’m worried the chicken will get soggy or the sauce will get weird when I reheat it for work lunches.
I wanted to love this so bad, but I only had chicken breasts on hand instead of thighs and it came out a little dry. The flavor was still amazing, I just wish I’d had thighs like the recipe suggested! Will definitely be making it again with the right cut next time.
Made this for date night with my partner last night, we ate it outside on the patio with mai tais and it felt like a little Hawaiian date night without the expensive plane ticket. So romantic, so tasty, and so easy to pull off after work. We already have plans to make it again next month when we have friends over.
Has anyone tried freezing this after cooking? I make a ton of freezer meals for my sister who just had a baby and this seems like it would be a great comforting meal to drop off for her, but I don’t wanna give her something that freezes poorly.
I threw this on my pellet smoker at 275°F for an hour instead of grilling or baking, and the smoky flavor paired with the sweet pineapple BBQ sauce was out of this world. If you have a smoker, definitely give that method a shot, it’s next level.
Made this for our college football tailgate last weekend and it was such a hit! I pre-cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces before marinating, put it on skewers, and it was so easy to eat standing up while we watched the game. No messy plates needed, perfect tailgate food.