Plate Lunch (Hawaii)
intro
Iconic hearty Hawaiian comfort meal featuring sticky teriyaki chicken, creamy macaroni salad, and two scoops of fluffy white rice, a beloved island staple.
Ingredients
Steps
Cook fluffy white rice
Rinse 360 grams of long-grain white rice under cold running water until the runoff is completely clear, then transfer to a rice cooker with 540 ml (2 1/4 cups) of cold water. Cook on the standard white rice setting for 20 minutes, then let the rice rest covered for 10 minutes off heat before fluffing gently with a rice paddle; keep warm until serving.
Boil elbow macaroni
Bring 2 liters (8 cups) of heavily salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 225 grams of dry elbow macaroni, stir once to prevent sticking, and cook for 10 minutes until very soft (cooked past al dente, the traditional texture for Hawaiian mac salad). Drain fully in a colander, then rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking process; set aside to cool to room temperature.
Mix creamy mac salad
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 180 ml mayonnaise, 60 ml whole milk, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper until completely smooth. Add the cooled macaroni, 50 grams finely grated carrot, and 30 grams finely diced yellow onion, stirring thoroughly until every noodle is evenly coated in creamy dressing. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Make teriyaki glaze
Place a small saucepan over medium heat, then add 120 ml low-sodium soy sauce, 60 grams granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 60 ml mirin. Stir constantly until the sugar fully dissolves, then whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a smooth slurry, and stir the slurry into the saucepan. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon; remove from heat and set aside.
Grill teriyaki chicken
Heat a ridged grill pan or outdoor gas grill to medium-high heat (190°C / 375°F). Pat 680 grams of boneless skinless chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels, season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, then place on the preheated grill. Cook for 6 minutes per side, brushing generously with teriyaki glaze during the last 2 minutes of cooking on each side, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75°C / 165°F. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide strips.
Assemble plate lunches
For each of 4 servings, place two 120 gram (1/2 cup) rounded scoops of warm white rice on a large round plate, add one 150 gram (2/3 cup) scoop of chilled macaroni salad, and fan 170 grams of sliced teriyaki chicken alongside the other components. Drizzle any remaining teriyaki glaze over the sliced chicken, and serve immediately.
Tips
2.Use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast for this recipe; thighs stay juicy through high-heat grilling, matching the traditional plate lunch flavor profile.
3.Macaroni salad tastes even better when made 1 day ahead; the flavors meld fully as it chills, making this dish ideal for prepping ahead for picnics or busy days.
OMG this tastes exactly like the plate lunches I got every weekend when I visited Oahu last summer! The mac salad is *chef's kiss* — I was so worried I'd never get that perfect creamy, slightly tangy version on the mainland. SO good, my whole family demolished two full platters last night for dinner. 10/10 will be making this every other week from now on.
Game changer for our weekend cookout! I threw the chicken katsu on the smoker instead of frying for a little extra smoky kick, served it with the mac salad and white rice like the recipe says, and every single person at the potluck asked for the recipe. Even my picky 10 year old went back for seconds. Only note: I added a little extra katsu sauce for dipping, no regrets.
Obsessed with how easy this is for weekly meal prep! 40 minutes total cook time? I knocked out 4 servings on Sunday and had lunches ready for the whole work week. The flavors hold up so well in the fridge, I didn't get bored eating it every day. 10/10 for busy people who don't want to eat sad takeout for lunch.
Really solid recipe! My kids loved the sweet teriyaki chicken, though I thought the mac salad was a little heavy on the mayo for my taste. I cut it with a splash of apple cider vinegar next time and it was perfect for our family dinner. Will absolutely make again, just adjusting the mac salad to our preference!
Wait, is the mac salad supposed to be served cold right? I accidentally left mine out on the counter for an hour after making it and panicked, but it still tasted fine? Also this was way easier than I thought it would be for a first time making Hawaiian food, I was super intimidated but it came out great. My roommates are already begging me to make it again.
I swapped the regular panko for gluten free panko and used tamari instead of soy sauce in the teriyaki, and this came out perfect! I've been missing plate lunches so bad since going gluten free, this hit every single craving. My husband who eats literally everything said he couldn't even tell it was GF. Win!
Taste was great, but the cook time took me closer to an hour instead of 40 minutes because I had to bread all the katsu in batches. Maybe I'm just slow in the kitchen though! Flavors were on point, just budget a little extra time if you're a slow chopper/breader like me.
I made this for my daughter's high school graduation luau party over the weekend, and it was the first dish to get completely cleaned out! I made 3x the recipe amount and still had people asking for more. The combination of the sweet teriyaki, crispy katsu, creamy mac salad, and rice is just unbeatable. So many compliments!
As someone born and raised on Maui, I'm super picky about plate lunches, and this one is legit. The only thing I did differently was add a scoop of lomi lomi salmon on the side like we do back home, but the base recipe is spot on. No weird mainland twists, just the real deal. Mahalo for posting this!
Made this last night for a random weeknight dinner and it was so simple! I used pre-made katsu sauce from the grocery store to cut down on time, and it still slapped. 10/10 for easy weeknight meals when you don't feel like putting in a ton of effort but still want something that tastes takeout-level good.
I swapped the chicken for crispy tofu to make this vegetarian, and it was SO good! I pressed the tofu super well, coated it in panko, baked it instead of fried, and tossed it in the teriyaki sauce. Even my meat-eating brother asked for seconds when he came over for dinner. Game changer vegetarian meal!
Burned the first batch of katsu because I had the oil too hot, oops! The second batch came out perfect though, and the whole meal was so flavorful. Definitely use a candy thermometer to check your oil temp if you're a frying newbie like me, saves you from wasting a bunch of panko and chicken. Lesson learned!
I packed this in my kid's soccer camp lunch all last week, and he said all his friends were jealous of his lunch! He kept saying it was way better than the pizza they were serving at the snack bar. The portions are perfect, it's filling, and it doesn't get soggy in the lunchbox if you pack the mac salad separate. Total win for busy sports parents.
I had plate lunch for the first time on a trip to Maui last year, and I've been chasing that flavor ever since. This recipe is dead on! The mac salad is exactly what I remember, the teriyaki has that perfect sweet-savory balance, and the katsu is crispy just like it was at the little roadside spot we went to. Saved this recipe to my permanent rotation!
I'll be honest, I was skeptical that a 40 minute easy recipe could actually taste like authentic plate lunch, but I stand corrected. The only thing missing was a side of poi, but that's hard to find where I live anyway. This is going to be my go-to for when I'm craving Hawaiian food without the 6 hour flight.
Super excited to make this for my boyfriend's birthday this weekend — he grew up in Hawaii and has been homesick lately! Quick question: can I use chicken thighs for the teriyaki instead of chicken breast? I think thighs have more flavor but want to make sure that works with the recipe.