Description
Best Hawaiian BBQ Chicken is a sweet, smoky, and juicy grilled chicken recipe inspired by tropical island flavors. Tender chicken is marinated in a flavorful pineapple BBQ sauce with garlic, soy sauce, and honey, then grilled to perfection for an easy summer dinner everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
For the Hawaiian BBQ Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh pineapple slices
- Green onions, sliced
- Fresh cilantro
- Sesame seeds
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade: In a bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, honey, olive oil, garlic, ginger, lime juice, smoked paprika, black pepper, and onion powder.
- Marinate the chicken: Add chicken to the marinade and coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for the best flavor.
- Prepare the grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (375–400°F) and lightly oil the grates.
- Grill the chicken: Remove chicken from the marinade and grill for 6–8 minutes per side, brushing with additional BBQ sauce until caramelized and cooked through.
- Add tropical flavor: Grill fresh pineapple slices for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly charred.
- Rest the chicken: Transfer chicken to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Serve: Garnish with green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and lime wedges. Serve with rice, grilled vegetables, or a fresh Hawaiian-style salad.
Notes
Chicken thighs stay extra juicy on the grill, but chicken breasts work well too. Reserve some marinade before adding raw chicken if you want extra sauce for serving. For a stronger tropical flavor, marinate overnight and serve with grilled pineapple.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast/thigh
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 43g
- Cholesterol: 130mg
Keywords: hawaiian bbq chicken, pineapple bbq chicken, grilled chicken recipe, island chicken recipe, summer bbq chicken, tropical chicken marinade, easy grilling recipe
