Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice (Printable)
Marinated Hawaiian-style chicken with sweet pineapple glaze, served over creamy coconut jasmine rice with fresh herbs.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken and Marinade
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
03 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice
04 - 2 tablespoons honey
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
→ Coconut Rice
10 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
11 - 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
12 - 1 cup water
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Garnish
14 - 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced
15 - 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
17 - Fresh cilantro leaves
# How to Prepare:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, olive oil, black pepper, and smoked paprika until well combined.
02 - Place the chicken in a resealable bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over it, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Rinse the jasmine rice thoroughly under cold water and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt. Stir well, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 18 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
04 - While the rice cooks, heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding any excess. Cook the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked through and attractively caramelized on the exterior.
05 - Slice the cooked chicken and arrange over a bed of coconut rice. Garnish generously with diced fresh pineapple, sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The marinade doubles as a glaze if you reduce it, which means you get that sticky caramelized exterior without any extra effort.
- Coconut rice sounds fancy but it is honestly one of the laziest, most rewarding things you can make on a weeknight.
02 -
- If you leave the chicken in the marinade longer than 4 hours the pineapple juice will start breaking down the texture and you will end up with mushy meat.
- Letting the rice sit covered off the heat for 5 minutes before fluffing is not optional because that final steam makes the difference between decent rice and rice people ask about.
03 -
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before searing because wet meat steams instead of browning and you lose that caramelized crust entirely.
- If you have leftover marinade, bring it to a full rolling boil for a few minutes and drizzle it over the sliced chicken for an extra punch of flavor.