Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice (Print Page)

Tender Hawaiian-glazed chicken with fragrant coconut jasmine rice for a bright, tropical weeknight dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Hawaiian Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - ½ cup pineapple juice
03 - ¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce
04 - 2 tablespoons honey
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
07 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ½ cup diced pineapple (fresh or canned, drained)
11 - 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
12 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)

→ Coconut Rice

13 - 1½ cups jasmine rice
14 - 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
15 - 1¼ cups water
16 - ½ teaspoon salt

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, olive oil, and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Place the chicken breasts in a zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Seal and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Rinse jasmine rice under cold running water until the runoff is clear. Combine the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for an additional 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
04 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the leftover marinade. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
05 - Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and add the diced pineapple. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
06 - Slice the cooked chicken breasts and arrange over a bed of coconut rice. Drizzle generously with the reduced pineapple sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade doubles as a glaze, so you get maximum flavor with zero extra effort.
  • Coconut rice sounds fancy but honestly it is one of the easiest things you will ever make.
  • It works with chicken thighs too, which means you can use whatever is on sale.
  • Everything cooks in under thirty minutes once you start.
02 -
  • Always reserve the marinade before cooking the chicken because it becomes your glaze.
  • Let the coconut rice rest covered off the heat for the full ten minutes or it will be gummy instead of fluffy.
  • The marinade must be boiled for several minutes since it touched raw chicken before reducing it into sauce.
  • A pinch of chili flakes in the marinade transforms the whole dish if you like heat.
03 -
  • Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts if you are worried about overcooking, just adjust the sear time by a minute or two.
  • Grilling the chicken over medium high heat adds a smoky char that makes this dish transcendent.
  • Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for thirty seconds before garnishing to unlock their full flavor.

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