Go Back

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

Hawaiian BBQ chicken with caramelized grilled thighs and a pineapple-soy glaze. Marinated for juicy flavor, then grilled until smoky-sweet with caramelized pineapple rings on the side.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian-American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and pineapple-soy glaze
  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 0.5 cup pineapple juice
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup ketchup
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger, grated
  • 4 pineapple rings for grilling
  • 0.25 cup green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the pineapple-soy glaze
  1. Whisk pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks glossy. Reserve 1/3 of the glaze for basting later.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Add the chicken thighs to the remaining glaze, turning to coat all sides, then cover and refrigerate to marinate. Let marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
Grill the chicken and baste
  1. Preheat a grill over medium-high heat. Grill the marinated chicken thighs 8-10 minutes per side, basting with the reserved glaze during the last 6 minutes.
Caramelize the pineapple rings
  1. Place pineapple rings on the grill and cook 2-3 minutes per side until caramelized and lightly charred. Move them to a platter as they finish.
Serve
  1. Serve the grilled chicken with the caramelized grilled pineapple rings on the side, then top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve the 1/3 glaze specifically for basting so the marinating liquid doesn’t double as a raw-chicken sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken (glaze-side down) up to 2 months for best texture. For a lower-sugar option, replace brown sugar with an equal amount of brown-sugar substitute or use a sugar-free ketchup and slightly increase pineapple juice to keep the caramelized glaze balanced.