GRILLED HAWAIIAN CHICKEN WITH COCONUT PINEAPPLE RICE
Take your tastebuds to the tropics with this Hawaiian inspired dish. Succulent pineapple marinated chicken, either grilled or baked, served with coconut pineapple rice. Hula dancing optional but highly recommended.
Equipment
- Grill or BBQ or oven
Ingredients
- 5 pounds chicken pieces I like legs for this.
- 1 20 ounce can sliced pineapple use the juice for marinade and rice, and grill or bake the rings with chicken
- 1 red pepper sliced in rings to grill or bake
For marinade:
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice from the can of pineapple
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 scallions or green onions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
To marinate the chicken
- Remove pineapple rings and reserve and refrigerate for later.
- In a mixing bowl, blend all ingredients to make marinade.
- Reserve and refrigerate ½ cup for basting the chicken later.
- Place the chicken in a gallon sized zip top bag and pour marinade over chicken. Smoosh it around, then remove as much air as possible and place in the fridge at least 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
- If you were looking to make this a freezer meal for enjoying in the future, at this point you could freeze this, and it would marinate as it defrosts.
To prepare the chicken for cooking
- After marinating overnight, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and discard marinade.
- To allow the chicken to cook evenly; let the chicken pieces to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling or baking.
- Prepare your red pepper by slicing it in rings.
- Retrieve your pineapple rings and set aside.
- Retrieve the marinade we set aside. Add one to two tablespoons honey (or brown sugar or mild BBQ sauce) and whisk until combined. If using honey, you may need to microwave the sauce to help the honey dissolve into the sauce.
- Divide in the reserved marinade mixture in half . Use one half to baste the chicken and serve the rest with the chicken and rice.
To grill
- Preheat the grill to medium high. Grill turning and basting occasionally with the reserved marinade. Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. You’re looking for a finished temperature of 170°. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. When the chicken in almost cooked, place pineapple and red pepper rings on the grill to heat through and hopefully get some beautiful grill marks.
To oven bake
- Preheat to 375. Place chicken in a foil lined baking dish and bake for 35 – 45 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. Halfway through cooking time, turn and baste the chicken, then top the chicken with rings of pineapple and red pepper. Continue baking. Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. You’re looking for a finished temperature of 170°. Cover and let rest for 10minutes before serving.
- If you're making the rice to accompany the chicken, now's the time. Recipe below.
To serve
- Place the rice in the center of a serving platter. Arrange chicken pieces, grilled pineapple, and red pepper slices artistically around the rice.
- Remember the lime we zested for the rice? Cut it in half and squeeze half the juice over the whole platter. Slice the rest in little wedges. Sprinkle the top with sliced scallion and garnish with lime slices. Serve remaining marinade on the side.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!