Hawaiian Chicken Coconut Rice (Printable)
Tender chicken in tropical glaze over aromatic coconut rice with fresh pineapple chunks.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
03 - 2 tbsp honey
04 - 2 tbsp pineapple juice
05 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
08 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
09 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ Coconut Rice
10 - 1½ cups jasmine rice, rinsed
11 - 1 cup coconut milk (full fat, unsweetened)
12 - 1¼ cups water
13 - ½ tsp salt
→ For Serving
14 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, cubed
15 - 2 green onions, sliced
16 - 2 tbsp toasted shredded coconut (optional)
17 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
18 - Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
# Directions:
01 - Whisk together soy sauce, honey, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper in a bowl. Place chicken in a resealable bag or shallow dish and pour marinade over. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
02 - Combine rinsed jasmine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, stir once, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
03 - Preheat grill or skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and grill or sear for 5–7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and slightly caramelized. Discard any unused marinade.
04 - Let cooked chicken rest for 5 minutes to retain juices, then slice or leave whole.
05 - Arrange chicken over a bed of coconut rice. Top with pineapple cubes, green onions, toasted coconut, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sweet and salty glaze gets wonderfully sticky and caramelized, almost like restaurant quality teriyaki but better
- Coconut rice absorbs all those juicy chicken juices for the most flavorful forkful every single time
- Everything cooks in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent all day on it
02 -
- Reserve some marinade before adding raw chicken if you want to brush extra glaze on during cooking, otherwise discard for safety
- Coconut rice can burn easily, keep the heat low once it starts simmering and resist the urge to lift the lid
- Letting the chicken rest might feel like torture when you are hungry, but those 5 minutes make the difference between juicy and dry meat
03 -
- Pat chicken dry before searing if you want extra caramelization, the moisture can sometimes prevent that gorgeous golden crust
- Toasted coconut adds such a wonderful texture contrast, just spread shredded coconut on a baking sheet at 350°F for about 5 minutes until golden