Description
Hawaiian BBQ Chicken is a bright, crowd-pleasing main dish that brings tropical tang to your grill. Juicy boneless thighs marinate in a sweet-savoury soy-ginger glaze with pineapple juice and honey, then grill to smoky perfection. This island-inspired recipe yields tender meat with a glossy glaze and hints of garlic and ginger, pairing beautifully with rice, grilled pineapple, or a crisp salad. Quick to prep and perfect for summer cookouts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
- ¼ cup honey or brown sugar
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk soy sauce, honey, pineapple juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Place chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag or dish and pour marinade over them.
- Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for best flavor.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.
- Grill chicken for 5–6 minutes per side, basting with extra marinade, until cooked through and lightly charred.
- Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Marinate time can be extended up to 8 hours for deeper flavor.
- Gluten-free option: use tamari for soy sauce.
- Grill over medium-high heat and baste for a glossy glaze.
- Serve with rice, salad, or grilled pineapple.
- Leftovers refrigerate well for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 1800 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
Keywords: Hawaiian BBQ Chicken, island-inspired, grilled chicken, pineapple glaze, easy dinner, summer BBQ, tropical flavors