Grilled Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Recipe

Recipe Discuss

This Grilled Hawaiian BBQ Chicken is the perfect combination of sweet, tangy and smoky. This grilled chicken is perfect for summer BBQ's and family dinners.

Overhead shot of Hawaiian BBQ chicken with slices of pineapple on white plate.

Summer is quickly approaching, which means it is time to get outside and grill. This Grilled Hawaiian BBQ Chicken recipe is simple to make and is great for summer BBQ's and weeknight dinners. The flavor of this chicken is great and not spicy making it great for kids and toddlers.

This chicken is great on its own, or can be added to a rice bowl, salad, or even to a wrap. This chicken recipe also has a short marinade time making a great for busy weeknight dinners.

Ingredient Notes

Chicken: I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts most of the time for this recipe, but the marinade can go with any cut of chicken including chicken thighs or chicken wings. The cook time will differ, but the marinade instructions are the same.

Fresh Pineapple: I usually use a fresh pineapple for this Hawaiian Chicken, because I can cut the slices of pineapple thicker which is better for grilling them. You can use canned pineapple slices, or buy some pre-cut from your local grocery store. I know slicing a pineapple can be a bit of a pain, but if you plan to grill the pineapple and not just use it for the marinade I recommend using a fresh one.

BBQ Sauce: My families go-to BBQ sauce is the original Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce. The flavor is great and it is not too smoky or spicy and my kids love it. You can use your favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe or course, but if making for kids as well I would keep with a more neutral flavored one.

Why You'll LOVE This!
Quick & Easy Cook and Prep Work
Versatile: Great on it's Own, with Rice, or in a Wrap
A Hit with Both Kids & Adults

Instructions

If using fresh pineapple, remove the skin and either slice into large slices, or core and slice into wedges. Combine all ingredients in a large prep bowl and toss to combine. Cover and marinade the chicken for 20-30 minutes.
Once marinated, heat your grill to a medium heat and spray with cooking spray to prevent the chicken from sticking. Add the chicken breast to the grill, baste with marinade, close the lid and cook for 5 minutes until a nice char has developed.
After 5 minutes, flip the chicken and baste with marinade then cook and additional 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, you can flip the chicken one more time and baste with marinade. Add the sliced pineapple to the grill at this point and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the pineapple is soft. I also flip and baste my pineapple halfway through cooking. My pineapple usually takes about 7 minutes total, but will vary depending on how thick you pineapple is.
Once the pineapple and chicken is cooked through, remove from grill, let the chicken rest then slice and serve with recipe of choice.

Leftover Storage Instructions
Store grilled pineapple and BBQ chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Rewarm in the oven or microwave before enjoying.

Four image collage showing chicken being prepped and grilled.

Pro Tips

Pineapple Slicing Tips: When slicing the pineapple you can slice it into large circles, or core into making thick wedges of pineapple. If leaving the core in (like I did) I find that the pineapple grills well and does not fall apart. You will have to cut around the core when eating though, so if that bothers you, core the pineapple before grilling.

Canned Pineapple Tip: If using canned pineapple slices for the BBQ pineapple chicken cut the grill time for the pineapple down. Canned pineapple is much thinner, fragile and breaks easier than fresh pineapple. It can still work, but you will only need to grill it for a few minutes.

Grilling Tip: I recommend grilling your Hawaiian BBQ chicken on medium heat to ensure that the outside does not burn before the chicken is cooked through. If the chicken is getting too charred you can move your chicken to a cooler part of the grill until it is cooked through.

Basting: I like to use the marinade to baste the Hawaiian BBQ chicken and pineapple while on the grill. This is optional, but I think it adds more color and flavor to both the chicken and pineapple when cooking.

No Need to Flip
When grilling the chicken I like to only flip my chicken two-three times. This helps a nice char develop on each side, helps the chicken cook faster and keeps the chicken from drying out. I like to baste my chicken with the marinade before each flip as well for an added flavor boost.

Shot of grilled chicken on white platter with gray counter.

FAQS

Does pineapple make chicken mushy?

Pineapple juice will infuse chicken with lots of flavor and help it stay tender on the grill. Be careful not to marinade the chicken too long, because fresh pineapple has enzymes in it that can break down chicken leaving it mushy if marinated for too long.

How do you keep chicken from drying out on the grill?

Be sure to marinade or brine chicken before grilling to help the chicken retain moisture and ensure that it does not dry out. Also, be careful not to overcook the chicken and use a meat thermometer to cook until 165 degrees F.

Do you grill chicken covered or uncovered?

If you grill has a cover, always cover your chicken while grilling. Covering the chicken will help the chicken cook more evenly like in an oven. Covering the grill will also cut off some of the oxygen to the flame meaning less flare ups.

Serving Suggestions
I love enjoying this BBQ Pineapple Chicken on its own, but it also goes great with a side of rice or in a wrap or salad.

Sliced pineapple chicken on a platter with close up of slice.

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Happy Eating!

Comments

5 from 10 votes (4 ratings without comment)