Hawaiian Chicken With Coconut Rice (Print Version)
Sweet-tangy pineapple glazed chicken paired with fragrant coconut jasmine rice for a tropical weeknight meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Hawaiian Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1/2 cup pineapple juice
03 - 1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce
04 - 2 tablespoons honey
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
07 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/2 cup diced pineapple, fresh or canned and drained
11 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
12 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional garnish
→ Coconut Rice
13 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
14 - 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
15 - 1 1/4 cups water
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
# How to Make It:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, olive oil, and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Place the chicken breasts in a zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Seal and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Rinse the jasmine rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Combine the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
04 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the leftover marinade. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and add the diced pineapple. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Slice the cooked chicken and arrange over a bed of coconut rice. Drizzle generously with the reduced pineapple sauce. Finish with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce walks a perfect line between sweet and savory, and it comes together with pantry staples you probably already have.
- Coconut rice sounds fancy but requires zero extra effort beyond remembering to open a can of coconut milk.
- Everything cooks in under an hour, which makes it feel doable even on nights when you are running low on motivation.
02 -
- Do not skip reserving the marinade, that liquid becomes your entire sauce and you will be sad watching it wash away in the sink.
- Letting the rice rest covered off the heat is not optional, those 10 minutes of steaming are what transform it from sticky to perfectly fluffy.
- If your sauce is not thickening after 5 minutes, keep going for another minute or two, it thickens fast right at the end so stay close and stir often.
03 -
- Toasting sesame seeds in a dry skillet for about 60 seconds until they turn golden doubles their flavor with zero extra ingredients.
- Let the chicken rest for five minutes after cooking before slicing, the juices redistribute and stay in the meat instead of running all over your cutting board.