This Hawaiian BBQ Chicken captures everything we love about a classic Hawaiian plate lunch—sweet, savory, juicy grilled chicken paired with simple sides that never disappoint. The chicken marinates overnight in a teriyaki-style sauce sweetened with coconut sugar, then grills up beautifully with lightly caramelized edges and tons of flavor.
Serve it with steamed rice and creamy macaroni salad for an easy, satisfying meal that feels like a taste of the islands.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with simple, whole-food ingredients
- Naturally sweetened with coconut sugar
- Easy to prep ahead with an overnight marinade
- Perfect for weeknight dinners or summer grilling
Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup soy sauce or (or gluten-free tamari)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon sambal (or chili paste)
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Instructions
- Make the Marinade
Place the chicken thighs in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sambal, coconut sugar, and avocado oil. - Marinate the Chicken
Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the bag, and massage gently so all pieces are evenly coated. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor. - Grill
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the excess. Grill the chicken, turning as needed, until cooked through and nicely caramelized, about 5–7 minutes per side. The internal temperature should reach 165°F. - Rest and Slice
Remove the chicken from the grill and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. - Serve
Slice and serve with steamed rice and creamy macaroni salad for a classic Hawaiian plate lunch.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Coconut sugar provides a rich, slightly caramel-like sweetness similar to brown sugar, making it a great unprocessed swap.
- Using honey instead: You can substitute honey for the coconut sugar if desired. Lightly warm the marinade so the honey blends smoothly, and keep an eye on the grill—honey caramelizes faster and can brown more quickly.
- Chicken thighs work best, but this marinade also pairs well with chicken breast or pork.
- Leftovers are great for rice bowls, wraps, or meal prep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hawaiian BBQ Teriyaki Chicken is a popular island-style dish made with chicken that’s marinated in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce, then grilled until caramelized and juicy. It’s often served as part of a traditional Hawaiian plate lunch with steamed rice and creamy macaroni salad.
Yes. Hawaiian-style teriyaki is typically a little sweeter and often includes ingredients like brown sugar or pineapple juice in addition to soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. The marinade is designed to create a rich, caramelized glaze on the grill.
For the best flavor, marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better, allowing the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sweet flavors to fully penetrate the meat.
Yes! You can cook it in a grill pan, cast-iron skillet, or bake it in the oven. Finish it under the broiler for a few minutes to achieve the caramelized edges that mimic grilling.
Traditional Hawaiian plate lunches include steamed white rice and Hawaiian macaroni salad. It also pairs wonderfully with grilled pineapple, Asian cucumber salad, pineapple slaw, grilled vegetables, or fresh tropical fruit.
Yes. You can marinate the chicken a day ahead and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to grill. Leftover cooked chicken also reheats well and is delicious in rice bowls, salads, wraps, or sandwiches.
Avoid overcooking the chicken and use an instant-read thermometer. Remove it from the grill when it reaches 165°F and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing so the juices can redistribute.
Definitely! This Hawaiian teriyaki marinade is delicious on pork, salmon, shrimp, tofu, or even grilled vegetables.
More Recipes
- Hawaiian Style Macaroni Salad
- Hawaiian Plate Lunch
- Japanese Cabbage Salad with Chicken, Edamame and Wasabi Soy Almonds
- Cambodian Lemongrass Meatballs with Coconut Jasmine Rice
Hawaiian BBQ Chicken (Plate Lunch Style)
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic sambal or more to taste
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs in a gallon-size zip-top bag.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, garlic sambal, coconut sugar, and avocado oil.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the bag, and massage gently to coat evenly.
- Refrigerate overnight for best flavor.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the marinade and discard excess.
- Grill chicken, turning as needed, until cooked through and lightly caramelized, about 5–7 minutes per side. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Remove chicken from grill, loosely cover with foil, and rest 10 minutes.
- Slice and serve with steamed rice and macaroni salad.
Notes
- Coconut sugar adds a rich, caramel-like sweetness that pairs perfectly with savory soy sauce.
- Honey substitute: Lightly warm honey before adding to the marinade so it blends smoothly; watch the grill as honey browns faster than sugar.
- Fresh garlic sambal adds heat and depth without overpowering the classic Hawaiian BBQ flavor.
- Chicken thighs stay juiciest, but chicken breasts or pork work too.
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