Today’s Hawaiian chicken recipe is a perfect embodiment of what Hawaiian cuisine is all about, a vibrant fusion of many cuisines.
This sautéed chicken and vegetable dish is simple yet carries an undeniable tropical vibe. We have pineapple, bell peppers, onions, and a delectable Hawaiian sauce to give you an authentic Hawaiian food experience.
Reasons to Love Hawaiian Chicken
There are a lot of reasons to give this amazing recipe a try.
Firstly, Hawaiian chicken is a complete meal with lean protein, vegetables, and complex carbs. It is a simple one-pan recipe that you can make for a quick lunch or dinner.
Secondly, this dish features signature Hawaiian ingredients like pineapple and bell peppers, giving you a true tropical getaway. Moreover, the Hawaiian sauce has all kinds of flavors: sweet, spicy, sour, and savory.
Hawaiian chicken is an interesting main dish that seems complicated at first glance, but it is easier than you think.
Is Our Recipe Healthy?
Yes, Hawaiian chicken can be an option in a healthy diet, judging by our nutrition guidelines.
There are 509 calories and 1.4 g of saturated fat in each serving of this dish, which are reasonable numbers for a sizable meal like this one. With chicken breast at the forefront, this dish also provides you with 35 g of complete, lean protein.
The number of condiments used in the Hawaiian sauce may cause some concern regarding sodium levels. You can rest assured that there is only 538 mg sodium per serving thanks to reduced-sodium soy sauce.
Red and green bell peppers, pineapple, and red onion give the dish valuable nutrients like fiber, minerals, and antioxidants.
Main Ingredients
- Chicken: Chicken breast is a safe and tasty choice for any chicken dish. It is very easy to incorporate flavors into this white meat cut, which makes it the perfect choice for an experimental dish like this. We only season the chicken lightly with paprika to give it color.
- Vegetables: The vegetables featured in this recipe give you a diverse range of flavors and textures. The combination of pineapple, bell peppers, and red onion works unbelievably well with a sweet and sour sauce, and this dish is no exception.
- Hawaiian sauce: Hawaiian sauce is the heart and soul of this chicken dish. This multi-dimensional sauce features ingredients from many cuisines: soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, pineapple juice, and Sriracha. We also add some basic spices to round out the sauce: ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Lastly, cornstarch can help thicken the sauce.
- Other: We garnish the dish with chopped cilantro and serve with cooked white rice.
How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers
You can refrigerate Hawaiian chicken for 4 days and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Store the leftovers in airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. We recommend separating the chicken and vegetables from the rice to prevent the rice from turning soggy.
Reheat the dish in a skillet over medium heat until warm through or use the microwave and cook in 1-minute increments.
What to Serve With
We suggest serving Hawaiian chicken with these vibrant salads:
Other Must-Try Chicken Dishes
These chicken breasts are seasoned like tacos, slightly pan-seared, placed on homemade salsa sauce, and baked to perfection. We serve this goodness the traditional way with some corn kernels and red kidney beans on the side.
A combination than chicken, bacon, and a creamy sauce like this is sure to die for. The meat is moist, the bacon crumbs are crispy, and the savory sauce they’re encased in is so rich every year a child is adopted.
How to Make Hawaiian Chicken
Our Hawaiian chicken recipe showcases the melting pot that is Hawaiian cuisine with a simple dish featuring chicken, vegetables, and rice.
- cook TIME 20 mins
- prep TIME 15 mins
- total TIME 35 mins
- COURSE Main Course
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 509 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 18 oz skinless boneless chicken breasts (cut into cubes)
- 6 oz red bell peppers (cut into cubes)
- 4 oz green bell peppers (cut into cubes)
- 4 oz pineapple (cut into triangles)
- 4 oz red onions (cut into wedges)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 2 1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 fl oz pineapple juice
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp canola oil (divided)
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp ginger (cut into thin strips)
- 2 tbsp Heinz ketchup
- 1/4 cup coriander (chopped)
- 3 1/2 cups cooked medium-grain rice (from 1 3/4 cups uncooked)
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Cut the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise into strips, then cut the strips crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes.
Cut the bell peppers: Slice away the top and bottom parts of the peppers and slice them open. Remove the seeds and white part inside of the peppers with your knife. Cut the rectangular piece into 1/2-inch strips and cut the strips into squares.
Cut the pineapple: Remove the crown and bottom part of the pineapple. Stand the fruit up and slice away the skin. Cut the pineapple in half and remove the core. Slice the wedges into small triangles.
Cut the red onion: Slice off the head and root and cut the onion in half. Cut the onion halves in half to get big wedges and cut the big wedges crosswise into smaller ones.
Mince the garlic: Slice off the root part of the cloves. Bash them with a knife to peel the skin easier. Mince the cloves with a mincer or knife.
Cut the ginger: Separate the knobs and peel the skin with a knife. Cut the knobs into thin slices. Stack the slices and cut them into thin strips.
Chop the coriander: Bunch the coriander together and chop with your knife.
Cook the rice: Use a pot, rice cooker, Instant Pot, or microwave to cook the rice.
Cook:
Season the chicken: Rub 1/2 tsp paprika thoroughly on 18 oz chicken breasts.
Make the sauce: Prepare a small bowl. Add 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 2 tbsp Heinz ketchup, 2 fl oz pineapple juice, 2 1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp Sriracha. Mix until fully combined.
Sauté the chicken: Prepare a hot pan. Add 1 tbsp canola oil and the chicken. Sauté for 7 minutes and remove from the pan.
Caramelize garlic and ginger: Add 1 tbsp canola oil, 1 tbsp garlic, and 1 tsp ginger to the same pan. Stir for 30 seconds to caramelize.
Sauté the vegetables: Add 4 oz red onion, 6 oz red bell peppers, 4 oz green bell peppers, and 4 oz pineapple. Sauté for 3 minutes.
Add the chicken and sauce: Add the chicken and sauce to the vegetables. Mix for 3 minutes and turn off the heat.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with 1/4 cup coriander. Serve the chicken and vegetables with 3 1/2 cups of cooked medium-grain rice. Divide them into 4 portions.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary ConsultantLuna Regina
Writer, AuthorNatalie Butler, RD, LD
Nutrition Reviewer- AnameaThis looks like a wonderfully flavorful and juicy recipe! I love the combination of pineapple and BBQ sauce for sweetness, with red onion and bell peppers for crunch. I'm definitely going to try this one out soon - thanks for sharing it!