Hawaiian Chicken Coconut Rice (Print Version)

Tender glazed chicken with fragrant coconut rice and juicy pineapple chunks.

# Recipe Ingredients:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
03 - 2 tbsp honey
04 - 2 tbsp pineapple juice
05 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
06 - 2 garlic cloves minced
07 - 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
08 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
09 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Coconut Rice

10 - 1½ cups jasmine rice rinsed
11 - 1 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
12 - 1¼ cups water
13 - ½ tsp salt

→ For Serving

14 - 1 cup fresh pineapple cubed
15 - 2 green onions sliced
16 - 2 tbsp toasted shredded coconut
17 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
18 - Fresh cilantro leaves

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together soy sauce, honey, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper. Place chicken in a resealable bag or shallow dish, pour marinade over, and refrigerate for 15 minutes to 2 hours.
02 - Combine rinsed jasmine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, stir once, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered, and let stand 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
03 - Preheat grill or skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side until cooked through and caramelized. Discard remaining marinade.
04 - Let cooked chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice or leave whole.
05 - Place chicken over coconut rice. Top with pineapple cubes, green onions, toasted coconut, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The coconut rice cooks in one pot and comes out perfectly creamy every single time
  • The marinade doubles as a flavor bomb that caramelizes beautifully when you sear the chicken
  • Everything hits that salty-sweet-crunchy trifecta that makes people go back for seconds
02 -
  • Rinsing the rice until the water runs clear prevents gummy coconut rice
  • Letting the rice steam off heat for those 10 minutes is non-negotiable for perfect texture
  • Pat the chicken dry before searing if you want serious caramelization
03 -
  • Use full fat coconut milk for the rice light version gives you weirdly watery results
  • If your pineapple isnt very sweet add an extra teaspoon of honey to the marinade

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