Grilled Chicken with a Hawaiian twist! Aloha!

From the hustle and bustle of the busy American streets to the big cities of Las Vegas and Hollywood – I’ve now jumped across to a couple of islands in Hawaii. What more could I ask for than a place full of rest and relaxation to end my trip. It’s all landscapes, beaches, and waterfalls, right? Of course, that stuff is great. Who doesn’t love a good white sand beach with dolphins and palm trees and whatnot? I’m going to let you in on a little secret… the real joy of Hawaii is in the FOOD. Comforting, colourful, and full of flavour.

This grilled Hawaiian BBQ Chicken recipe draws upon all the features Hawaiian food has to offer. The simplicity and it’s the perfect combination of sweet, tangy, and smoky. What better way to send summer off with a bang back in Australia! It’s simple to make and is great for weeknight dinners. Feel free to mix things up – serve it great on its own, add to a rice bowl, salad, or even to a wrap. Have some fun, just as I have been on the other side of the world! See you back home very soon at Heat and Grill!

Ingredients

• 4 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Small Pineapple
• ¼ Cup Pineapple Juice
• ¼ Cup Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoon Soy Sauce
• ½ Cup of your favourite BBQ sauce
• ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
• ½ teaspoon Paprika
• Chopped Spring onions (optional for serving)

A couple of things to note,

With the 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.

With the Fresh pineapple – 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.

Don’t marinate it too early! – You do not want to marinate this chicken for too long with the pineapple, because the pineapple juice can break down the chicken making it mushy. I do not recommend making this ahead of time and storing overnight.

Method

1. If using fresh pineapple, remove the skin and either slice into large circles, or core and slice into wedges. If using store-bought or canned pineapple, skip this step.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large prep bowl and toss to combine and begin to get the marinade on all sides of the chicken and sliced pineapple. Cover and marinate the chicken for 20-30 minutes.
3. Once marinated, heat your grill to 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.
4. After 5 minutes, flip the chicken and baste with marinade then cook for an additional 5 minutes.
5. After 5 minutes, you can flip the chicken one more time and baste with marinade. At this point, add the sliced pineapple to the grill and cook this chicken and pineapple (flip halfway through) for 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the pineapple is soft.
6. Once the pineapple and chicken is cooked through, remove from the grill, let the chicken rest then slice and serve with a side of choice.
7. Pour yourself a lovely pina colada or two?! Enjoy, Lachie!