Sticky, char-grilled Hawaiian-inspired chicken served with creamy coconut jasmine rice and a bright pineapple-cucumber salsa.
INGREDIENTS
Hawaiian BBQ Chicken
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Coconut Jasmine Rice
• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• Water, as needed for your rice cooker's normal liquid ratio
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pineapple-Cucumber Salsa
• 2 cups fresh pineapple, small diced
• 1 cup cucumber, small diced
• 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 Fresno chile, seeded and finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• Kosher salt, to taste
For Serving
• Thinly sliced scallions, optional
• Fresh cilantro, optional
DIRECTIONS
Marinate the Chicken
1. In a bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and black pepper.
2. Reserve about 3/4 cup of the marinade in a separate container before adding the raw chicken. Refrigerate the reserved marinade.
3. Add the chicken thighs to the remaining marinade and refrigerate for 2–4 hours. Avoid an overnight marinade because the pineapple juice can soften the chicken too much.
Make the Coconut Rice
4. Rinse the jasmine rice if desired and add it to a rice cooker. Add the coconut milk, salt and enough water to reach the normal amount of cooking liquid required for 2 cups of rice.
5. Cook according to the rice cooker's instructions. Fluff before serving.
Make the Pineapple-Cucumber Salsa
6. Combine the pineapple, cucumber, red onion, Fresno chile, jalapeño, cilantro, lime zest and lime juice in a bowl.
7. Season with salt to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Grill and Glaze the Chicken
8. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade that contacted the raw chicken.
9. Bring the reserved clean marinade to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer until glossy and slightly thickened, about 5–7 minutes.
10. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken thighs for about 5–7 minutes per side, or until cooked through to 165°F and nicely charred.
11. During the final few minutes, brush the chicken lightly with the reduced glaze, turning as needed to caramelize it without burning.
12. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then slice.
Serve
13. Spoon coconut jasmine rice onto a platter or individual plates. Arrange the sliced Hawaiian BBQ chicken over the rice and brush with a little additional glaze.
14. Top or serve alongside with the pineapple-cucumber salsa. Finish with scallions and cilantro, if desired.
CHEF JEFF TIPS
• Boneless chicken thighs stay juicy over high heat and develop great caramelized edges from the sweet-savory marinade.
• Reserve the portion of marinade for the glaze before adding raw chicken so it is safe and easy to reduce later.
• Do not marinate the chicken overnight. Fresh pineapple juice contains enzymes that can make the surface of the chicken overly soft.
• Using coconut milk as part of the normal cooking liquid is an easy way to turn plain jasmine rice into coconut rice.
• The cucumber gives the pineapple salsa cool crunch, while Fresno chile and jalapeño add fresh chile flavor and color.
• Seed the chiles for a crowd-friendly level of heat, or leave some seeds and membrane in if you want a spicier salsa.
• Wait until the end of grilling to brush on the glaze. The sugars caramelize quickly and can burn if added too early.
