3 Hawaiian Chicken Recipes Ready in 20 Minutes (Taste Like Maui)

By Savannah Ryan, Cookbook Author

Bring island flavors to your kitchen tonight. These 3 Hawaiian chicken recipes are easier than you think.

1. Huli Huli Chicken (20 minutes)

The most iconic Hawaiian chicken.

Quick marinade:

• ½ cup pineapple juice

• ⅓ cup soy sauce

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 2 tbsp grated ginger

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

Method: Marinate chicken thighs 15 min. Grill 6 min per side, basting every 2 min. The sugar caramelizes into that sticky-sweet crust.

Serve with: White rice, grilled pineapple, macaroni salad

Get the full recipe: 10 Hawaiian Chicken Recipes

2. Shoyu Chicken (20 minutes)

Braised chicken in soy-ginger sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken thighs

• ½ cup soy sauce

• ½ cup water

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 3 tbsp sliced ginger

• 6 garlic cloves

Method: Brown chicken 5 min. Add everything else, simmer 15 min. Sauce reduces to a glaze. Spoon over rice.

Why it's comfort food: Sweet, savory, tender chicken that falls off the bone.

3. Hawaiian Garlic Chicken (15 minutes)

Portuguese-Hawaiian fusion. So much garlic.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs chicken thighs, cubed

• 8 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Method: Sear chicken in coconut oil 6 min. Lower heat, add butter and garlic, cook 1 min. Add soy sauce. Toss 2 min. Pour every drop of that garlic butter over rice.

Pro tip: Don't skimp on garlic. If a recipe says 4 cloves, use 8.

Why These Work

Hawaiian cooking uses coconut oil and butter (traditional fats), not vegetable oil. Sweet + savory balance from pineapple juice and soy sauce. Fresh ginger and garlic in everything.

These aren't Americanized versions. They're authentic recipes adapted for home kitchens.

Get More Hawaiian Recipes

Full collection: Hawaiian Chicken Recipes - 10 recipes with photos

Cookbook: Savor Hawaiian - 40+ island recipes (my #2 bestseller)

Related:

• Quick 30-minute dinners

• All chicken recipes

• Asian-inspired meals

Tags: Hawaiian Chicken, Huli Huli Chicken, Hawaiian Recipes, Island Cooking hawaiian chicken recipes, huli huli chicken, easy hawaiian chicken, shoyu chicken recipe