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This Hawaiian Grilled Teriyaki Chicken recipe is the real deal. The teriyaki sauce is the perfect combination of sweet and tangy and is and SO easy to make.
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This Hawaiian Grilled Teriyaki Chicken reminds me of the authentic teriyaki chicken that I ate all the time when I lived on Oahu. It is tender, flavorful, and goes great with any Hawaiian dish. Much like fresh pineapple, you almost can’t have a luau or Hawaiian party without having teriyaki chicken (and maybe even a little cooked spam). This delicious Hawaiian chicken is tender, juicy, and pairs perfectly with grilled pineapple spears or an authentic Hawaiian plate lunch.
Ingredients Needed
You’ll love this simple, yet succulent chicken dish and how easy it is to prepare! Here’s what you need:
- Chicken Thighs – boneless, skinless thighs, NOT chicken breast. The dark thigh meat stays juicy, even through the grilling process. Some people can’t quite seem to get grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken right, and that’s because they aren’t using the right cut of chicken. For perfect teriyaki chicken, chicken thighs are the only choice. I promise, if you want AUTHENTIC teriyaki chicken, chicken breasts just won’t cut it. No matter how you cook the chicken breasts, it will not be the same.
- Soy Sauce – one cup, dark soy sauce. You can use low-sodium or your favorite brand, whatever you have on hand.
- Brown Sugar – balance the soy sauce with sweet dark brown sugar. It gives the perfect blend of sweet and tangy.
- Pineapple Juice – one cup of canned juice.
- Garlic – four cloves, chopped
- Fresh Ginger – find fresh ginger root in the produce section of the grocery store. It’ll stay fresh in the freezer for months!
How to Make Hawaiian Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
- Marinating the Chicken: Prepare the marinade and marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator or overnight.
- Prepare the Teriyaki Sauce: It is SUPER EASY to make your own teriyaki sauce at home. This sauce recipe is so simple and it can be used as both the marinade AND to drizzle over the chicken as a sauce. You can actually use the same batch for BOTH. I learned this method while living in Hawaii and thought it was genius. Don’t discard your marinade! So many people discard the marinade and it is totally unnecessary and wasting a perfectly good sauce! Instead, put the marinade in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until it thickens slightly. This will make it safe to use as a glaze or sauce after the chicken is fully cooked.
- Grill the Chicken: Place the marinated chicken on the grill. Brush the prepared teriyaki sauce over the chicken. Grill for 5-6 minutes on each side. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let the Chicken Rest: Wrap the chicken in foil and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Pour remaining teriyaki sauce over chicken. Slice, if desired, or serve whole.
Make it a Plate Lunch
You can easily make this teriyaki chicken into a complete plate lunch by adding a scoop or two of cooked calrose rice and some authentic Hawaiian Mac Salad. If you are really hungry, you can even make it a 2 or 3 combination plate by adding any of these recipes:
- Hawaiian Beef Teriyaki: Hawaiian Beef Teriyaki is a favorite of mine from when I lived in Hawaii. The teriyaki sauce is out of this world good. It’s the perfect plate lunch addition.
- Kalua Pork with Cabbage: Kalua Pork with Cabbage is a Hawaiian dish often served at Luaus. This version is made in the slow cooker and tastes just like authentic shredded Kalua Pig.
- Spam Musubi: This is more of a side than a part of a combination plate but it is one of my VERY favorite additions!
Tips and Suggestions
Cook evenly – Place some plastic wrap over the chicken and pound it flat with a meat mallet or rolling pin before marinating or grilling. This will help achieve even cooking and give you more surface space for the delicious sauce.
Slather on the teriyaki sauce – Brush on more teriyaki sauce after the chicken has cooked enough that it isn’t raw on the outside anymore, really slather it on! Then add even more once the chicken is fully cooked through and also right before serving.
Let it rest – For perfectly tender chicken, wrap the chicken in foil after grilling and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Chicken breasts work great too—just keep an eye on the grill so they don’t dry out, as they cook faster than thighs.
For the best flavor, marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours. Overnight is ideal to let the sweet and savory flavors really soak in.
Yes, but only after it’s been simmered on the stovetop for at least 5–10 minutes to ensure it’s safe to eat. Never brush raw marinade directly from the bowl onto cooked chicken.
Absolutely! Bake it at 400°F for about 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temp of 165°F. You can broil it at the end for a caramelized finish.
It pairs perfectly with white rice, grilled pineapple, stir-fried veggies, or a tropical salad for a full island-style meal.
Hawaiian Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Equipment
- Outdoor Barbecue Grill
- Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs in a bowl or large resealable plastic bag. Set aside.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix until sugar dissolves.
- Pour marinade over the chicken and seal tightly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the bag and set aside. Do not discard marinade. Pour the marinade into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Pour some of the hot marinade into a separate bowl. Place chicken on a grill and brush some of the cooked marinade over the top. Do not place the brush back in the main bowl of marinade after brushing the chicken. Grill chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Wrap the chicken in foil and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Place chicken in a baking dish and pour the remaining hot teriyaki marinade over the top.
- Serve as whole chicken thighs or slice before serving.
Video
Nutrition Information
Sorry but I just do not like any form of Teriyaki , I just find it not to my Liking and have tried many Brands and made many recipes.
I would try one of our other chicken recipes then. Our Shoyu chicken might be to your liking.
I’ve got a question about the recipe. In the breakdown of ingredients in the post it states dark soy sauce but in the recipe it only says soy sauce. Can you clarify which one you use? Thank you!
Either way is fine, the dark soy sauce just gives it a deeper color.
We have a daughter with celiac disease so we used all gluten free ingredients for the marinade. She has missed being able to eat teriyaki chicken and this recipe was SO good. I followed the directions until cooking time, then I used my instant pot since we don’t have a grill. Delicious!!
I’m so glad this recipe worked for your daughter! I have two sisters with celiac disease, so I know it’s challenging. Using the Instant Pot was a great idea. Thank you for your comment!
Do you mind telling how you cooked it in the instant pot?
Is it safe to reuse the Marinade, after raw chicken has been sitting in it?
It is safe to reuse the marinade for the sauce if it is brought to a boil. To learn more, read the following article from ask.usda.gov: Can you reuse meat marinade?
This recipe is amazing. I’ve made it several times but in the house in a frying pan. I bought a can of pineapple tidbits and there was exactly 1 cup of pineapple juice in it which was perfect for this recipe….I added the pineapple tidbits in the chicken and thought what the heck I also added bell pepper strips, onion slices and very thin sliced carrots and served over rice.
Thank you for sharing your variation on this recipe, Janell. It sounds delicious!
This looks amazing! If I want to make this ahead of time for a large event, how would you suggest I reheat the grilled chicken? Thanks so much!
I would probably reheat it in the oven covered tightly with foil so it doesn’t dry out– but make sure they are all on a single layer so they heat evenly. Just keep checkin got internal temp to make sure they don’t overcook and get too dry. I would also add more sauce with the chicken, again, to keep it from drying out. Hope this helps!
Oh my goodness, I’ve got to make this unbelievable mouth watering. Thank you for sharing your passions❤️❤️❤️
You are very welcome! Let us know how you like it!
I was wondering if you could cook it on the stove or oven if you don’t have a BBQ grill
Yes, you totally can. You just won’t get that same grilled taste as you would if you did it on the grill.
Your recipe has been our family go to for years now… Thank you!!
So glad you like it! It’s definitely a favorite of ours too!
I did 7hours on low, with
White rice….
Yummiest 😋💗
This was so easy and a game changer!!!!!
Family love ❤️ the taste and will make frequently!!!!
Thank you Bernie
Always a potluck favorite ! Are there any notes on how to make this as a shredded crock pot dish?
We haven’t tried it that way before. However, if I was going to try it I would add the chicken and marinade to the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Just shred it after cooking it in crock pot for hours.
Just use boneless and skinless.😋💗
Can I cook this under the broiler?
We haven’t tried it that way – but let us know how it goes if you try it!
We love this recipe. Have been making it for a couple years. Never fails us.
The recipe fails to mention the amount of brown sugar, is it 1 cup like the other ingredients?
Thanks
Yes, it is 1 cup. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you’ll see the recipe card with all the ingredients and amounts.
This was delish! We had a family luau with this chicken, your mac salad, a few other sides, and your guava cake. My husband lived in Hawaii for a few years (served his mission) and he loved everything and said it was great! Thanks for the recipes!!
I can’t use my grill where I live since it’s winter here; what would be the best non-grilling way to cook this? I often cook teriyaki in the oven, but would skillet frying be better for the texture? (I unfortunately don’t have a grill pan or press) thanks 🙏
I would use a skillet over baking in the oven — just be aware that the sugars have a tendency to burn quickly (whether in the oven or in the skillet) so just keep an eye on it. I would also slice the chicken so it is VERY thin, that way there is more opportunity for it to cook through without it burning. Hope this helps!
Great Recipe
Thank you for sharing the info.