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Fire up the grill for these easy Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches! Sweet pineapple, smoky bacon, and juicy chicken create the perfect bite.
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Looking for a tropical twist on a classic chicken sandwich? This Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwich is packed with juicy, marinated chicken, grilled pineapple, crispy bacon, and fresh veggies, all layered on a soft bun. It is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and smoky flavors – a vibrant and satisfying meal for any day!
⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bursting with tropical, sweet, and savory flavors
- Easy to grill or make indoors on a skillet
- Perfect for summer barbecues, quick dinners, or casual lunches
- Customizable with your favorite toppings and sauces
🛒 Ingredients & Substitutions
- pineapple juice
- BBQ sauce – use your favorite brand or homemade BBQ sauce
- low sodium soy sauce – regular soy sauce or coconut aminos can be used instead
- red pepper flakes – leave out for a milder sandwich
- thin cut chicken breasts – boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead
- red onion – substitute yellow or sweet onions if preferred
- romaine lettuce leaves – butter lettuce or shredded lettuce also work
- tomato
- crispy bacon – try hickory or mesquite-flavored bacon for extra flavor
- pineapple ring slices
- hamburger buns – Hawaiian buns are a great choice
✨ Variations
- Flavor boosters: Try stirring in ¼ teaspoon ground ginger into the marinade, or use pico de gallo instead of sliced tomato.
- Spicy Hawaiian Chicken Sandwich: Add a few dashes of hot sauce to the reserved sauce or sprinkle cayenne pepper into the marinade.
- Teriyaki style: Swap the BBQ sauce for teriyaki sauce to create a sweeter, Asian-inspired flavor.
- Cheesy version: Add a slice of provolone, Swiss, or pepper jack cheese when assembling the sandwich.
- Extra tropical: Top with thinly sliced mango or papaya for even more tropical flair.
- Low-carb option: Skip the bun and serve the grilled chicken, pineapple, and bacon over a bed of greens for a flavorful salad.
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🔥 Tips
- Do not over-marinate. Marinate the chicken for no more than 1 hour to prevent the meat from becoming mushy from the pineapple juice.
- Bring the chicken to room temperature. Let the chicken sit out for about 15 minutes before grilling so it cooks evenly.
- Preheat your grill or pan. Starting with a hot surface gives the chicken beautiful grill marks and prevents sticking.
- Grill the pineapple. Grilling pineapple enhances its sweetness and adds a delicious smoky flavor.
- Use Hawaiian buns. If you can find large Hawaiian burger buns, they add even more tropical flavor to the sandwich.
- Add sauce last. Drizzle the reserved sauce just before serving to keep the sandwich from becoming soggy.
❓ FAQs
It is juicy, sweet, tangy, and smoky, with a tropical flair from the pineapple and a savory punch from the bacon and BBQ sauce.
Use a heavy skillet with a tablespoon of butter or oil. Cook over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes on each side. Alternatively, you can bake chicken at 400°F for 20 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
You can freeze the grilled chicken, but do not assemble the sandwiches ahead. The vegetables and buns will become soggy when thawed.
Yes! Canned pineapple rings packed in juice work great. Drain them well before grilling.
Cook the bacon until it is very crispy, then drain it well on paper towels. Assemble the sandwich just before serving to keep the bacon crisp.
Yes! Use a gluten-free BBQ sauce, gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, and gluten-free burger buns.
🍽️ Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Chicken and Turkey
Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs
Chicken and Turkey
Hawaiian Chicken
Sandwich
Hawaiian Hot Dogs
Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches
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Equipment
- small container (for reserved sauce)
- digital instant read food thermometer optional, but nice to have
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 chicken breasts, thin cut
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 romaine lettuce leaves
- 1 small tomato, sliced
- 6 slices crispy bacon
- 3 pineapple ring slices
- 3 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce. In a large bowl, mix the pineapple juice, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Reserve ¼ cup of the sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in the bowl with the sauce, coating well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 hour. Do not marinate longer, or the chicken may become mushy.
- Preheat the grill or skillet. Preheat your grill to medium high (about 375°F) or heat a skillet over medium heat.
- Bring chicken to room temperature. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking.
- Grill the chicken and pineapple. Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. At the same time, grill pineapple slices for about 2 minutes per side.
- Assemble the sandwiches. Layer each bottom bun with lettuce, tomato slices, grilled chicken, bacon, pineapple, and red onion.
- Add sauce and serve. Drizzle the reserved sauce over the sandwich fillings, top with the bun, and serve warm.
Notes
🥡 STORAGE
- Store cooked chicken, bacon, pineapple, and sliced vegetables in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
- Keep burger buns at room temperature in a sealed bag or container.
- Assembled sandwiches should be eaten the same day for the best texture.
- Leftovers are best enjoyed within 3 days.
♨️ REHEATING
- Reheat chicken and bacon separately in the air fryer at 375°F for 3-5 minutes.
- Microwave the chicken at 50% power for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Warm pineapple slices briefly in the microwave or on a skillet.
- Toast buns lightly before assembling for the best texture.
❄️ FREEZING
- Freeze grilled chicken only in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Do not freeze assembled sandwiches or fresh vegetables.
- Thaw chicken overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
💡 TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS
- Do not marinate chicken for more than 1 hour to prevent it from becoming mushy.
- Let the chicken come to room temperature before grilling for even cooking.
- Grill the pineapple for caramelized flavor and beautiful char marks.
- Add the reserved sauce just before serving to prevent the buns from getting soggy.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
🍳 ALTERNATE COOKING METHODS
- Oven: Bake marinated chicken at 400°F for 18-20 minutes or until cooked through.
- Skillet: Pan-sear over medium heat with a little oil, about 5-7 minutes per side.
- Indoor grill pan: Works great if you do not have an outdoor grill.
♻️ LEFTOVERS
- Chop leftover chicken and use it in wraps, salads, or rice bowls.
- Crumble bacon over baked potatoes or add it to omelets.
- Use grilled pineapple in salsas, smoothies, or as a side dish.
- Refresh sandwich components by reheating separately and reassembling just before eating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
