These sticky Hawaiian Chicken drumsticks are marinated with a pineapple based glaze that is sweet, spicy and slightly tangy. It will transport you to Hawaii and make you want to do the hula dance too! Accompanied by a coconut rice that is so delicious I could just eat a giant bowl of it for dinner.
“There’s sticky chicken…then there is seriously sticky chicken. This is insanely sticky chicken!”
I kid you not when I say that I am transported back to Hawaii every time I make these. It puts me in a good mood just making them! I mean, how much more tropical can you get than chicken with a pineapple marinade and coconut rice on the side? I want to drape myself in leis, put on the Beach Boys’ Kokomo, shake up some Pina Coladas and parteeee!!! (PS I stopped short at talking about coconut shell bikinis and grass skirts, that’s not a sight we need to think about!).
When it comes to sticky chicken, there’s sticky, then there is seriously sticky. These Hawaiian Chicken drumsticks are insanely sticky. You are going to get messy getting stuck into these, and there’s just no better way to enjoy it. It’s finger lickin’ good!
The secret to the stickiness is tinned crushed pineapple which forms the base of this marinade. The sweetness of the pineapple is balanced out with other flavourings including spices, garlic, ginger, and vinegar so the marinade is actually quite a complex flavour. When baked, they turn a wonderful dark golden colour and caramelises beautifully which adds extra flavour to this.
“It took me a few goes to get this marinade right. I wanted a flavour EXPLOSION!”
I have to admit, it took me a few goes before I was happy with this. I even googled quite a bit and tried other pineapple marinade recipes I found but the flavour of the marinades were not as strong or deep as I wanted (I like flavour explosions!) or the marinade was too thin so it didn’t make a sticky glaze. I don’t make chicken drumsticks often because they aren’t the healthiest cut of chicken. So when I do make them – usually when I’m entertaining because they are super good value – I want them to be seriously tasty! No second rate marinades for my drumsticks!
“Coconut rice is the perfect accompaniment to the pineapple marinated drumsticks. Coconut and pineapple go together like basil and tomato!”
I was going to share this Hawaiian Chicken recipe with you with a tropical style salad on the side. But I couldn’t resist sharing my coconut rice instead. I know, I know, it’s meat and carb central here today, but coconut and pineapple go together like tomatoes and basil!! I had to!
I promise you’ll see more greens in my next post. 🙂
So, if you’re in the northern hemisphere where it’s starting to cool down, this is a great dish to remind you of the summer just gone…..and if you’re in the southern hemisphere, this is the perfect dish to celebrate that summer is just around the corner!!
To sign off, do you recognise these song lyrics?? I had this song playing while I was typing up this post!!
Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I want to take ya
Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego, baby why don’t we go
Jamaica off the Florida Keys
(It’s the Beach Boys’s Kokomo. If you want to get into the groove, play the song while you’re reading the recipe!)
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Hawaiian Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg / 3lb chicken drumsticks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Marinade Glaze
- 440 g / 15 oz can crushed pineapple in natural juice (about 1.5 cups) (see notes)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce or ketchup
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce (see notes)
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp malt vinegar (see notes)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger , grated
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tbsp paprika powder
- 1 tbsp dried onion flakes
- 1/2 tbsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (or cayenne powder). Adjust to taste.
- Black pepper
Coconut Rice
- 1 cup long grain or medium grain rice , uncooked
- 1 cup coconut milk (see notes)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp sugar
Optional Garnish
- Lime wedges , to serve
- Coriander/cilantro leaves , for garnish on rice and chicken
- Toasted desiccated coconut , for garnish on rice
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Combine the Marinade Glaze ingredients in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to simmer, then turn it down to medium for 10 minutes or so until it reduced by around 1/3 and is a bit syrupy. The pineapple should be softened and starting to breakdown. Give it a mush with a potato masher to help it along.
- Allow Marinade Glaze to cool, then combine in a large ziplock bag or bowl with the chicken.
- Marinate for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours. You could also freeze the chicken with the marinade.
Cook the Chicken
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Bring the chicken to room temperature.
- Dip the chicken and Marinade into a baking dish.
- Drizzle over olive oil then spoon over some of the Marinade Glaze onto the drumsticks, ensuring you get some pineapple chunks on the chicken itself.
- Place chicken in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove baking tray from oven and turn the chicken and again spoon the marinade & pineapple bits onto the chicken.
- Bake for a further 15 minutes and check the chicken. If the marinade pooled in the baking dish is looking dry and starting to burn, then pour in a bit of water.
- Return chicken to the oven and bake until dark golden brown and the Marinade Glaze is caramelised and sticky (about 5 to 10 minutes).
Coconut Rice
- Combine ingredients in a saucepan over high heat. Cover with a lid and bring to boil.
- Turn down heat to low then leave to simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
To Serve
- Garnish rice with tasted desiccated coconut (optional).
- Scatter coriander/cilantro over rice and chicken and serve with lime wedges on the side.
Recipe Notes:
a) Heat BBQ on medium, using the flat plate side, not the grill (you don't want the flames to have direct contact with the chicken)
b) Shake off excess Marinade Glaze, and cook the chicken on the BBQ for 15 to 20 minutes, turning to cook each side evenly.
c) When the drumsticks are done, push them close together (still on the BBQ) and pour over all the remaining Marinade Glaze. Then toss the drumsticks to coat with the Marinade Glaze (an egg flip works best for this). Then allow to cook for a few minutes until the Marinade Glaze becomes thick, sticky and caramelised, turning the chicken frequently and scraping up the Marinade Glaze as much as possible to make it stick onto the chicken. Don't walk away, this will happen quickly and you need to keep turning the drumsticks!
d) Remove chicken from BBQ and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. 7. Nutrition Facts for chicken:
Nutrition Facts for coconut rice:
Nutrition Information:
I saw this recipe today .. Went sright home and made it .. Oh My goodness it was such a big hit… I even shard the recipe with all my friends .. Hands down amazing ?
Wow thanks so much for the wonderful feedback Marielys! So glad you enjoyed it – N x
Do you think I can make the sauce in advance and store in the fridge until I’m ready to take chicken out of the freezer??
Would this work in a slow cooker? My oven is on the fritz!
Hi Carla, sorry, this needs an oven for the caramelisation!
How can I make the rice recipe in a rice cooker?
Hi Andromeda! The rice recipe can be made in a rice cooker, just use the normal rice setting 🙂
Could I use pineapple puree instead of canned pineapples? Great recipe!
Hi Felice! Depends how thick the puree is but I suspect it will be quite watery, in which case I do not recommend using it because the glaze won’t end up sticky. Sorry hun!
Could this be grilled? I understand it might not glaze up the same, but would the flavor stand up?
This would be FAB grilled!
I reviewed your recipe on my Facebook page. It’s gotten a great response from my followers.
https://m.facebook.com/shared.recipes.australia/photos/a.193952474065241.39317.193334134127075/770387163088433/?type=3&source=48
I loved this chicken recipe, I added Indonesian chilli sauce instead of the powder and omitted the onion powder. I loved how spicy the pineapple went and how beautiful the chicken was – I enjoyed the sticky skin.
Thankyou Nagi for the recipe. I am also making this to serve cold at our family Christmas here in Australia. Less chilli for the children and uncles that can’t handle heat! Haha.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you for reviewing it on your Facebook page, I’m off to have a look! 🙂
Yum! Yum! Yum! I love this. Especially the coconut milk in the rice. As an island girl myself, I can tell U how much more flavour this adds to the rice.
PS. Love the Kokomo reference too. Ha!
Ha ha!! Beach Boys – they rock! I love coconut rice soooo much. I can eat it plain, seriously!! 😉
You definitely didn’t lie, this is seriously sticky chicken!! It’s divine!!! I had it with rice, but no coconut milk and we gobbled it up. Best marinade I’ve ever done!
I’m so glad you liked it Letitia! Thanks for coming back to let me know! 🙂
I thought that I had a can of pineapple chunks, but only had fruit cocktail instead. I use it, along with the training ingredients. It turn out great!!!
Thanks Ricky! So glad you loved it! 🙂
I just made this meal for my family. WOW!!! What an amazing small & even more amazing flavour. Thank you so much!
Thanks Josie! SO GLAD you and your family loved it! <3
Just put this on my dinner menu for next week – I’m SO EXCITED! CANNOT WAIT! 😀
Oooh!!! Love to know what you think of it!! It hasn’t been one of the most popular ones but maybe that’s because it’s been winter in the US!! 🙂
Sounds wonderful! My hubby is not a big fan of drumsticks. How do you think this would work for breasts? I assume the cooking time would be less, maybe?
Hi Tammy! Yes this will work for Chicken Breast but you won’t get the same caramelisation if you use skinless. This marinade works best with chicken that has skin on it, but it is still tasty with skinless! I quite often use it with skinless fillets which has more fat than chicken breast so you still get the fantastic caramelisation 🙂
I love drumsticks…but sometimes running out of the idea for the marinade, this is something that I should try, thanks Nagi. Like always..you’re very creative.
Thanks Amallia!
Wow that marinade sounds incredible Nagi. I love sweet, sticky sauces//glazes over chicken.. so I can imagine how good these must have tasted!
Thanks for your kind words Thalia!
These look so tasty – that sauce seems sticky sweet and perfect 🙂 I feel the same about drumsticks ~ I try to to make them when there are people coming over instead of on the reg, so they have to be extra tasty.
Great minds think alike! 🙂
Yes, of course I remember kokomo! And yes, now I do have it stuck in my head!
I can think of worse songs to be stuck there, though … but I’m not sure I can think of a better marinade for a drumstick. Drumsticks are not something I think of making a lot either, but they’re cheap and cheerful and great for a crowd. I’d definitely consider making these if I was asked to take a dish somewhere. 🙂
Oh no, I just got that song OUT of my head and now it’s back! Thanks a lot Helen!!
I was just thinking to myself the other day while eating chicken that I simply wasn’t getting MESSY enough in the process. Like, I want to eat chicken and then have to shower immediately after. Chuck Calvin in the tub. That’s my kind of chicken! Which is clearly YOUR kind of chicken. AMAZING. And I never grow tired of non-Americans talking about “tinned” foods. It’s so… kitsch. 🙂 I think my favorite expression is “tinned pears.” I could really go for some tinned pears, myself! But I digress. I never thought of coconut rice, either, but there you are again being amazing and creative. I love all your ideas! Thank you for sharing them with the world!
You Americans!! I mean honestly, you guys are the ones that have everything the wrong way round! Bell peppers instead of capsicum, cilantro instead of coriander, broil instead of grill, grill instead of BBQ….I tell you what, you make it hard to be a food blogger, constantly “interpreting” things so you understand them!! Ha ha!!
Hey now… there’s nothing wrong with just meat and carbs! This looks and sounds absolutely INCREDIBLE! I love the sweet and savory marinade – such well rounded flavor profiles! And coconut rice – you’re killing me! I’m so hungry right now – Nagi, feed me!
I agree Kathleen, BRING ON THE CARBS!!
These look delicious, I love the ides of “sticky” chicken! I’ve been cooking a lot with drumsticks lately and I really like it. The combination of flavors is amazing – pineapple an coconut 🙂
Thanks Mira!! I don’t cook with drumsticks often simply because thigh and breast is healthier but I really love drumsticks!! I consider them a treat, which is ironic given they are so cheap 🙂