A simple and delicious Instant Pot chicken recipe for busy weeknights, this Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken is only 5 ingredients and comes together in 20 minutes – perfect for busy weeknights and better than take-out!
Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
My favorite memories from our family’s Hawaiian vacation are split equally between lazy beach days and all that gorgeous food.
Hawaiian food is often stereotyped to just be super sweet, pineapple-laden pork dishes – but real Hawaiian food is a foodie’s dream. Poke bowls. Kalua pig. Salmon salsa (lomi salmon). Coconut and mochi desserts. Acai breakfast bowls.
Hawaii’s multicultural melting pot also means that Asian, Portuguese and traditional American flavors often come together to create dishes that could only be conceived of in Hawaii.
This Hawaiian Chicken (or Pollo Hawaiiano) incorporates some traditional Asian aromatics along with pineapple to create a sweet and salty chicken that tastes just like take-out.
I often serve it with some quickly sautéed onions and red bell peppers, and top with some macadamia nuts for crunch.
Hawaiian Chicken is traditionally served with rice, but you can serve with cauliflower rice, sautéed or grilled green vegetables (like bok choy or asparagus), or load onto some Hawaiian dinner rolls for a pulled Hawaiian Chicken sandwich. (And of course, you can serve it with our Hawaiian Macaroni Salad.)
How can I spice up Hawaiian Chicken? Add some sriracha, crushed ginger, or red chile flakes to spice up this dish.
Do I have to use cooked rice? No, I just always have either rice or cauliflower rice in my fridge because I pair it with everything. I also don’t like the texture of the rice when cooked with the rest of this recipe, however you can use the Pot-in-Pot Instant Pot method for cooking the rice in a separate container (in the Instant Pot) while cooking the rest of the recipe. (You can find directions for that here.)
Can this Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken be made in the crockpot? Yes, you would follow the same cooking method outlined below but increase the cooking time to 4-5 hours on low, or 1-2 hours on high.
Now, this recipe video is a little different from my recipe. My friend Jessica made the video for me and swapped out some of the ingredients to make it more kid-friendly. I’ll share her Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken recipe separately soon – but the process of cooking my recipe and hers is the same. Check it out and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe:
Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breasts
- Cooked rice*
- Pineapple juice
- Chicken broth
- Minced garlic
- Soy sauce
- Minced ginger, optional
- Crushed pineapple, for serving
- Green onions, for serving
- BBQ Sauce, for serving, optional
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: after cooking, you can sprinkle some crushed macadamia nuts on top for added texture.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Instant Pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spoon or spatula
How to Make Hawaiian Chicken in the Instant Pot
Place the chicken breasts in the Instant Pot.
In a measuring cup, stir together the pineapple juice, broth, garlic and soy sauce.
Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts.
If cooking from frozen, cook 10 minutes. If not frozen, 5 minutes on the Poultry setting. Natural release for at least 10 minutes.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve on a bed of rice. Garnish with crushed pineapple and green onions.
*To cook rice in your instant pot, use 2 cups of rice and 3 cups of water. Use the rice button on Instant Pot and do a 10-minute natural pressure release.
Pin this Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken recipe:
Grab your free printable for our Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken recipe:
Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken
A super simple recipe for Pollo Hawaiiano made in the Instant Pot! This sweet and salty chicken recipe is an authentic Hawaiian chicken recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger, optional
- Crushed pineapple, for serving
- Green onions, for serving
- BBQ Sauce, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the Instant Pot.
- In a measuring cup, stir together the pineapple juice, broth, garlic and soy sauce.
- Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts.
- If cooking from frozen, cook 10 minutes. If not frozen, 5 minutes on the Poultry setting. Natural release for at least 10 minutes.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve on a bed of rice. Garnish with crushed pineapple and green onions.
Notes
To cook rice in your instant pot, use 2 cups of rice and 3 cups of water. Use the rice button on Instant Pot and do a 10-minute natural pressure release.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 278Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 469mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 22g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this super simple Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken recipe as much as mine did.
Check out some of our other Instant Pot Chicken recipes, like our Instant Pot Chicken Paprika stew or our Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken.
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