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Whiskey Pineapple Chicken

Whiskey Pineapple Chicken features a sweet-savory pineapple marinade that caramelizes into a whiskey-pineapple glaze on the grill. You’ll get sticky, smoky charred chicken thighs served with grilled pineapple rings for a tropical BBQ vibe.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian Fusion
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 2 lb chicken thighs
Whiskey pineapple marinade
  • 0.5 cup pineapple juice
  • 0.25 cup whiskey use for marinade plus basting reserve
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
Grilled pineapple
  • 1 Grilled pineapple slices for serving; also grill 2 minutes per side

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the pineapple-whiskey marinade
  1. Whisk pineapple juice, whiskey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and grated ginger together until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks smooth.
  2. Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade for basting, then set the remaining marinade aside for marinating.
Marinate the chicken
  1. Coat the chicken thighs with the reserved marinade (the larger remaining portion) and refrigerate for 1-4 hours to let the flavors soak in.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat and grill the chicken thighs for 6-7 minutes per side, basting frequently with the reserved 1/3 cup so the surface caramelizes.
Grill the pineapple
  1. Place pineapple slices on the grill and cook for 2 minutes per side, until they show grill marks and look lightly caramelized.
Serve
  1. Serve the grilled whiskey-pineapple chicken with the grilled pineapple slices on the side.

Notes

For maximum caramelization, keep the grill at steady medium heat and baste often during the final minutes so the glaze reduces without burning. Refrigerate leftover chicken in a covered container for up to 3 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, replace the brown sugar with a 1:1 brown sugar substitute (or reduce to 2 tbsp) to keep the sweet-savory balance with less sugar.