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Whiskey Pineapple Chicken

Whiskey pineapple chicken with a sweet-savory pineapple marinade and caramelized whiskey glaze. Grilled chicken thighs get basting during medium-heat grilling, then served with quick-grilled pineapple slices.
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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: Dinner
Cuisine: Hawaiian Fusion
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb chicken thighs
Whiskey pineapple marinade & glaze
  • 0.5 cup pineapple juice
  • 0.25 cup whiskey
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
Grilled pineapple
  • 1 Grilled pineapple slices

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the whiskey pineapple marinade
  1. In a bowl, mix pineapple juice, whiskey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks glossy. Stir to fully combine with no dry sugar pockets.
  2. Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade in a separate container for basting later. Keep it ready so you can brush it on while grilling.
  3. Add chicken thighs to the remaining marinade and coat them all over. Cover and marinate for 1-4 hours at refrigerated temperature.
Grill the chicken and pineapple
  1. Preheat the grill to medium heat and set up for direct grilling. Wait until the grates are hot enough that a drop of marinade sizzles immediately.
  2. Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, then place thighs on the grill. Baste frequently with the reserved marinade as soon as they hit the grates.
  3. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes, turning once, until the surface is browned and the glaze looks caramelized. Baste again during the last 1-2 minutes for a deeper color.
  4. Flip the chicken and grill for an additional 6-7 minutes, basting frequently. Continue until the outside is sticky-glossy and the chicken is cooked through.
  5. Grill pineapple slices over medium heat for 2 minutes per side. Cook just until grill marks appear and the edges look lightly caramelized.
Serve
  1. Serve the caramelized whiskey pineapple chicken with the grilled pineapple slices on the side. Spoon any remaining glaze over the chicken right before plating.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep basting with the reserved 1/3 cup only; don’t reuse the marinade that touched raw chicken. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days—freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. For a lower-sugar option, reduce brown sugar to 3 tbsp while keeping the rest of the marinade the same.