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Whiskey Pineapple Chicken

Whiskey chicken with a pineapple marinade creates caramelized, sweet-savory glaze that clings to grilled chicken. Finish with quick-grilled pineapple slices for a tropical BBQ flavor that’s smoky and glossy.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken marinade and glaze
  • 2 lb chicken thighs
  • 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
  • 1 cup grilled pineapple slices Use for serving; grilling is detailed in instructions.

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the whiskey-pineapple marinade
  1. In a bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, whiskey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Pour and reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade for basting later, then set the reserved portion aside.
Marinate
  1. Add chicken thighs to the remaining marinade and cover, then refrigerate for 1-4 hours to soak up the sweet-savory flavor.
Grill chicken and pineapple
  1. Preheat your grill to medium heat, then grill the marinated chicken thighs for 6-7 minutes per side, basting frequently with the reserved marinade.
  2. While the chicken cooks, grill pineapple slices for 2 minutes per side until lightly charred and warm.
Serve
  1. Serve the caramelized whiskey-pineapple chicken with the grilled pineapple slices on the side.

Notes

For best caramelization, keep basting to a frequent, thin layer so the sugars don’t burn; discard any leftover used marinade that touched raw chicken. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended because the grilled texture softens after thawing. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce (check labels) to keep the marinade sweet and savory.