Sweet & Savory Hawaiian Chicken (with a Breading Hack)

This Hawaiian chicken is breaded with toasted Hawaiian roll crumbs and finished with a tangy pineapple-soy glaze. A tropical twist on crispy chicken you’ll love!

Do you ever get tired of making the same chicken over and over and over again? I definitely do! There are a few regulars that definitely have to show up here now and then but I like newness.

I like to be different.

Some recipes just sound like a vacation – this is one of them. Think crispy, golden chicken cutlets coated in buttery toasted Hawaiian roll crumbs (yes, those beloved rolls you “accidentally” eat half a pack of), then drizzled with a glossy pineapple-soy pan sauce that hits all the sweet-and-savory notes. I pile mine over couscous because it soaks up every drop of that sauce, but rice or noodles would be just as happy underneath. It’s part weeknight dinner, part tropical escape, no plane ticket required.

The sauce isn’t very sweet, just enough. It’s actually the marinade that I boiled down while the chicken was cooking, and added some butter and thickened it with flour.

🍽️ What to Serve With Hawaiian Chicken

Keep the vacation vibe going with simple sides. A tangy cabbage slaw or grilled vegetables balance the sweetness perfectly. If you’re feeling a little extra, add a side of coconut rice or grilled pineapple. And maybe a margarita if you’ve had one of those days.

💡 Recipe Notes + Tips

• Hawaiian Roll Crumbs — the secret weapon:
If you’ve never blitzed Hawaiian rolls into breadcrumbs, prepare to question every breadcrumb you’ve ever used. They toast up beautifully golden and bring a subtle sweetness that regular panko can only dream about. Bonus: it’s a great way to use up the half-package you didn’t “accidentally” inhale.

• Chicken Cut Matters:
Thin chicken breasts cook fast and stay juicy – perfect for busy weeknights. If your chicken pieces are thicker, just give them a quick pound to even things out. (It’s also strangely therapeutic.)

• The Pineapple-Soy Sauce Situation:
This is where the magic happens. Pineapple juice brings tang and sweetness, soy sauce brings salt and depth, and together they make a glossy pan sauce that’ll have you spooning it over everything in sight. If you like it thicker, let it simmer an extra minute or whisk in a tiny bit of cornstarch.

• The Couscous Connection:
Couscous soaks up the sauce beautifully, but don’t feel boxed in. White rice, jasmine rice, or even coconut rice would all be excellent partners. Quinoa works too, if you’re into that kind of thing.

• Make-Ahead Tip:
You can bread the chicken ahead of time and refrigerate it for a few hours before cooking. Just let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes before hitting the skillet so it crisps up evenly.

• Sauce Shortcut:
If you somehow run out of pineapple juice (tragic), orange juice works in a pinch — the flavor’s a little different but still delicious. Add a squeeze of lime to keep things bright.

Continue to Content

Sweet & Savory Hawaiian Chicken (with a Secret Breading Hack!)

Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients

• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ¾ cup pineapple juice
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 package Hawaiian rolls, ripped into little pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Seasoned salt
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp flour
• ½ cup water
• 10 oz box couscous

Instructions

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pineapple juice, sesame oil and ginger.
2. Add chicken to a gallon sized zip lock bag, pour in the marinade and seal. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 425°.
4. Arrange bread pieces on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoned salt.
5. Bake for 3-5 minutes, until browned and crispy. Remove and pulse in a food processor until it resembles bread crumbs.
6. Decrease oven temp to 350.
7. Remove chicken (reserving marinade) and dredge in bread crumbs until coated.
8. Place on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray and bake for 30-40 minutes, until done throughout.
9. While chicken is baking, whisk the flour and water together.
10. Pour the remaining marinade in a small sauce pan with the butter, and bring to a boil for about 2 minutes.
11. Reduce to medium for about 3 minutes.
12. Add water/flour mixture, stirring constantly, reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 1-2 more minutes.
13. Serve chicken over couscous and drizzle with sauce.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 440Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 2042mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 42g

The provided nutrition calculated may not always be accurate.

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