Recipe Background
Hawaiian Chicken: A grilled dish enhanced by soy sauce and ginger.
Moving halfway across the world can be daunting, but when my family decided to spend a year living in Honolulu, Hawaii, it was a chance to embrace new adventures. I eased into island life with familiar flavors but wove in local inspiration. On our first weekend there, under the lush canopy of a backyard palm, I experimented with a marinade drawn from our Honolulu pantry staples: soy sauce, ginger, and a hint of sriracha for a gentle kick. Grabbing chicken thighs was a no-brainer as they grill beautifully, staying tender and full of flavor. The scent of sesame oil filled the air, mingling with the sweet and tangy notes of ketchup and rice vinegar.
Our impromptu barbecue turned into a warm welcome by the neighborhood. As we basted the sizzling chicken with the reserved marinade, the smoky backdrop set the scene perfectly for laughter and new friendships. I learned the importance of letting the chicken soak in the flavorful bath longer for deeper flavor, so a two-hour soak became our usual rhythm. It didn’t take long before this Hawaiian Chicken became a staple for every gathering, marking our transition from outsiders to part of the community. The rich sweetness highlighted by Worcestershire quickly became a comforting reminder that home isn’t just a place—it’s a feeling you can recreate, even thousands of miles away.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha optional
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger peeled and minced
- 3 pounds chicken thighs boneless and skinless, trimmed of fat
Directions
- Combine the ketchup, the soy sauce, the brown sugar, the rice vinegar, the sriracha, the Worcestershire, the sesame oil, the garlic, and the ginger in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add 1/4 cup of the marinade to a smaller bowl and reserve in the refrigerate.
- Add the chicken to the remaining marinade, tossing it to coat all the pieces evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate the marinated chicken bowl for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Add the chicken pieces, discarding the marinade, and grill, basting with the reserved 1/4 cup of the marinade occasionally.
- Grill the chicken until it is fully cooked to 165 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
- Serve hot.
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