BBQ Hawaiian Chicken Bowls | BBQ Recipes

Someone had a genius epiphany when pineapple and barbecue were paired together. It must have been someone on the Hawaiian islands because that was the first time I experienced the heavenly pairing of barbecue flavors and pineapple. It’s that odd combination of sweet, savory and tang that works so well together and can almost be addictive. Like getting Thai takeout - is there anything more resistible than Pad Thai?! I started bringing the pineapple game with a burger and I’m continuing it today with a quick and easy chicken bowl that will bring a little extra pizazz to your dinner table.

Let’s start with the fact that this is a super easy weeknight meal. Everything can be made on the grill, except the rice. Definitely make the rice on the stove. Or you can cook all the ingredients up on a grill pan over the stove. All the ingredients whip up rather quick so you can spend less time cooking and more time kicking your feet up after a long day. I mean, who really wants to do anything on Monday nights other than put on comfy pants and binge Netflix? I got the rice moving and then started on the prep for the rest of the dish. The rice finished around the time that the rest of the meal was complete.

The “bowl” meal, as I like to call it, has gained in popularity in the last few years. Smoothie bowls are all the rage for breakfast and power bowls are the lunch go-to for anyone interested in healthy meals. I love bowls because I’m one of those people who loves an excuse to mix all my food together. When you have a meal on a plate, it’s almost as if you’re supposed to keep each part separate. If it’s served in a bowl, it becomes this delightful combination of all the things you were expected to eat separate as a kid. I love chicken and rice. I love chicken and rice with barbecue sauce. Why should I be forced to eat my rice dry and only have the barbecue sauce with the chicken? It seems wildly unfair, wouldn’t you think? You know, now that I’m getting a little introspective about how I serve food, this is probably one of the biggest reasons I love soup. It’s all mixed together! I digress though. I haven’t embraced the “bowl” trend too much on here but that might change. In the meantime, treat yourself to these Mini Lamb Meatballs with Quinoa & Roasted Veggies or Turkey Burrito Bowls.

So tell me, are you a fan of mixing all your food together or do you prefer to keep it apart? Believe me, there are some things I will not mix together but dinner seems so much more fun when it’s served in a bowl. At least I think so!

BBQ Hawaiian Chicken Bowls
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
1 recipe of this BBQ Sauce, divided in half (or about 2 cups of your own BBQ sauce)
8 Pineapple Spears
1 Green Bell Pepper, quartered and seeds removed
1 Red Bell Pepper, quartered and seeds removed
Salt & Pepper
3 cups Rice, cooked

Directions:
1 - Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat).

2 - Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper. Coat them all generously with half of the barbecue sauce. Reserve the other half of the sauce and keep separate from any raw meat so that it is not contaminated. Place the chicken on the grill (or grill pan) and cook about 6-8 minutes per side until completely cooked through.

3 - After flipping the chicken, brush the pineapple and peppers with some of the remaining barbecue sauce. Place on the grill and let cook a few minutes per side or until grill marks appear.

4 - Divide the rice among four bowls or plates. Slice each chicken breast and add to the bowl with the pineapple and peppers. Drizzle each bowl with the remaining barbecue sauce.