Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Bowls

I made the ribs. Steve rub with white sugar and a honey finish and four hours at 275 and ten minutes on the grill. I ate them alone on the balcony on the Fourth and they were exactly right. I texted Steve a photo and he texted back one word: "Good." From Steve, that is a full standing ovation. I sent him the blog post when I wrote it up and he called to tell me I had the oven temperature wrong in the recipe, which I did not, but this is how Steve gives compliments so I accepted the correction graciously.

Ryan came home from his shift on the fifth and I had kept a rack of ribs for him in the fridge and reheated them wrapped in foil at low heat and they were still excellent and he said so. He also said the firehouse had an unofficial cookout in the station bay — someone brought a portable grill, which apparently happens every Fourth at their station as a tradition — and he had made his chili as a contribution. I told him his chili has more readers than my entire first year of blogging. He said he did not know what that meant but thank you.

Wedding update: we found a venue. It is not in Oak Lawn, it is in the city, a VFW hall on the southwest side that my dad actually belongs to and uses for union meetings sometimes. We looked at it over the weekend and it is the right size, the price is right, and there is a kitchen we can use. Patty took one look at it and said we can work with this, which from Patty means she has already redesigned it in her head. We can work with this.

The blog post was the Fourth of July ribs — Steve rub method with the honey finish — and I got an email from a food magazine asking if I would be interested in contributing a column. I read it three times to make sure it was real. I said I would think about it. I am thinking about it.

The ribs were a one-rack occasion—something I built up to, executed exactly once, and then replicated the next day for Ryan because they were worth it. But the instinct behind them, the sweet glaze, the low heat, the patience—that doesn’t go away when the holiday does. These Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Bowls are what I make when I want that same summer satisfaction on a Tuesday, with less ceremony and the same reward. It is also, quietly, a recipe Steve has not yet called to correct.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup BBQ sauce (your preferred brand or homemade)
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks, drained
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup edamame, shelled
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Salt and black pepper to taste
Cooking oil for the pan or grill

Instructions

Make the glaze. Whisk together the BBQ sauce, pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup for serving and set aside.
Marinate the chicken. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Pour the remaining glaze over the chicken and toss to coat. Let sit at least 10 minutes, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Cook the chicken. Heat a lightly oiled grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken thighs 5—6 minutes per side, basting once more with the glaze, until cooked through and caramelized. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
Rest and slice. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Slice or chop into bite-sized pieces.
Cook the rice. While the chicken cooks, prepare your rice according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork and season lightly with salt.
Build the bowls. Divide the rice among four bowls. Top each with chicken, pineapple chunks, shredded cabbage, and edamame.
Finish and serve. Drizzle the reserved glaze over each bowl. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Bowls — When the Ribs Are Gone and Summer Isn’t