Name: Shoyu Chicken with Pineapple
Prep time: PT-484876H7M13S
Cook time: PT-484876H7M13S
Total time: PT-484876H7M13S
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients: 3-3 ¼ cup unsalted chicken stock; 15-ounce can full fat canned coconut milk; 1 ½ cup Jasmine rice; 1 teaspoon coarse salt; 1 tablespoon oil; 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 1 teaspoon coarse salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari; 2 ½ cups unsalted chicken stock; ½ cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar; ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons mirin (or ¾ cup rice wine vinegar + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar); 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 cup crushed pineapple; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced; 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced; 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water; ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced

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Sticky, salty, sweet: this shoyu chicken is loaded with all the best flavor components.

Paired with homemade coconut rice, tangy pineapple, and a garnish of sliced scallions, it’s the perfect meal any day of the week.

Great for nearly any eater, it’s easy to throw together and sure to feed your entire family in just under an hour.

Shoyu Chicken next to a bowl of coconut rice.

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About the Recipe

Shoyu chicken utilizes fresh, lean chicken thighs with a rich and sticky brown sauce consisting of soy sauce, chicken broth, mirin, fresh ginger, and crushed pineapple.

Shoyu sauce is a similar vibe to teriyaki sauce and is a great option for stir frying or marinating chicken, beef, or vegetables.

You can often find it served in Hawaii, alongside fluffy white rice, and their traditional Hawaiian-style macaroni salad.

This version is healthy, easy, and fairly quick to throw together.

It’s great as a weeknight meal or dressed up as a fancier dinner.

Serve it with coconut rice (recipe included below) and a side of your favorite vegetable.

It’s sticky, sweet, salty… the absolute best combination of flavors.

You really can’t go wrong with any of it!

Angle shot of shoyu chicken with pineapple.

Ingredients

A note about each component of this dish

Low sodium chicken broth and unsweetened coconut milk: both help to impart flavor and moisture into the jasmine rice.
- If you don’t like coconut milk, you can easily substitute for more broth or use water instead.
Jasmine rice: a medium grain rice that gets wonderfully flavorful and fluffy when cooked.
- See the chef’s tip for Instant Pot instructions.
Kosher salt: use the salt to help flavor the rice.
- Add as little or as much as you’d like, keeping in mind that the shoyu chicken has a slight saltiness to it as well.
Oil: use a flavorless oil that can stand up to heat.
- You will use the oil to cook the chicken thighs.
Boneless skinless chicken thighs: I use boneless skinless chicken thighs because they’re tender and fall apart easily when seared, then braised in the shoyu sauce.
- But, you can try this recipe with chicken breasts as well.
Low sodium soy sauce: soy sauce gives shoyu chicken it’s inherent umami, salty, slightly sweet flavor.
- Using the low sodium kind allows you to stay in control of the sodium content.
- Adjust the saltiness by adding salt to taste instead.
Low sodium chicken broth: the chicken broth helps to thin out the sauce while adding additional flavor.
- Again, use low sodium so that you can adjust the salt level to your own tastes and dietary preferences.
Brown sugar: brown sugar adds a sweet, sticky, caramelized glaze to the sauce.
- It pairs perfectly with the more acidic and salty flavors by toning them back a bit.
Mirin: mirin is a sweet rice wine.
- It adds a slightly sweet tang to the dish. Using it makes the dish taste more authentic, but you can substitute for a combination of rice vinegar and sugar instead, if you want.
Worcestershire sauce: this ingredient adds another flavor element.
- Again, umami, salty, and slightly seasoned flavors come into play.
Crushed pineapple: the perfect fresh flavor element.
- It pairs wonderfully with all the other flavors, adding it’s own tanginess and sweetness.
- When cooked, pineapple becomes juicy and sweet.
Garlic and ginger: you can never have a rich sauce without some extra flavor punches of garlic and ginger.
- The combination of the two truly packs a punch without overpowering the other saucey elements.
- It’s truly a match made in heaven.
Cornstarch and water: the combination of cornstarch and water, called a slurry, creates a thick, sticky sauce when added to the heat.
Green onions: these are great as a garnish on top, as they add the finishing touches of flavor to the rich dish.

Instructions

To make rice, bring chicken broth and coconut milk to a boil in a saucepan.
Add rice and simmer 15-20 minutes with the lid on, until the liquid has absorbed and the rice is tender. Season to taste with salt.
To make chicken, heat oil in a large skillet or stock pot to medium-high.
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.
Place thighs in hot oil and sear on both sides.
While chicken cooks, prepare the sauce.
In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, mirin, Worcestershire and crushed pineapple. Stir in garlic and ginger.
Pour sauce in pot/skillet with chicken.
Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to medium-low; place cover on pan and cook 25-30 minutes, until chicken is tender and pulls apart easily.
Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken and place in a bowl.
Turn heat up to high and whisk in cornstarch/water mixture.
Allow sauce to thicken, then place chicken back in the pot and coat with sauce.
Serve Shoyu chicken with coconut rice and garnish with green onions.

Substitutions and Alternatives

Instead of coconut milk: if you aren’t a fan of coconut, you can simply make plain jasmine rice by skipping the coconut milk and using about 4 cups of broth or water instead. (Follow the rice package instructions for best results.)
For a gluten free version: use tamari instead of soy sauce.
If you don’t have or can’t find mirin: use ¾ cup rice wine vinegar + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.
For the pineapple: You can also use fresh, canned, or frozen pineapple.

Shoyu Chicken recipe in a white ceramic dish.

Fun Facts

Is shoyu chicken healthy?

Shoyu chicken is a protein-packed, flavorful dish.
It can also be a bit on the sweeter side, but some of that comes from nutrient-packed pineapple.
- If you’d prefer less added sugar, you can use less of the brown sugar.
Any scratch-made recipe is great if you’re watching your salt intake, as it allows you to remain in control of the sodium levels.
- I recommend using low sodium soy sauce.

Is shoyu chicken spicy?

This version is not spicy, though some others may be.
- The sauce for this chicken is more on the savory/umami/sweet side than spicy.
If you would like it to be spicy, you can always add in your favorite raw chili peppers and sauté them with the rest of the sauce ingredients.

What is shoyu sauce made of?

Shoyu sauce is a soy-based sauce.
It is commonly used in Hawaiian-style teriyaki chicken and consists of soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic.
It is salty, sweet, and perfect for stir frying or marinating.
Often, it is paired with grilled pineapple to add a subtle hint of freshness.
- Although this may not be authentic, we added crushed pineapple to the sauce. Yum!

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