I've mentioned before that I will randomly wake up in the middle of the night with new recipe ideas, but if you're new here, it's totally normal.

Sometimes I'll also try and brainstorm new flavor combinations if I can't sleep. So either way, the middle of the night is when my best ideas are born.

And let me tell you, today's recipe is one of those ideas! It started out as a "bowl," but I hated the pictures I took and I didn't like the process. It seemed... boring. Like there was no creativity behind it.

After that lousy photoshoot, I went back to the drawing board, keeping the marinade and the flavors but changing the method and presentation.

Just a little plugin for those of you who need lots of iterations of your ideas before you land with the final: the process is totally worth it. I know it's frustrating to do it over and over again, but you'll always be happier in the end.

I'm certainly happy with the final result of this dish!

Today's Easy Baked Hawaiian BBQ Chicken is absolutely incredible: juicy chicken smothered in a homemade marinade and wrapped in bacon served over a bed of sweet, fluffy coconut rice and topped with a fresh jalapeno pineapple salsa.

Every little ingredient adds up to an explosion of flavor in your mouth and you'll wish you'd doubled the recipe!

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About hawaiian BBQ chicken

What does Hawaiian BBQ sauce taste like?

A little sweet, a little spicy, and a little tangy! The brown sugar and molasses sweeten the tomato sauce, habanero peppers and smoked paprika add some heat, and the acidity of pineapple juice gives that tangy citrus flavor. There's also hints of soy sauce and ginger as well. It's a flavor combination unlike any other!

What is a Hawaiian BBQ?

Traditionally, a Hawaiian BBQ, or a "luau," includes smoked meat (like chicken or pork) served with a side of rice and lots of fresh ingredients like coconut, pineapple, and mango. Spam is also a very common food served at luaus.

This Hawaiian BBQ Chicken recipe is a fun twist on all of those classic flavors that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home! We're using:

• Chicken breasts: a leaner cut of chicken you can bake right in your oven. Don't worry about digging a hole in your backyard! If you happen to have a grill, this baked BBQ chicken recipe will also work with a grill.
• Turkey bacon: the yummier pork alternative to spam. It gets wrapped around the chicken and basted with the homemade hawaiian bbq sauce!
• Homemade Hawaiian BBQ sauce: a unique blend of spicy BBQ sauce, pineapple juice, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and ginger that marinates the chicken. Make sure to save the leftovers for smothering at the end!
• Coconut rice: the best rice. Period. All you need is coconut milk, instant white rice, a splash of almond milk, and Stevia!
• Jalapeno Pineapple Salsa: where all the flavors come together. As someone who does not like pineapple, I absolutely LOVED this salsa. It's that good! It comes together in 5 minutes with only jalapeno, pineapple, red pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Do not skip this part!

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How to make the best baked BBQ chicken

Like I mentioned earlier, this entire meal is ready in 30 minutes* with the best ingredients. There's hardly any work involved but you get maximum flavor!

*Please note that I consider this a 30 minute meal with marinated chicken. This means that you've already prepared the chicken before starting everything else. For the best results, I suggest prepping the chicken the night before or the morning of, then actually starting the recipe.

Here are the few simple steps for baked BBQ chicken:

1. Cut the chicken: I recommend using fresh chicken purchased in a styrofoam tray. This chicken is always sold per pound and each breast is usually exactly the same size, which makes portion control much easier. For example, if you bought two pounds of fresh chicken for this recipe and there were four chicken breasts in the tray, you'd know that each breast is 1/2 a pound. From there, you can cut each breast in half, which would give you eight 4-oz. portions (exactly what the recipe calls for).
2. Marinate the chicken: in a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the BBQ sauce ingredients, then pour into a large ziploc bag and toss with the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 48 hours.

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3. Bake the chicken: once the chicken has marinated, wrap each portion in a slice of bacon and place on a cooling rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through. I also love doing a quick broil-finish to crisp up the bacon!
4. Make the coconut rice: while the chicken is in the oven, bring the coconut milk to a boil and add in the instant rice. Cook for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and mix with the almond milk and the Stevia. Et voila! The easiest coconut rice!
5. Prepare the salsa: while the chicken and rice are cooking, dice up all your fresh ingredients for the salsa and toss in a large bowl. That's it!
6. Serve and devour: the best part! Serve one portion of baked BBQ chicken over 3/4 cup coconut rice with 1/2 cup salsa. You'll never be the same!

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Why you'll love this recipe

It's ready in 30 minutes: whether you're a busy mom or a busy college student, you'll always have time to make Hawaiian BBQ chicken! Everything basically makes itself, anyway. If you really want to streamline things, you can prep the chicken up to 48 hours in advance and take 10 minutes dice the fresh ingredients the night before!

It's allergen-friendly: yup, you read that right! This baked BBQ chicken is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. Everybody gets to enjoy it!

It's full of complex flavors: at first it might seem like there's a lot going on, but trust me when I say it all works. The signature tangy Hawaiian BBQ sauce with the sweet coconut rice and the spicy salsa just works.

You don't need a grill! Unlike most other Hawaiian BBQ chicken recipes out there, this one is a baked BBQ chicken recipe! You just need an oven and a baking sheet.

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More easy recipes to try

Easy 30 Minute BBQ Chicken Pizza (No Yeast Required!)

30 Minute Healthy Hawaiian Sloppy Joe Sliders

The Best Spicy Jamaican Jerk Burgers with Sweet Mango Sauce

Easy 30 Minute Beef Sheet Pan Quesadillas

Healthy Homemade Shrimp Alfredo Pasta

Irresistible 30 Minute Egg Roll in a Bowl

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OMG I can't wait for you to try this Hawaiian BBQ Chicken recipe! My husband and I raved about it for days and it converted me to liking pineapple.

After you try this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and review below so other readers know how you liked it! You can also tag me on social media with your finished dish - I love seeing my recipes in your home!