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High Protein Hawaiian Inspired Chicken and Mac Salad

Baked chicken in a Hawaiian-inspired sweet and savory sauce with a side of creamy mac salad.

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Keyword Hawaiian inspired chicken, macaroni salad
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Taavi Moore

Ingredients

Hawaiian Inspired Chicken

  • ½ cup canned pineapple juice
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh garlic
  • 1 tbsp sriracha
  • 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

Mac Salad

  • 8 oz. dry macaroni
  • ½ cup greek yogurt
  • ½ cup shredded carrot
  • ¼ cup light mayo
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • Sliced green onion, for serving

Instructions

  1. Start by marinading the chicken. In a large mixing bowl or gallon ziploc bag, combine pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, fresh garlic and ginger, and sriracha. Add chicken and toss well to coat in marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally 8 hrs or overnight.

  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and fit with a rack. Place chicken on top of rack and bake for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Brush with some of leftover marinade, place under the broiler for a few minutes until chicken is starting to brown and caramelize. Save remaining marinade for later.

  3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt well. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions. Rinse under cold water until completely cool. Drain well and place in a large bowl.

  4. To the large bowl with the macraoni, add remaining mac salad ingredients. Toss well to coat macaroni in sauce. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

  5. Add remaining marinade to a small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute to kill off any raw chicken bacteria. Remove from heat.

  6. Serve chicken and brush over cooked down sauce. Serve with mac salad and garnish everything with sliced green onion.