Juicy Hawaiian Chicken Salad

Here is my favorite Hawaiian chicken salad recipe, with tender seasoned chicken, sweet pineapple chunks, crunchy walnuts, and a creamy honey-lime dressing that brings everything together.

This salad is perfect for summer lunches or potlucks when you want something filling but refreshing. My kids love picking out the pineapple pieces, and I love that it’s ready in about 30 minutes. Plus, any leftovers taste even better the next day!

What Kind of Pineapple Should I Use?

Fresh pineapple is always going to give you the best flavor and texture for this Hawaiian chicken salad, but canned pineapple chunks work just fine too. If you’re going with canned, make sure to drain them well and pat them dry with a paper towel so they don’t make your salad watery. Fresh pineapple gives you that bright, tangy sweetness and a firmer bite, while canned tends to be a bit softer and sweeter. You can even save some of that pineapple juice from the can to use in the dressing instead of water for an extra tropical punch.

Options for Substitutions

This tropical salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Chicken: You can swap chicken breast with chicken thighs for a juicier result, or use rotisserie chicken to save time. Just shred it and skip the cooking step entirely.
• Mayonnaise: Greek yogurt or sour cream makes a lighter alternative to mayo. You can also do half mayo and half yogurt if you want to keep some creaminess while cutting calories.
• Fresh pineapple: Canned pineapple chunks work perfectly fine here. Just drain them well and save that juice for the dressing instead of using water.
• Walnuts: Feel free to use pecans, cashews, or sliced almonds instead. Each brings its own flavor, so pick what you like or have on hand.
• Lettuce: Any leafy greens work here – try romaine, mixed greens, spinach, or even cabbage for extra crunch.
• Ginger-garlic paste: If you don’t have the paste, use 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder and ground ginger, or mince fresh garlic and ginger together.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this salad is overcooking the chicken, which turns it dry and chewy – use an instant-read thermometer and pull the chicken off the heat when it reaches 155°F, as it will continue cooking while it rests.

Don’t skip rinsing off the first marinade before adding the brown sugar mixture, because leaving the ginger-garlic paste on can create a burnt, bitter flavor when you pan-sear the chicken.

Make sure to let the cooked chicken cool completely before slicing and adding it to the salad, otherwise the heat will wilt your lettuce and make everything soggy.

For extra flavor, save a tablespoon of the brown sugar coating and sprinkle it in the pan while cooking to create a light caramelized crust on the chicken.

What to Serve With Hawaiian Chicken Salad?

This salad is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with some toasted Hawaiian rolls or soft dinner rolls on the side for scooping. You can also pile it onto a croissant or between two slices of toasted sourdough to turn it into a sandwich situation. If you want to keep things on the lighter side, some crispy tortilla chips or pita chips are perfect for adding a little crunch, and they’re great for scooping up any extra dressing at the bottom of the bowl. A simple fruit salad with melon and berries also pairs nicely since it echoes those sweet pineapple flavors in the salad.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your Hawaiian chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, store the dressing separately and toss everything together right before serving so the lettuce stays crisp and doesn’t get soggy.

Make Ahead: You can prep the chicken and chop all your ingredients a day ahead to save time. Just keep everything separate in the fridge and assemble the salad when you’re ready to eat. The walnuts stay crunchier if you add them at the last minute too.

Serve Chilled: This salad tastes best when it’s nice and cold, so give it at least 30 minutes in the fridge after assembling. If you stored it separately, just toss everything together and let it chill for a bit before digging in.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1050
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 55-65 g
• Carbohydrates: 55-70 g

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade:

• 12 oz chicken (cubed into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp honey

For the dressing:

• 3 oz mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp pineapple juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the salad:

• 2.5 oz onions (thinly sliced into half-moons)
• 5.3 oz lettuce (chopped into bite-sized 1-inch pieces)
• 7 oz pineapples (diced into 1/2-inch chunks)
• 2 oz walnuts (lightly toasted)
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Toast Walnuts

• 2 oz walnuts
• 5.3 oz lettuce
• 2.5 oz onions
• 7 oz pineapples
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro

While you prep your ingredients, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden.

Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, chop the lettuce into 1-inch bite-sized pieces, thinly slice the onions into half-moons, dice the pineapples into 1/2-inch chunks, and chop the cilantro.

Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and efficient.

Step 2: Season and Marinate the Chicken

• 12 oz chicken
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl with the ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tsp salt, and paprika.

Toss well to coat evenly, then let marinate for 1-2 hours at room temperature to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.

I like to marinate while doing other tasks rather than as a separate waiting step—it’s the perfect time to prep your other ingredients or get your kitchen organized.

Step 3: Cook the Chicken Until Golden

• marinated chicken from Step 2
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Rinse the marinated chicken under cool water to remove most of the spice coating, then pat dry with paper towels.

In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, 3/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes total).

Once cooked, sprinkle the brown sugar and pepper mixture over the warm chicken and toss to coat lightly, then set aside to cool slightly before dicing.

Step 4: Build the Creamy Dressing

• 3 oz mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp pineapple juice
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, pineapple juice, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp honey, and 1/4 tsp salt until smooth and well combined.

The dressing should be creamy but pourable—if it’s too thick, add a splash more pineapple juice.

I find that letting this dressing sit for 5 minutes allows the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a more cohesive tropical taste.

Step 5: Assemble and Dress the Salad

• lettuce, onions, pineapples, and walnuts from Step 1
• dressing from Step 4
• cooked chicken from Step 3
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, sliced onions, diced pineapples, and toasted walnuts from Step 1.

Pour the dressing from Step 4 over the vegetables and toss gently to coat.

Add the cooled cooked chicken from Step 3 and fold everything together carefully, being gentle to keep the pineapple chunks intact.

Garnish with fresh cilantro just before serving for maximum freshness and aroma.

Juicy Hawaiian Chicken Salad

Delicious Juicy Hawaiian Chicken Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 975 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken marinade

• 12 oz chicken (cubed into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp honey

For the dressing

• 3 oz mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp pineapple juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the salad

• 2.5 oz onions (thinly sliced into half-moons)
• 5.3 oz lettuce (chopped into bite-sized 1-inch pieces)
• 7 oz pineapples (diced into 1/2-inch chunks)
• 2 oz walnuts (lightly toasted)
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

 

• While you prep your ingredients, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, chop the lettuce into 1-inch bite-sized pieces, thinly slice the onions into half-moons, dice the pineapples into 1/2-inch chunks, and chop the cilantro. Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and efficient.
• Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl with the ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tsp salt, and paprika. Toss well to coat evenly, then let marinate for 1-2 hours at room temperature to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. I like to marinate while doing other tasks rather than as a separate waiting step—it's the perfect time to prep your other ingredients or get your kitchen organized.
• Rinse the marinated chicken under cool water to remove most of the spice coating, then pat dry with paper towels. In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, 3/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes total). Once cooked, sprinkle the brown sugar and pepper mixture over the warm chicken and toss to coat lightly, then set aside to cool slightly before dicing.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, pineapple juice, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp honey, and 1/4 tsp salt until smooth and well combined. The dressing should be creamy but pourable—if it's too thick, add a splash more pineapple juice. I find that letting this dressing sit for 5 minutes allows the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a more cohesive tropical taste.
• In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, sliced onions, diced pineapples, and toasted walnuts from Step 1. Pour the dressing from Step 4 over the vegetables and toss gently to coat. Add the cooled cooked chicken from Step 3 and fold everything together carefully, being gentle to keep the pineapple chunks intact. Garnish with fresh cilantro just before serving for maximum freshness and aroma.