There’s grilled chicken, and then there’s Grilled Malibu Chicken. An elevated, island version of the nostalgic dish from Sizzer – without the freezer burn vibe. The buttery pineapple glaze takes the whole thing to another level, and I’ll show you how easy this meal is to throw together!
Seasoned chicken breasts get slathered with a sticky-sweet-smoky sauce, then layered with thin slices of ham, melty Swiss cheese, and grilled pineapple rings for drama and indulgence. Naturally gluten-free and pairs with SO many things, this will be your go-to dish for warm weather entertaining!
Why You'll Love This Chicken Malibu Recipe
- It’s a fun twist on a classic.
- The savory, buttery glaze that gets brushed all over everything? swoon
- Grilled pineapple is always a good idea
- You get to pull out your grill and hang out on your deck while you make dinner.
- It makes a really good meal for entertaining and can be scaled up really easily.
What is Malibu Chicken?
Malibu Chicken is a classic dish typically made with breaded and fried chicken breasts topped with ham and Swiss cheese, then baked until the cheese is melted and bubbly. However, if you know me, you know I like to mix things up a bit. That's why this recipe takes a twist by using the grill! Enjoy the delicious combination of chicken, savory ham, and gooey melted cheese without the need for frying!
Chicken Malibu Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken breasts
- BBQ seasoning (I used Montreal Steak Seasoning)
- Deli ham (thin)
- Canned pineapple
- Swiss cheese
- Pineapple juice (from the can)
- Butter or ghee
- Plain yellow mustard
- Honey
- Molasses
- Coconut aminos
- Chili powder
How to Make Grilled Pineapple Chicken Recipe
- Slice through the thicker part of the chicken breasts horizontally to make them more uniform in thickness. They cook faster this way, the meat goes farther, and it's more flavorful when you're using sauces or marinades. Season both sides of each breast with the BBQ seasoning, cover and refrigerate at least an hour.
- Combine the butter, pineapple juice, mustard, honey, molasses, coconut aminos, and chili powder a medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth, then set aside.
- Prepare your grill for two-zone cooking (direct and indirect) at medium-high heat (about 400ºF/200ºC). Or if that last sentence makes you panic, turn on your grill-pan to medium-high heat.
- Quickly grill one side of each breast and each pineapple ring over direct heat until they are seared and have nice grill marks, about two minutes. Flip each breast and ring, brush with the sauce, and cook another two minutes.
- Move the chicken to the indirect part of the grill (or a not-so-hot part of your pan) and brush the top of each with the sauce. Top each breast with two slices of ham and drizzle the ham with the sauce. Put a slice of cheese then a pineapple ring on each breast and drizzle yet again with the sauce. Continue cooking with the grill lid down (or in my case, a piece of aluminum foil. . . grill masters are rolling their eyes, I'm sure) until the internal temperature reaches 160ºF (70ºC), about 10 minutes.
- Drizzle some more sauce ontop and serve!
Pineapple Grilled Chicken tips
Try not to move your chicken and pineapple too much while they’re on the grill - We want those beautiful grill marks and for the pineapple to caramelize in those places.
What to Serve with Grilled Chicken and Pineapple
I love to serve my Malibu chicken with these refreshing sides:
Roasted Broccoli
Cucumber Tomato Salad with Feta
Cucumber Jicama Slaw
Sauteed Green Beans
Coleslaw
Marinated Grilled Zucchini
How to Store Chicken Malibu
I highly recommend eating them all if you can since they’re best fresh off the grill. If you have leftovers you’d like to store, just put them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Malibu Chicken Recipe FAQs
Cordon Bleu chicken involves rolling it up with ham and cheese, followed by coating in breadcrumbs and frying. In contrast, Malibu chicken features ham and cheese melted directly over the chicken.
According to Carb Manager, Malibu Chicken contains 11g total carbs, 11g net carbs, 25g fat, 22g protein, and 360 calories.
For the best grilled pineapple, I would cut my slices about ½-inch think. The easiest way is to use a mandoline slicer.
Using a little oil on the grill and try not to move the pineapple too much - We want those beautiful grill marks and for the pineapple to caramelize in places.
More Grilled Pineapple Recipes
Grilled Pineapple and Jalapeno Salsa
Southwest Sausage and Pineapple Skewers
If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!
Grilled Malibu Chicken Recipe
Grilled Malibu Chicken takes malibu chicken to another level! I love the sweet & spicy buttery glaze that get brushed on during cooking.
Ingredients
- 6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
- 2 Tablespoons BBQ seasoning (I used Montreal Steak Seasoning)
- 12 slices deli ham (thin)
- 6 slices canned pineapple
- 6 slices Swiss cheese
- ½ cup pineapple juice (from the can)
- 4 Tablespoons grassfed butter or ghee
- 1 Tablespoon plain yellow mustard
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon molasses
- 2 teaspoons coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- The original recipe suggested pounding the thicker parts of the breasts to make them more uniform in thickness, but I simply sliced through them horizontally to form two thin breasts out of each one. They cook faster this way, the meat goes farther, and it's more flavorful when you're using sauces or marinades. Season both sides of each breast with the BBQ seasoning, cover and refrigerate at least an hour.
- Combine the butter, pineapple juice, mustard, honey, molasses, coconut aminos, and chili powder a medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth, then set aside.
- Prepare your grill for two-zone cooking (direct and indirect) at medium-high heat (about 400º). Or if that last sentence makes you panic, turn on your grill-pan to medium-high heat.
- Quickly grill one side of each breast and each pineapple ring over direct heat until they are seared and have nice grill marks, about two minutes. Flip each breast and ring, brush with the sauce, and cook another two minutes.
- Move the chicken to the indirect part of the grill (or a not-so-hot part of your pan) and brush the top of each with the sauce. Top each breast with two slices of ham and drizzle the ham with the sauce. Put a slice of cheese then a pineapple ring on each breast and drizzle yet again with the sauce. Continue cooking with the grill lid down (or in my case, a piece of aluminum foil. . . grill masters are rolling their eyes, I'm sure) until the internal temperature reaches 160º, about 10 minutes.
- Serve with . . . another drizzle of sauce.
Side Dish Suggestions: We ate this with a green salad, roasted broccoli, and garlic bread. D-LISH.
Notes
Nat's Notes:
1. The first time I made this I used fresh pineapple. Instead of buying pineapple juice separately, I just pureed enough pineapple to make ½ cup for the sauce. It made it thicker, but still tasted great.
2. If you can't find coconut aminos you can use Worcestershire sauce.
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