Loaded Hawaiian Chicken Burger Bowls with juicy chicken patties, charred pineapple, crisp veggies, romaine, and a homemade teriyaki sauce and mayo. These wholesome bowls are dairy-free and suitable for Whole30 and paleo plans.
Burgers are classic comfort food — flavorful and satisfying — but the bun and extra calories can leave you feeling overly full. These Hawaiian Chicken Burger Bowls deliver the same favorite burger flavors without the heaviness of a bun. Think of them as a deconstructed burger with the best parts: juicy chicken, charred pineapple, crunchy veggies and a sticky-sweet teriyaki glaze.
What is a burger bowl?
A burger bowl takes all the elements you love in a burger (except the bun) and layers them into a nutritious, colorful bowl. You get balanced bites of protein, veggies and sauce in every forkful, and it’s less messy to eat than a sandwich.
What is a Hawaiian Chicken Burger?
A Hawaiian chicken burger — often called an Aloha Burger — pairs a chicken patty with charred pineapple and teriyaki sauce. The combination of lean ground chicken, caramelized pineapple and a sticky teriyaki glaze is bright, sweet and satisfying. Brushing the patties and pineapple with teriyaki before serving adds a concentrated burst of flavor.
How to make Hawaiian Chicken Burger Bowls
Teriyaki sauce
Blend all teriyaki ingredients except the arrowroot until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, then stir in the arrowroot slurry and whisk 1–2 minutes until it thickens. The sauce will thicken more as it cools; reheat briefly if it becomes difficult to spread.
Chicken patties
In a bowl, combine ground chicken, grated zucchini, grated carrot, scallion, egg, ground ginger, coconut aminos and sea salt. Mix until evenly combined. Heat avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. With wet hands, form small patties (about 14 mini-patties with a standard ice cream scoop). Add to the hot skillet without overcrowding.
Lower heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes, flip, then cook another 2–3 minutes, flattening slightly to ensure even cooking. Remove cooked patties and repeat with remaining mixture, wiping the pan and adding oil between batches as needed.
After the patties are done, wipe the pan and quickly cook pineapple rings until golden on both sides. Brush patties and pineapple with teriyaki sauce before adding to the bowls.
Teriyaki mayo and prep
Chop romaine, slice red onion, core and strip bell peppers, and prepare pineapple if using fresh. For the teriyaki mayo, whisk together mayo, teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, pineapple juice and a pinch of cayenne until smooth.
Assemble the bowls
Divide shredded romaine, bell pepper strips and sliced onion among four bowls. Add 2–3 chicken patties and a couple of pineapple rings per bowl, brushing them with teriyaki. Finish with a drizzle of teriyaki mayo, sprinkle sesame seeds and scallions, and serve immediately.
Patties vs crumbled meat
Both work well. Whole patties make for an attractive bowl, while crumbled cooked meat mixes more evenly so every bite contains chicken. Crumbling is also easier for cooks less confident with shaping and cooking patties.
Meat swaps
Ground turkey, beef, bison or pork can be substituted for ground chicken with no other changes required.
Tips and variations
- Swap or add veggies like julienned carrots or shelled edamame for extra color and texture.
- If you’re short on time, use a compliant store-bought teriyaki sauce instead of making your own.
- You can cook the meat as crumbles: skip the egg and grated veggies, brown the mince in avocado oil, season, and stir in ginger near the end.
- For a Mexican twist, top with guacamole and your favorite Mexican-seasoned chicken patties.
- If you prefer to avoid mayo, mix teriyaki sauce with a cashew cream or other dairy-free cream for a creamy drizzle.
Hawaiian Chicken Burger Bowls
Loaded Hawaiian Chicken Burger bowls with juicy chicken patties, charred pineapple, veggies, lettuce, and a homemade teriyaki sauce & mayo. Dairy-free, Whole30 and paleo-friendly.
Ingredients
Bowl
- 8 cups shredded romaine (about two medium heads)
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 pineapple rings, fresh or canned
- 2 red bell peppers, cored and cut into strips
- Sesame seeds, to serve
- Scallions, chopped to serve
Teriyaki mayo
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce (see teriyaki recipe)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp pineapple juice
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Teriyaki sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice (fresh or from canned pineapple)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp arrowroot dissolved in 2 tsp water
Chicken burgers
- 1 lb ground chicken breast (450–500 g)
- 1/2 cup peeled, finely grated zucchini (one small)
- 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot (about one medium)
- 2 tbsp scallion, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp coconut aminos
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp avocado oil (plus more as needed)
Instructions
Teriyaki sauce
- Place all teriyaki ingredients except the arrowroot in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, stir in the arrowroot slurry and whisk 1–2 minutes until it thickens. Set aside.
- Note: sauce thickens more as it cools; reheat briefly if needed to spread.
Prep and mayo
- Chop romaine, slice onion, prepare pineapple and bell peppers. Set aside.
- Combine teriyaki mayo ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Chicken burgers & pineapple
- Mix ground chicken, zucchini, carrot, scallion, egg, ginger, coconut aminos and salt until combined.
- Heat avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Form small patties with wet hands and add to the skillet without overcrowding.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes. Flip and cook 2–3 more minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Remove patties and repeat with remaining mixture. Wipe the pan and cook pineapple rings until golden on both sides.
Assemble
- Divide lettuce, bell pepper strips and onion slices among four bowls.
- Brush patties and pineapple with teriyaki and place 2–3 pieces per bowl.
- Top with sesame seeds, scallions, drizzle with teriyaki mayo and enjoy.
Notes
- Store-bought Whole30-compliant teriyaki sauce can be used to save time.
- Other veggie options: julienned carrots, edamame or any crunchy vegetables you like.
- Swap ground chicken for turkey, beef, bison or pork if preferred.
- To make crumbled meat instead of patties, omit egg and grated veggies, brown the minced meat in oil, season and stir in ginger at the end.
- Add guacamole for extra creaminess and flavor.
- If you avoid mayo, mix teriyaki with a cashew cream or another dairy-free cream alternative for a drizzle.
If you try this recipe, rate it and share how it went in the comments — feedback is always welcome!
More healthy bowl recipes you will love:
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Thai Chicken Patties & Veggie Bowl with Peanut Sauce
- Glazed Salmon Soba Noodle Bowls
- Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Breakfast Berry Quinoa Bowls