Born in the valley of dinosaurs, made with love on island time. The Story Behind the Burger After a long day adventuring through the lush green trails of Jurassic Park Valley on the North Shore of Oʻahu, we pulled our Kombi into a quiet campsite just as the golden light dipped below the cliffs. The kids were tired but hungry, and the air was thick with the scent of ocean salt and kiawe smoke drifting through the palms.
That’s when this burger came to life. With our trusty Snow Peak fire pit, a stack of seasoned kiawe wood, and some good tunes on the old radio, we grilled up what would soon become our go-to campfire meal: Fire Hawaiian Chicken Burgers. Juicy, flame-grilled chicken breasts with crispy bacon, melted cheese, smoky pineapple, and creamy kewpie mayo—all tucked into a soft roll. A meal worthy of any island adventure.
This recipe feeds our trio every time the road calls us. We cook, we laugh, and we always finish with a crunch of sweet potato chips and sticky pineapple fingers.
Fire Hawaiian Chicken Burgers!!
Ingredients
5 free-range chicken breasts (cut vertically into halves for faster, even grilling)
¾ cup olive oil (for brushing)
5 slices American cheddar cheese
5 slices cooked bacon (crispy edges are best)
5 gluten-free or Kaiser rolls
¾ cup Kewpie mayonnaise
5 lettuce leaves
5 tomato slices
5 grilled onion rounds
5 slices of fresh pineapple (grilled lightly)
Optional: crunchy potato chips for serving
Grilling Method
Prep the Fire: Use ready coals or traditional Hawaiian kiawe wood. If using wood, let it burn down to glowing embers and break them up for an even base heat. (Too many flames will over char the outside and leave the inside uncooked) Set your Snow Peak grate to Level 2 height for medium heat.
Oil the Chicken: Lightly coat each chicken piece in olive oil. Season simply with sea salt and cracked pepper (or your favorite island rub if you’ve got one we used a mix from Season and Co for some spice).
Grill Time:Place chicken on the grate and grill for 4–5 minutes per side or until fully cooked and slightly charred, grill the bacon (be careful as bacon can spit fat when it drips into the coals). Add pineapple and onion rounds to grill in the last few minutes to get those perfect caramelised marks.
Melt & Stack: In the last minute of cooking, place cheese on the chicken so it melts slightly. Toast your buns on the grill until warm and golden.
*Assemble the Burgers
1. Spread Kewpie mayo on both sides of the bun.
2. Layer with lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, cheesy chicken, bacon, and pineapple.
3. Close the burger with a smile and serve hot.
Tips from the Island
Let the kids help by choosing their toppings.
Pair with fresh-cut mango or sweet potato crisps
Enjoy barefoot, under the stars, with good company playing charades as seen on the below.