Hawaiian Haystacks
This post may contain affiliate links.
This Hawaiian Haystacks recipe is your answer to “What’s for dinner?” when no one can agree on what to eat. It’s quick, customizable, and totally family-approved. Creamy chicken over rice with all the toppings you love. Think comfort food meets build-your-own bar.
This recipe calls for cooked chicken. I recommend my oven roasted chicken breast!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Customizable: Each person can tailor their plate to their liking, making it perfect for picky eaters and dietary preferences.
- Family-Friendly Meal Idea: The interactive nature of assembling the haystacks can make mealtime fun for kids and adults alike.
- Quick and Easy Dinner: Simple ingredients and straightforward preparation make this a great option for busy weeknights.
Hawaiian haystacks, despite their name, are not actually a traditional Hawaiian dish. Their origins are rooted in the United States. I was first introduced when I met my mother in-law. She taught me how to make this simple dinner and since that day we have slowly adapted it to be the version it is today!
Hawaiian Haystacks start with a base of fluffy rice, topped with a creamy chicken sauce, and then piled high with a variety of toppings. These toppings often include pineapple, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions, bell peppers, chow mein noodles, and sometimes coconut, olives, or almonds. The dish is known for its customizable nature, allowing each person to add their favorite toppings to create a personalized meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
This recipe comes down to a few basic ingredients. The full list that I provide in the recipe card should be used as a guide. Be sure to use any of your favorite vegetables.
- Chicken: The best chicken to use for Hawaiian haystacks is cooked, shredded chicken breast. I’ve also used rotisserie chicken with success.
- Rice: Over the dozens of times we’ve made this recipe we have tried all of the different rice options. Jasmine rice is our favorite. It cooks up light and fluffy, providing a perfect base for layering the other ingredients. However, we’ve used minute rice in a pinch and even cauliflower rice with great success.
- Sauce: I like to keep things simple so the sauce for this recipe is an easy three ingredients: Cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth.
- Toppings: The toppings are what make this dish truly special and customizable. Some of the best toppings include juicy pineapple chunks, shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped green onions, and crispy chow mein noodles for added crunch. For extra flavor and texture, you can also add sliced olives, slivered almonds, and a sprinkle of shredded coconut.
Jesseca’s Recipe Review
This Hawaiian Haystacks recipe is a go-to in our house. Especially on busy nights when I want something quick, customizable, and crowd-pleasing. The creamy chicken sauce is cozy and comforting, and everyone gets to pile on their favorite toppings. It’s one of those meals that feels like a buffet but comes together in under 30 minutes.
Tip from Jesseca:
Keep your toppings in separate bowls and let everyone build their own. It’s a fun way to get picky eaters more involved and actually excited about dinner.
Variations and Substitutions
The beauty about this easy dinner is how customizable it is. Whether you’re working with what’s in your pantry or feeding picky eaters, there’s plenty of wiggle room to make it work for you.
- Swap the soup base: Use cream of mushroom or cream of celery if you don’t have cream of chicken. You can even make a homemade white sauce if you prefer to skip canned soup.
- No cream cheese? Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt will give you a similar creamy texture with a little tang.
- Change up the protein: Rotisserie chicken works great here, but you can also use leftover turkey, canned chicken, or even cooked shredded pork.
- Make it vegetarian: Swap the chicken for chickpeas, black beans, or sautéed mushrooms and use veggie broth.
- Go low-carb: Serve the sauce and toppings over cauliflower rice instead of regular rice.
- Add extra toppings: Try olives, bell peppers, peas, mandarin oranges, avocado, or slivered almonds for more texture and flavor.
This dish is all about letting everyone build their perfect bowl, so don’t be afraid to get creative with your combinations!
Hawaiian Haystack Recipe
Haystacks are a weeknight win. The creamy chicken sauce comes together in one pot and the rest is all about fun toppings. Here’s a quick look at how to pull it together:
- Make the sauce. Combine cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth in a pot over medium heat. Stir until smooth and melted.
- Add the chicken. Stir in cooked shredded chicken and heat through.
- Assemble your haystacks. Start with a scoop of rice, then spoon the creamy chicken on top.
- Load up the toppings. Pineapple chunks, shredded cheese, tomatoes, green onion, and crispy chow mein noodles are classic, but make it your own!
This is the kind of dinner that gets everyone at the table excited and makes great leftovers too.
Helpful Tools
Here are some helpful tools for making Hawaiian haystacks:
- Small Pot or Saucepan: (affiliate) For heating and mixing the cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth.
- Mixing Spoon or Whisk: (affiliate) To stir the sauce and ensure it combines smoothly.
- Shredder or Grater: (affiliate) For shredding cheese if you’re using a block of cheese.
- Large Serving Spoon: (affiliate) For spooning the sauce over the rice.
- Rice Cooker or Pot.: (affiliate) For cooking the rice.
These tools will make the preparation process smoother and ensure your dinner turn out perfectly!
Recipe FAQs
If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add a little more cream cheese or reduce the amount of chicken broth. Alternatively, let the sauce simmer for a few extra minutes to thicken.
Yes, you can prepare the chicken sauce and toppings in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator and reheat the sauce before serving.
Store leftover chicken sauce and toppings in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the sauce on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
Yes, you can freeze the chicken sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove before serving.
Make sure to cook the rice according to the package instructions and avoid overcooking. Fluff the rice with a fork after cooking to keep it from clumping together.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
These are great for meal prep or next-day lunches, especially since the components store well separately.
- To store: Keep the creamy chicken sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store cooked rice and toppings separately for best texture. Chow mein noodles should be kept in a sealed bag at room temp to stay crisp.
- To reheat: Warm the chicken sauce on the stove or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until heated through. If it thickens too much, add a splash of broth or milk to loosen it up. Rice reheats well in the microwave with a damp paper towel on top.
- Make-ahead tip: The sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. You can also pre-chop toppings and cook rice ahead of time—just store everything separately and assemble when ready to serve. This makes weeknight dinners a breeze!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!
Easy Hawaiian Haystacks
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups chicken (cooked and shredded)
Haystacks
- 4 cups rice (cooked)
- pineapple chunks
- shredded cheese
- diced tomatoes
- green onion
- crispy chow mein noodles
Instructions
- Place a medium saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Add the cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Stir regularly until the cream cheese is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5–10 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked, shredded chicken and continue heating until everything is hot and evenly combined. Reduce heat to low to keep warm until ready to serve.
- Start with a bed of warm, cooked rice on each plate or bowl. Spoon the creamy chicken mixture over the top.
- Finish with your choice of toppings—pineapple chunks, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped green onions, and crispy chow mein noodles are all great options.
- Serve immediately and let everyone customize their plate. It’s fast, fun, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Related Recipes:
- Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Grilled Chicken Fajitas
- Easy Chicken Stir Fry
- Spicy Coconut Shrimp Tin Foil Dinner
- Southwest Chicken Tin Foil Meal
One of our tried and true family favorites!
can you freeze these and then thaw & cook?
Hi, This sounds delicious. I’m not familiar with tin foil cooking so I have a couple of questions. Is the 1 1/2 lbs. of chicken raw or pre-cooked? When you place the ingredients in the tin foil do you cover the top or cook open? Thanks so much, Abbey
Hi abbey! Yes, the chicken is raw when you stick it into your foil. You also do want to fold the tinfoil into a packet with a closed top.