The Tropical '70s Cocktail We Don't See People Ordering Much Anymore

If you're a fan of tropical cocktails, then you need to know about this easy-to-make, three-ingredient drink from the '70s. The Chi Chi consists of vodka, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut (not coconut cream). Served on the rocks, it's refreshing and creamy, with the sweet taste of pineapple front and center.

The drink originated at Don the Beachcomber, a chain of tiki bar restaurants founded by Donn Beach, a pioneer of mid-century tiki culture. The original version was called the Macadamia Nut Chi Chi and contained one extra ingredient: macadamia nut liqueur. Over time, the liqueur was dropped and the drink became a three-ingredient cocktail. 

To make the Chi Chi, add 4 ounces of pineapple juice, 1 ½ ounces of vodka, and 1 ounce of cream of coconut  to a cocktail shaker with ice. Give it a good shake for about 20 seconds, until chilled. Finally, strain and pour into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge or a maraschino cherry (or both).

You've likely already noticed that the Chi Chi is extremely similar to another, much more popular tropical drink: the piña colada. (A piña colada contains rum instead of vodka.) With this in mind, you can take inspiration from the piña colada if you want to try customizing the Chi Chi.

Some variations of the piña colada contain an extra ingredient or two, such as our ultimate piña colada, which adds in a ½ ounce of pineapple gum syrup for extra flavor. This is an easy way to upgrade a Chi Chi as well, especially if you want to make sure that the pineapple flavor is super prominent. Other recipes include lime juice to add acidity to balance out the richness from the cream. This also works for a Chi Chi. Additionally, piña coladas are often served blended. Many prefer the drink this way to make it extra refreshing. For a frozen Chi Chi, follow the instructions for our frozen piña colada and simply swap out the rum for vodka.

There's also the option to make the Chi Chi the way it was originally concocted — with macadamia nut liqueur. This liqueur is available to buy online, but if you are unable to find it or just don't want to buy a bottle, you can try subbing it for amaretto, a more common nutty liqueur.