Why I love this pineapple chicken recipe
Ok. I’m going to be honest. I don’t know the origin of this dish. I thought for the longest time that it was a Chinese takeout dish, but I couldn’t really find any concrete evidence to back that up upon google.
I honestly didn’t even know what to call it. Is it pineapple teriyaki chicken? Is it sweet and sour chicken with pineapple? Is it Hawaiian chicken? I’m just not sure.
But, I am sure about how easy and delicious it is, though. It’s like a little vacation for your mouth, and all you have to do is bake it.
So for now, I’m calling it baked pineapple chicken, and I’m serving it with a heap of garlic rice and big handful of cilantro and my favorite black sesame seeds.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
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Buy Now → Ingredient notes:
I used fresh pineapple to make this recipe, but you can use canned pineapple chunks if that’s what you have. The flavor will definitely be better with fresh, but canned works in a pinch and can be a little less expensive. Just be sure to drain your can.
The sauce in this recipe is just a blend pineapple juice and store bought teriyaki sauce – this is the brand we use, and we love it – but you can also swap in a homemade teriyaki sauce or a basic stir fry sauce if you prefer.
How to make pineapple teriyaki chicken
Prep the ingredients. Preheat your oven to 400˚F and chop all of your ingredients. You can go ahead and place them right onto your baking sheet as you chop.
Make the sauce. In a small bowl, mix the teriyaki sauce, pineapple juice and cornstarch until smooth. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables and stir directly on the baking sheet to coat them in the sauce.
Alternatively, you can making everything together in a bowl and transfer it to the baking sheet.
Bake the chicken. Put the baking sheet into your preheated oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes – or until the chicken reaches 165˚F and the sauce has started to thicken.
Toss and serve. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and stir the mixture to distribute the thickened sauce before serving.
FAQs and tips for making the best pineapple chicken
Normally, we try to make our own sauces and condiments, but that’s just not always possible. Our favorite bottled teriyaki sauce is Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce and Marinade. It has the freshest flavor and tastes less processed to us.
Yes. Pineapple juice contains enzymes that tenderize and break down meat. It takes a bit of time though, so this recipe will not benefit from the pineapple juice in that way. It does, however, get tons of flavor from the pineapple.
More pineapple recipes you’ll love:
- Pineapple cookies
- Pineapple salsa
- Pineapple mezcal margaritas
- Pineapple stuffing
- Pina colada smoothie
More dairy free chicken recipes:
- Spinach artichoke chicken
- Chicken stuffed peppers
- Spanish chicken
- Grilled chicken thighs
- Honey mustard chicken
Baked Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken, cubed
- 1 head broccoli, about 2 cups florets
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
- 3/4 cup teriyaki sauce
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- For garnish: sesame seeds, cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Place chicken, broccoli, pepper, onion and pineapple on a large baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the teriyaki sauce, pineapple juice and cornstarch until smooth. Pour over the ingredients on the sheet pan and stir (or use clean hands) to evenly coat with sauce.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken and the vegetables have softened.
- Remove from oven and stir to distribute the sauce more evenly.
- Garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds before serving (optional).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I can’t wait to try this recipe I love to cook we were so used to eating the same dishes over and over again. And with our busy work schedules it was easier but I love to try new things any chance I get
Can this possibly be made as a weekly meal prep meal for lunches?
I don’t see why you couldn’t make this and store it in individual containers to be eaten throughout the week. The leftovers reheat well.
Delicious recipe! I used canned pineapple tidbits instead of fresh pineapple and frozen broccoli florets, which worked great. Prep time for me was a lot more than 10 minutes, but the taste was worth it. I like veggies, so next time will increase them to at least 1 1/2 times what’s called for. Definitely will use this recipe often!
Really good! I’ll serve over brown rice next time, as the recipe is very saucy & I’d love it even more on brown rice.