Why you’ll love this pineapple chicken
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 on the internet.
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.
→ If you like this recipe, you should try these: spinach artichoke chicken / chicken stuffed peppers / Spanish chicken / honey mustard chicken
Ingredient notes:
- Pineapple – 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.
- Teriyaki sauce – This recipe uses store bought teriyaki sauce. I love Soy Vay’s teriyaki sauce. You can use any brand you like, including gluten free teriyaki sauce if you need it.
- Onion – Any type of onion will work in this recipe. We’ve used sweet, red and yellow onion.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
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. It also comes in gluten free, if needed.
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: pineapple salsa / pineapple mezcal margaritas / pineapple stuffing / pina colada smoothie
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
- Prep the ingredients. Preheat your oven to 400˚F and chop all of your ingredients. Place chicken, broccoli, pepper, onion and pineapple on a large baking sheet.
- Make the sauce. 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 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. Garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds before serving (optional).
Notes
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.