Pineapple Chicken
Enjoy pineapple chicken simmered in a finger-licking good, sweetish, and tangy sauce that sports a garlicky twang. Juicy, fall-off-the-bone tender chicken is loaded with flavor for a family favorite any time of year.
Yes, I do love chicken thighs. No part of the chicken is as juicy, flavorful, and mouthwatering, at least in my opinion. Not only that, the legs and thighs are usually the most economical cut.
Why Pineapple Works With Chicken
Pineapple, with its tropical vibes, delivers a sweet, tangy balance to chicken’s savory umaminess. The natural sugars caramelize for extra sweetness that really shines in slow cooking and stir-fries. Plus, the acidity adds a bright freshness that rivals that of lemon. There’s no way to lose with this amazing fruit.
How to Make Pineapple Chicken
- Prep and season the chicken with a homemade rub. Sear it and set it aside. Then sauté the pineapple until it’s caramelized.
- Sauté the garlic and onion, add the hot sauce, pineapple juice, and the rest of the seasonings.
- Place the chicken back in the skillet, add the thyme, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until done and the sauce thickens. Enjoy.
Tips and Notes
- Instead of the homemade rub, try spicing up the chicken with Creole seasoning.
- Stovetop version. Cut up boneless, skinless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, brown them, and set aside. Make the sauce, add the chicken and thyme, then simmer on the stovetop until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens.
- To add heat, sriracha, homemade pepper sauce, or a diced scotch bonnet pepper will work. Adjust the amount to taste or leave it out completely.
- Fresh pineapple is great if you have it. But canned is available at a good price year-round. Oh, and I used fresh pineapple in the salsa instead of grilled.
Make-Ahead and Leftover Makeover
If making this ahead for easy meal prep, I remove the skin because it will lose its crispiness. Let it come to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze it for 3-4 months. Heat it back up on the stovetop until bubbling and heated through, and enjoy.
Chop up the chicken, heat a little oil in a skillet, and toast leftover rice. Add the chicken, a little toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce, and heat through for a uniquely original fried rice. A cup or two of chicken stock will turn it into chicken soup for the soul with a tropical twist.
Menu Ideas for Pineapple Chicken
My classic sides are coconut rice and pineapple black bean salad. But it also goes great with easy roasted vegetables, Hawaiian sweet rolls, and noodles.
More Budget-Saving Chicken Recipes to Enjoy
- Blackened Spatchcock Chicken
- Braised Chicken in Coconut Milk
- Yassa Chicken
- Lime Chicken and Rice
- Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”P2YwGtgT” upload-date=”2019-08-03T15:30:41.000Z” name=”Baked Pineapple Chicken” description=”Pineapple Chicken Thighs in roast pineapple and slightly garlicky spicy sauce. Juicy, tender and loaded with flavor. A great family meal that would please adults and kids alike.”]
This recipe was first published in April 2016 and has been updated with more useful tips, delicious-looking photos, and a video.
Baked Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
The Chicken
- 2½-3 pounds (1-1.5kg) chicken thighs (5-6 thighs)
- salt and pepper to taste (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons (4-5g) onion powder
- 1 teaspoon (2g) dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon (2g) dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon (3-4g) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (3g) smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon (1-2g) white pepper
- ½ teaspoon (2g) bouillon powder or salt
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) cooking oil
Pineapple Glaze
- 2 cups (500g) chopped pineapple (fresh or canned, drained)
- 2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
- ¼ cup (25g) minced onion
- 1 teaspoon (3g) smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon (3g) sriracha or hot sauce (optional)
- 2 cups (470ml) pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon (21g) honey
- 1 sprig thyme
- ½ teaspoon (1-2g) freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Trim the chicken of excess fat, rinse, and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, white pepper, and bouillon powder and mix well. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with a generous amount of the spice blend, reserving the rest for the glaze.
- Preheat oven to 400℉ (205℃).
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in an oven-proof cast-iron pan.
- Add chicken, skin-side down, to the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side or until slightly browned. Don’t worry that it’s not cooked through because it will finish in the oven. Set aside.
- Clean any burns from the pan, leaving some of the oil and adding more if needed.
- Brown the pineapple for 7-8 minutes or until lightly caramelized. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the garlic, onions, smoked paprika, and optional sriracha or hot sauce.
- Pour in about 2 cups of pineapple juice and the honey, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. Adjust for seasoning with the reserved spice blend (I added 2 teaspoons).
- Place the chicken back in the skillet, add a sprig of thyme, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is done.
- Remove from oven, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with parsley, and enjoy.
Tips & Notes:
- How much salt will depend on your tastes and dietary requirements. For low salt, start with ½ teaspoon per pound and increase up to 1 teaspoon per pound for salt lovers.
- Add more pineapple juice or water if you see the sauce is drying out before the chicken is done.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the ingredients used.
I made this recipe tonight…… I added 5 or 6 carrots cut in half, and chunked a red pepper. I used a large can of crushed pineapple that I separated into the fruit and juice with a sieve and a splash of water to make a full 2 cups of juice…….and a half an onion that I sautéed with the garlic after browning the chicken which also gets up the burnt bits in the pan……I did add the honey but I’m not sure it is necessary as the pineapple and juice is already sweet enough……………… Overall: really easy and really delicious! My husband told me so about five times afterwards tonight!
Hi Monica,
That sounds like a fantastic twist on the recipe! The carrots, red pepper, and pineapple must have added great flavor and texture. Good call on sautéing the onion with the garlic to lift those delicious browned bits! And if your husband raved about it five times, I’d say it was a big success! Thanks for sharing!
“This is the best chicken you ever made!” my boyfriend said. It was a hit to say the least. My sauce didn’t thicken possibly because I had to omit the pineapple chunks, so I added 4 tsp of cornstarch slurry. Thank you for sharing! Will be making again 🙂
Fantastic! Thank you for sharing your tweaks, Cora 🙂
Always looking for chicken recipes. Cooking now. My sauce was bit runny but know the rice will soak it up. Smells so good and has all of husbands favorite foods. Steamed rice and steamed carrots and broccoli round it out.
Thank you so much and looking for your other recipes.
Thank you Nonna Mary. I’m so happy you tried it. The next time, you can simmer the sauce a little longer or add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up. (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water, then pour it while stirring into the sauce and simmer until it turns clear.)