This Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken is the sweet and savory dinner that makes everyone ask for seconds. Tender chicken baked with caramelized pineapple and brown sugar glaze for perfect balance of flavors. Takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. I make this Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken whenever I need something that tastes like takeout but uses simple ingredients and bakes hands-free in the oven.
Why You'll Love This Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken Recipe
Real talk, this Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken is one of the easiest chicken pineapple brown sugar recipes I've made and my family devours every bite.
What Actually Works: This Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken recipe coats chicken pieces in brown sugar mixture, tops with pineapple chunks and their juice, then bakes until chicken is tender and sauce is thick and glossy. Simple baking technique, about 40 minutes total. Comes out with juicy chicken, caramelized pineapple, and that sticky sweet glaze everyone loves.
Why Other Methods Fail: Most baked chicken with pineapple and brown sugar attempts mess up by using too much liquid which makes watery sauce instead of thick glaze. Others don't drain pineapple properly so everything swims in juice. Some overbake until chicken is dry and pineapple burns.
The thing that changed everything: Understanding that you need proper liquid ratio and correct temperature for Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken success. My first attempt I used entire can of pineapple with all the juice. The chicken swam in watery liquid and never developed that sticky glaze.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken Recipe
- What You'll Need for Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
- How to Make Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
- Top Tip
- Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Storage and Reuse Instructions
- What to Serve With Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
- My Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken Journey
- FAQ
- More Recipes You'll Love
- Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
- Related
- Pairing
What You'll Need for Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
Basic ingredients you probably already have. This is the easiest savory dinner you'll make.
For the Chicken
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Salt and black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Olive oil
For the Pineapple Brown Sugar Sauce
- Brown sugar, packed
- Pineapple chunks, drained (reserve some juice)
- Soy sauce
- Fresh garlic, minced
- Ground ginger
- Cornstarch for thickening
For Garnish
- Green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds
- Fresh cilantro
- Red pepper flakes
Optional Add-Ins
- Bell peppers
- Onion chunks
- Teriyaki sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sriracha for heat
Exact measurements in the recipe card.
How to Make Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
This Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken recipe comes together with simple mixing and baking. The technique is foolproof.
Step 1: Prep the Chicken
Pat chicken pieces dry and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cut into bite-sized pieces if using breasts for your chicken recipes boneless preparation.
The dry surface helps browning and seasoning creates flavor base for pineapple chicken recipes success.
Step 2: Make the Brown Sugar Sauce
Mix brown sugar, reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, ground ginger, and cornstarch in bowl until smooth for your pineapple chicken base.
The cornstarch thickens sauce as it bakes creating that glossy coating instead of thin liquid for quick chicken dinner.
Step 3: Combine in Baking Dish
Place chicken pieces in greased 9x13 baking dish. Pour brown sugar sauce over chicken, then scatter pineapple chunks around and on top of chicken.
Toss everything to coat chicken in sauce for fast dinners that taste like you spent hours cooking.
Step 4: Bake Until Tender
Bake at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes, basting chicken halfway through, until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature and sauce is thick and bubbly.
The basting redistributes sauce and helps it reduce into glaze for crowd pleasing recipes appearance.
Step 5: Broil for Caramelization
Optional: broil for 2 to 3 minutes at end to caramelize pineapple and brown edges. Watch carefully to prevent burning your dinners for kids favorite.
The broiling creates restaurant-quality finish with charred pineapple bits that add depth to winter food comfort.
Step 6: Garnish and Serve
Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice with extra sauce spooned on top for teriyaki chicken pineapple bowl effect.
The finished dish looks impressive with glossy sauce coating everything. These pork and pineapple recipes techniques work identically for baked pineapple chicken variations.
Top Tip
Drain pineapple properly and use cornstarch for perfect Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken. Here's what I learned through failures:
- That proper liquid ratio is what makes this actually work
- Made this mistake twice using entire can of pineapple with all juice
- The chicken swam in watery liquid that never thickened
- Sauce was thin and flavorless instead of thick sticky glaze
- Had to drain liquid halfway through and start over
- Started draining pineapple and reserving just ¼ cup juice
- Mixed cornstarch into sauce for thickening power
- Suddenly got restaurant quality pineapple salsa chicken style glaze
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
The base Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken is perfect but you can customize it for different preferences.
Slow Cooker Method
Use brown sugar pineapple chicken crockpot method by cooking on low 4 hours. Add cornstarch slurry at end to thicken for pineapple chicken marinade that's hands-off.
Chicken Thighs Version
Use boneless skinless thighs for pineapple chicken thighs that stay juicier and more flavorful. The dark meat works perfectly with sweet sauce.
Grilled Option
Marinate chicken in sauce then grill with pineapple for grilled pineapple chicken with smoky char. Brush with extra sauce while cooking for teriyaki chicken with pineapple effect.
Storage and Reuse Instructions
Yeah, Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken keeps great for meal prep.
Refrigerator: Store leftover brown sugar chicken crockpot style covered in fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in skillet or microwave with splash of water to loosen sauce.
Freezing: This simple pineapple chicken recipe freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely, store in freezer bags with sauce. Thaw overnight and reheat thoroughly.
Make Ahead: Marinate chicken in sauce up to 24 hours ahead for hawaiian pineapple chicken recipe meal prep. Bake fresh when ready to eat for best texture.
Serving: Serve this baked pineapple chicken recipe hot over rice. The sauce is most flavorful when freshly made and coating chicken.
What to Serve With Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
This Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken pairs perfectly with simple sides that soak up sauce.
Rice Options: Serve brown sugar pineapple chicken recipe over white rice, brown rice, or fried rice. The rice soaks up sweet sauce without competing with chicken and pineapple recipes bbc inspired flavors.
Vegetable Sides: Steamed broccoli, snap peas, or roasted vegetables balance the caribbean pineapple chicken recipe sweetness. Keep vegetables simple to let chicken shine.
Asian Sides: Egg rolls, potstickers, or cucumber salad complement the brown sugar pineapple chicken wings alternative flavors. The Asian theme stays consistent throughout meal.
My Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken Journey
First time I made Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken I used entire can of pineapple chunks with all the juice because I thought more liquid meant more sauce. The chicken swam in watery pool.
The sauce never thickened even after 45 minutes of baking. It tasted okay but looked terrible with thin runny liquid instead of glossy glaze.
Tried again draining pineapple well and using only ¼ cup reserved juice mixed with cornstarch. Suddenly the sauce thickened beautifully into sticky glaze that coated chicken perfectly. The transformation was dramatic.
Then I baked at 400°F trying to speed things up. The sauce burnt on edges before chicken cooked through. Started using 375°F and got perfect even cooking with caramelized but not burnt sauce.
Now I make this Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken weekly for easy family dinner. Proper liquid ratio, cornstarch thickening, correct temperature, and optional broiling create restaurant results.
Similar Easy Chicken Recipes Worth Making
Teriyaki Chicken Pineapple Bowl: Uses similar sweet sauce with teriyaki base for teriyaki chicken pineapple bowl that's equally delicious.
Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken: Adds ham and extra pineapple for hawaiian pineapple chicken recipe with tropical flair.
Pineapple Chicken Wings: Uses same sauce on wings for brown sugar pineapple chicken wings appetizer that's sticky and sweet.
These pineapple chicken marinade variations all use similar techniques to Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken, so once you master this recipe the others become straightforward.
FAQ
What are the ingredients in Pineapple Chicken?
Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken contains chicken pieces, brown sugar, pineapple chunks, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch for thickening. The chicken pineapple brown sugar combination creates sweet and savory balance. Some versions add bell peppers or onions for brown sugar and pineapple chicken with extra vegetables.
How to make pineapple sauce for chicken and rice?
Make pineapple sauce for Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken by mixing brown sugar, reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, ginger, and cornstarch until smooth. The pineapple and brown sugar chicken sauce thickens as it bakes or simmers. Pour over chicken and rice for baked chicken with pineapple and brown sugar complete meal.
How do I make sweet and sour chicken with pineapple?
Make sweet and sour version of Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken by adding rice vinegar and ketchup to brown sugar sauce. The chicken recipes boneless work perfectly with sweet and sour flavors. Add bell peppers and onions for pineapple chicken recipes with authentic Chinese takeout taste.
What do you serve with Pineapple Chicken?
Serve Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken over steamed white or brown rice to soak up sauce. The pineapple chicken pairs well with steamed broccoli, snap peas, or egg rolls. Simple cucumber salad or Asian slaw balance quick chicken sweetness for fast dinners that feel complete.
More Recipes You'll Love
Once you've nailed this Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken, try my Sweet Potato Taco Bowl for roasted sweet potatoes loaded with taco fillings. My Chicken Gyros make marinated grilled chicken in pita with tzatziki sauce. And my Creamy Garlic Pasta creates silky sauce with parmesan that everyone devours.
Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat chicken dry and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, cut into bite-sized pieces if needed.
- Mix brown sugar, ¼ cup reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, ground ginger, and cornstarch in bowl until smooth.
- Place chicken pieces in greased 9x13 baking dish, pour brown sugar sauce over chicken, scatter drained pineapple chunks around and on top, toss to coat.
- Bake at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes basting halfway through until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature and sauce is thick and bubbly.
- Optional: broil 2 to 3 minutes to caramelize pineapple and brown edges, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, serve over rice with extra sauce.
Nutrition
Notes
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken:
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