Description
Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken is a delicious sweet and savory dish that combines tender chicken with the tropical flavors of pineapple and a caramelized brown sugar glaze. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special weekend meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (Cut into medium chunks)
- 1 can pineapple chunks (20 oz can, with juice (do not drain))
- 0.5 cup brown sugar (Light or dark, depending on how deep you want the flavor)
- 0.33 cup soy sauce (Low sodium preferred)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (Balances the sweetness)
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger (Or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (Helps thicken the sauce)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (For browning chicken)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (Adds aromatic base)
- Salt and pepper (To taste)
- Red pepper flakes (Optional – If you like it with a touch of heat)
- Chopped green onions (Optional garnish)
Instructions
- Rest – Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease your 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Season the Chicken – Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Brown the Chicken in a Skillet – Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the seasoned chicken for about 4 minutes total, until golden but not cooked through.
- Whisk the Pineapple Glaze – In a mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, the pineapple juice from the can, rice vinegar, ground ginger, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Assemble in Baking Dish – Transfer the browned chicken to the baking dish. Pour pineapple chunks with juice over it and drizzle the glaze. Stir gently to coat.
- Bake Covered – Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25–30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (165°F) and sauce thickens.
- Caramelize Uncovered – Remove foil and bake another 5–10 minutes to caramelize the glaze.
- Rest and Garnish – Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions or reserved pineapple chunks.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken, Pineapple Chicken Recipe, Sweet and Savory Chicken, Easy Chicken Dinner
