Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken
A deliciously sweet and savory dish featuring tender chicken cooked with pineapple and a rich brown sugar glaze, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Protein
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs Cut into medium chunks
- 1 can pineapple chunks 20 oz can with juice
- 0.5 cup brown sugar Light or dark
- 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
- to taste N/A salt and pepper
- optional N/A red pepper flakes If you like it with a touch of heat
- optional N/A chopped green onions Optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13-inch dish.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Brown in a skillet with olive oil for 4 minutes.
- Whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, ginger, and cornstarch to make the glaze.
- Transfer chicken to baking dish, add pineapple with juice, pour glaze, and stir to coat.
- Cover with foil and bake 25–30 minutes. Remove foil, bake 5–10 minutes to caramelize.
- Rest for 5 minutes, garnish with green onions or pineapple chunks, and serve.
Notes
For extra flavor, marinate chicken in the glaze for 30 minutes before cooking.