Description
Ready in under an hour, baked pineapple teriyaki chicken is a quick dinner recipe for busy nights. The thick and delicious homemade teriyaki sauce adds tons of fresh, bold flavor—and you control the ingredients, sodium, and spice. Serve with rice or quinoa and vegetables for a wholesome meal.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon room-temperature water
- 1/4 cup (50g) light or dark brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (43g) honey
- 1/2 cup (120ml) soy sauce
- 1/4 cup (60ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs. total)
- 1 cup (175–190g) fresh or canned pineapple chunks*
- optional: chopped scallion/green onion and sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Use a fork to whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. It will be a thick, milky liquid. Combine the cornstarch mixture, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisking occasionally, bring to a boil. Once boiling, stop whisking and allow to boil for 2 minutes, or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and is the consistency of maple syrup. Turn off the heat and set aside for at least 10 minutes, allowing it to cool and thicken.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly grease a 2–3-quart baking dish, such as a 10-inch baking pan, 11×7-inch baking pan, shallow 9×13-inch pan, or 10-inch cast iron skillet. In the photos, I used this exact pan. Set aside.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Arrange in the prepared pan. Add the pineapples on top and all around the chicken. Pour sauce on top, then turn the chicken over to make sure every inch is coated in the sauce. Use a basting/pastry brush if needed.
- Bake uncovered for 30–32 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through (internal temperature should be at least 165°F (74°C)). This is optional: at the 25-minute mark, remove from the oven and carefully slice the chicken into chunks, then return to the oven. The smaller the chicken pieces, the more sauce they’ll soak up. You can also cut up the chicken prior to cooking.
- Sprinkle green onion and sesame seeds on top and serve the chicken and pineapple with sauce from the pan poured on top. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The teriyaki sauce, prepared in step 1, can be made 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. You can even prepare the dish and chicken through step 3, cover the pan tightly, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature, and then bake as directed.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Saucepan | Casserole Dish (any similar size will work; I used this pan in photos) | Pastry Brush
- For a rounded out meal, serve with broccoli, rice, quinoa, baked sweet potatoes, or anything to soak up the delicious teriyaki sauce.
- Pineapple: You can use fresh, canned (drained), or even frozen pineapple. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry first. You can also skip the pineapple altogether if desired, or replace with 1 cup sliced red bell pepper.
- Slight updates in 2025: I increased the sauce’s boiling time from 1 minute to 2 minutes to allow for a thicker sauce. You will also pat the chicken dry, which helps the sauce coat it easier.