Description
This Pineapple Chicken recipe features tender, boneless chicken breasts baked with tangy barbecue sauce, sweet pineapple slices, and a rich brown sugar-soy glaze. It's a quick, flavorful dish perfect for a weeknight dinner that combines smoky, sweet, and savory flavors in one easy pan.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 3 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 12 tablespoons barbecue sauce, divided, thick works best
- 2 cups pineapple, sliced or rings
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Prepare chicken: Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create 6 evenly sized cutlets. Brush both sides of each cutlet generously with barbecue sauce, roughly 2 tablespoons per piece.
- Arrange pineapple: Place the pineapple slices or rings evenly on top of the sauced chicken cutlets in the baking pan.
- Make brown sugar paste: In a small bowl, combine the dark brown sugar and soy sauce, stirring until it forms a thick paste. Spoon this mixture evenly over the pineapple pieces on the chicken.
- Bake chicken: Bake the chicken uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. During the last few minutes, baste the chicken by spooning the pan sauce over the pineapple to keep it moist and flavorful.
- Rest and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and loosely cover with foil. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
Notes
- This recipe uses only five ingredients, making it quick and easy to prepare on busy weeknights.
- Using thick barbecue sauce gives the best flavor and coating for the chicken.
- You can substitute fresh pineapple with canned pineapple rings if needed; drain them well before using.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to the brown sugar-soy paste for a slight kick.
- Resting the chicken after baking helps keep it juicy and tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 241 kcal
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 661 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 72 mg
