Hawaiian Chicken Pineapple Glaze (Printable)

Juicy chicken glazed in a sweet, tangy pineapple sauce with colorful bell peppers and tropical island flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Sauce

03 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
04 - 1 cup pineapple juice
05 - 1/3 cup soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce if needed)
06 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
07 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch blended with 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Toppings and Garnish

11 - 1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned and drained
12 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
13 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
14 - Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
02 - In the same skillet, pour in the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Whisk to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
03 - Stir the pineapple chunks and diced red bell pepper into the simmering sauce. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the pepper has softened slightly yet retains a crisp-tender bite.
04 - Pour in the cornstarch and water slurry while stirring continuously. Continue cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and reaches a glossy, thickened consistency.
05 - Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet, turning each one to coat evenly in the thickened sauce. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, allowing the chicken to heat through and absorb the sweet-and-savory glaze.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter and spoon the sauce, pineapple chunks, and bell peppers over the chicken. Finish with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve alongside steamed jasmine or coconut rice.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is sticky, glossy, and balances sweet and tangy in a way that makes people scrape their plates clean.
  • It comes together in one skillet, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent and you get all the credit with half the work.
02 -
  • Do not skip scraping the browned bits from the pan when you build the sauce, because that fond is where half the flavor lives.
  • Cornstarch must be mixed with cold water before adding to hot liquid or you will end up with lumpy, unappealing clumps.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes after searing before returning it to the sauce so the juices redistribute instead of running out.
  • If your sauce is not thickening enough, give it one more minute of vigorous stirring over medium heat rather than adding more cornstarch.

Go Back