Hawaiian Pineapple Glazed Chicken (Printable)
Juicy chicken thighs glazed with sweet pineapple soy sauce, bell peppers, and onions for a vibrant tropical dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Meat
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
→ Fresh Produce
02 - 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 medium yellow bell pepper, sliced
04 - 1 small red onion, sliced
05 - 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
→ Marinade & Sauce
08 - 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
09 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice
10 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
11 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
→ Garnish
14 - 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
15 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
# How To Make:
01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, minced garlic, grated ginger, and rice vinegar until well combined. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for basting later.
02 - Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow bowl and pour in the remaining marinade. Seal and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding the used marinade. Sear the chicken thighs for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and nearly cooked through.
04 - Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. In the same skillet, add the sliced red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, and pineapple chunks. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are just softened but still vibrant.
05 - Return the chicken to the skillet and pour in the reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce coats the chicken and vegetables evenly.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately alongside steamed jasmine rice or cauliflower rice.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sauce walks a perfect line between sweet and savory, making picky eaters and adventurous ones equally happy at the table.
- Everything cooks in a single skillet, which means cleanup is almost embarrassingly easy for something this flavorful.
02 -
- Never reuse the marinade that raw chicken sat in, even for basting, because that is a one way ticket to food poisoning and no recipe is worth that risk.
- The cornstarch slurry needs to be stirred right before you add it, since cornstarch settles fast and you will end up with clumpy blobs instead of a silky sauce.
03 -
- Let the skillet get genuinely hot before adding the chicken because a proper sear creates the fond that gives the final sauce its deep, complex flavor.
- Fresh pineapple makes a real difference here since the enzymes help tenderize the chicken while the natural sugars caramelize in a way canned fruit simply cannot match.