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A simple summery 30 Minute Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice. Quick-cooking chicken tossed in a sweet and salty pineapple soy sauce marinade with pineapple juice, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger. Chili flakes are added for a slight spicy kick, but the coconut rice balances everything out. Serve this tropical pineapple chicken with plenty of fresh pineapple salsa and creamy avocado. Every bite is spicy-sweet, and the salsa on top adds a juicy, summery bite. It’s delicious, healthy, and so darn easy. Perfect for busy weeknights.
This is one of those recipes where I just love how easily it came together and how fresh it tastes. I know summer is all about stone fruit, berries and tomatoes, but pineapple and mangos often get overlooked. And lets be real, we all know I have a real sweet spot for fresh pineapple.
I love snacking on it and I love using it in savory dishes to create layers of flavor and color within my recipes.
And you know? I love cooking with what I have on hand, which is exactly what I did with this chicken. It started out as more of a Hawaiian style pineapple chicken, but it ended up have a bit of a Jamaican flair to it.
It’s unusual and unique, but so delicious and I’m pretty excited with how this turned out. It’s easy, made in one skillet, and just so flavorful. And then there’s coconut rice too…all the (good) things I love.
The process
First up, the sauce. It’s where all the flavor lies within this recipe. It’s a pineapple and soy sauce base with brown sugar and ketchup for sweetness (very Hawaiian). Plus garlic, shallots, and ginger, for some tang and kick. I also added some chili flakes for a little bit of spicy heat.
Next, toss the chicken with a little of the sauce, then let the chicken marinate for a few minutes. If time allows, you can marinate the chicken overnight for encore flavor…plus more tender pieces of chicken too.
While the chicken marinates, I like to toss together the salsa. This is where the Jamaican flair comes into play. I toss fresh pineapple chunks with lime juice, shallots, jalapeño, and some fresh thyme too.
The thyme might sound odd, but it’s heavily used in Jamaican jerk dishes that often feature fresh pineapple. I love the switch from the usual cilantro to the thyme. Its such a nice light flavor that really pairs so wonderfully with the pineapple and the salty-sweet chicken.
Before you begin with the chicken, I start a quick batch of coconut rice. It’s my absolute favorite side dish with this type of chicken dinner. Creamy with a very subtle sweetness and coconut flavor.
Now, pan-fry the chicken until both sides have cooked through. Then pour in the remaining pineapple soy sauce mix, and let it simmer down and caramelize over the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked. Stir in some fresh cilantro.
Now, put it all together
Serve the chicken over the coconut rice. Then grab that salsa and spoon it over the chicken. Add fresh diced avocado and a squeeze of lime juice.
And you guys…that’s it. This takes 30 minutes to make and it’s not only delicious but fun too!
Looking for other quick summer dinners? Here are some favorites:
Rosemary Peach Chicken in White Wine Pan Sauce
Greek Watermelon Feta Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
3 Cheese Zucchini “Ravioli” with Roasted Tomato Basil Sauce
Lastly, if you make this 30 Minute Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
30 Minute Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 361 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, or extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Pineapple Salsa
Instructions
- 1. In a glass jar, whisk together the soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, shallots, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of chili flakes. Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the chicken and let sit 15 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge. 2. Meanwhile, make the salsa: combine all ingredients in bowl. 3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, cook 5 minutes until cooked through on both sides. Reduce the heat to medium and pour in the remaining soy sauce mix. Cook until the sauce glazes the chicken and begins to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. 4. Serve the chicken over rice and spoon the salsa over the chicken. Sprinkle on the diced avocado and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
Coconut Rice: Combine 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk and 1/2 cup water in a medium pot. Bring to a low boil. Add 1 cup basmati rice and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, cover, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook 10 minutes on low, then turn the heat off completely and let the rice sit, covered for another 15-20 minutes (don't take any peeks inside!). Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
OMG!!! This was a Home Run! I subbed in tofu for the chicken & marinated it for about an hour at room temp. So good!
Hey Dale,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Can I do this in the oven? Or air fryer?
Hey Lisa,
Is there a reason you don’t want to do this on the stove top? You could try the oven, but I would not recommend the air fryer. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
This recipe is one that we will be making for years to come! We omitted the jalapeño and red pepper flakes due to toddler eaters who don’t do spicy and the dish was still bursting with flavor! I made it this week and it’s in our meal plan for next week too!
Hey Ashley,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Love this recipe! So good even though I subbed canned pineapple, I can’t wait to make this again!
Hey Nadia,
Happy Wednesday! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
I loved the soy sauce and pineapple combination with the coconut rice.
Hey Barb,
Happy Wednesday! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
I made it as instructed, and it was delicious! My husband loved it too. Next time I make it, I’ll be cutting the pineapple into smaller chunks ( I cut mine too big for my taste ); otherwise, this was a great summer meal. I’ve made several of your meals, and none have disappointed. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Andrea,
Happy Wednesday! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
Gotta say, pretty darn delicious!! We enjoyed this recipe a lot. The pineapple salsa totally puts this over the top. It turned out perfectly for me. Thanks!
Hey John,
Happy Wednesday! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
This was absolutely delicious – I loved every part of it, the combination was just amazing!
Hey Kelly,
Happy Wednesday! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
flavors were great and overall enjoyed this meal. that said, I had a similar issue to others where the marinade never really carmealized and I just had a ton of liquid in the pan at the end. eventually just had to give up and take it off the heat as I didn’t want to overcook the chicken.
Hey Olivia,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, it is key not to overcrowd your pan, you can also use some cornstarch to help thicken the sauce. I hope this helps for next time! xTieghan
This was delicious! Thank you!
Hey Paddy,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
I forgot to get pineapple juice and lime. I put some pineapple in my smoothie blender for a pureed juice. I wonder if this may be the reason my sauce was weird looking and did not carmelize. It tastes great!!! I bet the carmelization that I could not achieve would have created a more depth of flavor. I see from reading the comments, I also should not have crowded my pan. I considered pulling out my wok. Now, I wish I had. I will do pineapple juice the next time. . .but I don’t think I really miss the lime.
Thanks Tieghan!!! I love your recipes!!! You always seem to use flavor combos and fresh ingredients that make cooking fun and delish!!!
I wish you had a restaurant chain. I so want to taste the recipes I try made by the expert; because, while my version usually tastes great. . .I know yours most likely tastes way better!!!! And there are some recipes I know I’ll never try. . .but if I could get them out. . .I’d try them all!!!!
Hey Eunice,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
I just made it and it was so good! The chicken, rice and salsa, each had lots of flavour and they were a great combination as well. Thanks:)
Hey there,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! What a fun recipe
Hey Susan,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! Prepped all the ingredients late morning and cooked around 5:00p.m. the chicken has amazing flavor and the rice.. ??
Hey Danielle,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
This was a hit recipe. I think I’m going to use chicken thighs next time and chop them into smaller pieces. Thank you!
Hey Eunice,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Excellent but with some major tweaks!! Need a cast iron pan for caramelization. If you don’t achieve the thickness and caramelization of sauce then take the chicken out and reduce the sauce by itself. If youre making this for a family of 4 you will probably have to do 2 pan batches to get caramelization properly.
Hey Adura,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed:) Thanks for sharing what worked well for you. xTieghan