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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.
hi! awesome recipe! do you think this would do well in the crockpot? thanks!
Hey Meredith,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!! Sure, 6 hours on low would probably work well for you. ? xTieghan
Such a delicious and easy dinner!! My hubby took one bite and said, “Wow this is freaking amazing” haha
Hey Megan,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
I had friends over for dinner last week and they absolutely loved this. We are coming up to summer in Australia and I will be making this a lot.
Hey Philippa,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
You can purchase powdered coconut milk cheap in packets I just added some of that to my rice and water! Look in Asian stores or Amazon for ackets. I use those in coconut curry chicken as well. Save $ same effect and long shelf life! Great recipe I skipped jalapeños added finger limes to salsa yum
Hey Missy,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! xTieghan
This looks sooo amazing! Could I use cauliflower in this dish instead of the chicken?
Hey Kat,
Sure, cauliflower would work well here. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
The cauliflower worked perfectly! I also added shredded carrots and mushrooms (frig clean out). I also grilled the pineapple for the salsa and omitted avocado. The marinade and salsa are amazing. My new favorite meal!
Hey Kat,
I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
The taste of this is UNREAL. love the rich creaminess of that coconut rice too! Thanks for saving dinner again, Tiegan! Made this and your peanut butter ramen dish for meals this week. You rock!
Hey Jane,
Thanks a lot for trying out this recipe. I love to hear that it was enjoyed and hope you have the best week! xTieghan
I was in a big hurry after work but have been wanting to make this for two weeks, so cheated a little bit with Whole Foods mango and pineapple salsa and didn’t dice my chicken cutlets. But even my lazy version was a hit! Coconut milk is my new favorite ingredient thanks to your recipes
Hey Brooke,
Awesome! So good to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
This meal is amazing! My boyfriend gave it a 10/10. Definitely feels very easy to throw together and is quickly becoming a staple meal in our home. Thank you!!
Hey Katrina,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go:) xTieghan
This was delicious! Mine wasn’t nearly as pretty as yours, but it is definitely a keeper.
Hey Phyllis,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
This was absolutely amazing! My entire family loved the flavor combo of the sweet, salty and mildly spicy. I doubled the coconut rice because I knew it would be a big hit with my 3-year old. I could also eat that pineapple salsa ALL DAY LONG!
Hey Amy,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
Sooooo good, the family loved it! Didn’t have a cast iron pan this time, but I think it definitely makes a difference. Will try that way next time.
Hey Marina,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
10/10, all the flavors meld so well together. Forgot the jalapeño for the salsa so added some spicy honey and extra red pepper and it was great.
Tieghan – question about cast iron. I have a Lodge 12in skillet that is non-enameled, and so far it seems to be working fine. Is it worth investing in an enameled skillet??
Hey Elisa,
Wonderful! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving the recipe a try!! I do love my enameled Staub, but if the Lodge is working well for you that’s fantastic!! xTieghan
Was really excited about this recipe but the sauce didn’t caramelize at all. I followed all the steps with the exception of using a cast iron because I don’t have one. It would be helpful if the cast iron is essential for a step in the recipe for there to be an alternative option so that my dish doesn’t come out poorly because of something I can’t control.
Hey Diana,
Sorry you had some issues here. Next time, try adding a little cornstarch to your sauce, this should help. xTieghan
Hey Diana,
I found that when this wasn’t carmelizing for me either, I just removed the chicken from the sauce once it was cooked and then continued to cook the sauce on high heat. I used a rubber spatula to keep it moving on the high heat and it became thick and sticky like it should. I hope this helps you out. Its really a great meal once you get the sauce right 🙂
Made this for the first time and thought it was pretty good. It did take awhile for the sauce to thicken up and I ended up removing the chicken to prevent it from being overcooked. I would recommend reading the instructions first before just looking at the ingredients list as I did not, and I ended up using all the lime juice in the salsa and didn’t have any leftover for that final squeeze. I also added the avocado to the salsa instead of at the end because it was listed in the salsa section. Totally not a big deal, but I was just got off guard. My chicken didn’t turn out as beautiful as the picture and looked more like a microwave meal, until I added all the toppings, but it certainly was tasty and I will make it again.
Hey there,
Happy Friday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Delicious!!!! Quick and easy! Best part my family loved it!!
Hey Jeannie,
Happy Friday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Pretty easy to make and turned out even more delicious than I hoped for! And the coconut rice pairs perfectly! A big hit in our house 🙂
Hey Kat,
Fantastic! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Thanks for another hit!:)
Hey Jen,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you giving it a try. Have the best week! xTieghan