Hawaiian Baked Chicken

Why I Love This Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

• Flavor-packed. This Hawaiian baked chicken is so flavorful. It’s zesty, it’s garlicky, it’s pineapple-y. Made a little smokey with a dash of paprika. So good!
• Family pleasing. Everyone in our family absolutely loves this recipe. It’s like a tropical vacation in food form; something about the freshness of it just puts us in summer mode!
• Quick and easy. I make this chicken recipe all year round, whenever I’m feeling like an easy weeknight meal. Just add a side of Instant Pot jasmine rice.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here are some notes on the key ingredients you’ll need to make this sweet and savory Hawaiian chicken. Scroll down to the printable recipe card after the post for a full list along with recipe details.

• Chicken – I use chicken breast halves for this recipe as they’re a little thinner and bake more evenly. Otherwise, consider cutting whole breasts in half or pounding them to an even thickness.
• Pineapple Juice – You’ll need one can of prepared pineapple chunks. You’ll use the juice for the marinade, and set aside the pineapple itself for the topping.
• Garlic – Freshly minced. You can also substitute 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder for each fresh clove of garlic in a pinch.
• Lemon – Fresh lemon juice and zest. Zest the lemon before you juice it!
• Paprika – In addition to salt and pepper, I whisk paprika into the marinade as it adds a nice smokiness. Feel free to play around with different spices and seasonings as you like. You could also use cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes (for a spicy kick).

For the Pineapple Topping

• Canned Pineapple – Just the pineapple chunks, less the juice used in the marinade.
• Butter – You could also use olive oil.
• Dijon Mustard – Or another kind, like yellow mustard or spicy brown mustard.
• Honey – If needed, substitute honey for brown sugar or a sweetener of your choice, like agave.

How to Make Hawaiian Chicken

Here’s how to make this flavorful and juicy Hawaiian chicken dish in 5 easy steps and with minimal prep.

• Prep the chicken. First, you’ll need to lightly pound your boneless chicken breasts, emphasis on lightly! We don’t want flattened chicken, just tenderized a bit.
• Marinate the chicken. Combine the chicken breasts with the marinade ingredients in a large sealable bag. Close it up and leave it to marinate for a few hours in the fridge.
• Transfer to a pan. Remove the chicken from the bag and transfer the pieces to a lightly greased baking pan. Discard any excess marinade and set the chicken aside while you mix up the pineapple topping.
• Prepare the pineapple topping. In a pan with melted butter, stir in the pineapple chunks and topping ingredients to cook for a couple of minutes until bubbly. Remove the mixture from the heat and spoon it generously over the chicken breasts.
• Bake. Pop the baking pan into a preheated oven and bake until the chicken is tender and juicy. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature if needed! Once it’s ready, remove your pineapple chicken from the oven and serve!

Serving Suggestions

Hawaiian chicken is so easy to dress up for a family meal! I like amping up the tropical flavors and serving this Hawaiian chicken with a side of light coconut cauliflower rice, or this zesty lemon rice that brings out the lemon in the marinade. This juicy chicken also goes great with more easy side dishes, like mashed potatoes, crispy roasted potatoes dipped in garlic aioli, or a crunchy green bean salad. For dessert, we love these fudgy brownies or a slice of German marble cake!

How to Store Leftover Chicken

• Refrigerate. Leftover Hawaiian chicken can be stored all together, or divided into single-serving portions. Store in an airtight container or resealable bag in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. 
• Reheat. This chicken reheats really well if popped into the microwave, or in the oven covered in foil for a few minutes until heated through.
• Freeze. You can freeze this Hawaiian chicken for up to 2 months. Let the baked pineapple chicken cool completely and then divide the pieces into freezer-safe containers in single portions to freeze. Reheat the portions from frozen in the oven or microwave.

Use leftovers in sandwiches, on top of homemade pizza, or in chicken wraps (either the regular kind or chicken lettuce wraps). I like to dice up the leftover chicken to add to a Hawaiian macaroni salad!

More Baked Chicken Recipes

• Baked Chicken with Mushrooms
• Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
• Baked Chicken Parmesan
• Honey Soy Chicken
• Chicken Marbella
• Crack Chicken