Pineapple Barbecue Chicken
Published Aug 30, 2026
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This pineapple barbecue chicken recipe is a one-pan, 3-ingredient weeknight chicken dinner with plenty of sweet, tangy, savory flavor. It has juicy baked chicken breasts slathered with your favorite smoky barbecue sauce and topped with canned pineapple.
Juicy Baked Barbecue Chicken With Pineapple
This pineapple barbecue chicken recipe combines juicy baked chicken breasts with homemade barbecue sauce and tropical canned pineapple. It’s a delicious, easy chicken dinner that I can throw into the oven in 10 minutes on a busy weeknight, with enough time to whip up a side of rice or veggies while it bakes. Everything bakes in one pan, so cleaning up is just as quick.
When I have more time, I like to toss everything together in a baking dish ahead of time to let it marinate. The smoky, sweet-tangy flavors are so good, and they’re even better after an hour in the fridge.
I’ll serve this saucy pineapple BBQ chicken with corn ribs, a Hawaiian macaroni salad, or homemade mac and cheese for a summer cookout. Or, I add vegetables and turn it into my sheet pan Hawaiian chicken. I think you’re going to love it!
Why I Can’t Get Enough of This Pineapple Barbecue Chicken Recipe
- Only 3(ish) ingredients. Apart from salt and pepper, you need just chicken, your favorite barbecue sauce, and a can of pineapple.
- No grill needed, and just 10 minutes of hands-on prep. Afterward, let the chicken marinate or pop it straight into the oven.
- Family-friendly. Kids and adults love the mild, sweet-savory flavors of this barbecue chicken.
- Saucy pineapple chicken goes with everything! Since I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, it’s easy to shred the leftovers to make pulled chicken sandwiches or sliders. Sweet-sticky barbecue chicken is great for feeding a crowd on game day. Just sayin’.
For a variation without barbecue sauce, check out my recipe for Hawaiian baked chicken.
Only 3 Ingredients
All you need for this easy, one-pan tropical chicken recipe is the following ingredients, plus pantry staples like salt, pepper, and olive oil to season. See the recipe card below for the full recipe details.
- Chicken – I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Bone-in chicken or chicken thighs also work, though these will be juicier and will take longer to cook.
- Barbecue Sauce – Your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce will work, but I highly recommend my homemade honey barbecue sauce.
- Pineapple Chunks – Drained if you’re using canned. You can also chop up pineapple rings into smaller chunks.
Success Tips
- Check the chicken for doneness. The cooking time varies a little depending on the size and thickness of the chicken. Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
- Remember to drain the canned pineapple; otherwise, the dish will be too watery.
- If you’re using fresh pineapple, chop it into bite-sized chunks. It won’t be quite as juicy as canned pineapple, but the flavor will still be delicious.
- Spice it up. Go ahead and use a spicier barbecue sauce, or mix hot sauce in with what you have. You can also add diced jalapeños or chili flakes.
Serving Pineapple Barbecue Chicken
Turning this baked barbecue pineapple chicken into a meal is pretty effortless. It goes with just about anything, from a quick side of air fryer French fries to steamed broccoli. These are easy serving ideas loved by my family and friends.
- With rice: This saucy pineapple chicken goes great with a bed of jasmine rice or low-carb cauliflower rice for a filling meal.
- Cornbread: Serve this barbecue chicken with sweet potato cornbread or cornbread pancakes on the side.
- BBQ sides: Pair with comforting sides like loaded potato salad or slow cooker mac and cheese.
- Sandwiches: Shred the chicken and pile it onto fluffy Hawaiian rolls with coleslaw for easy BBQ chicken sliders.
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Pineapple Barbecue Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (breasts should be 4 ounces each)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup honey barbecue sauce, divided
- 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken breasts in the baking dish and top with 1/3 of the barbecue sauce; rub in the barbecue sauce, then top with pineapple chunks.
- Marinate. Add the remaining barbecue sauce on top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Remove the plastic wrap. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken.
- Bake. Bake the chicken uncovered for 32 to 35 minutes or until the chicken's internal temperature reads 165˚F. Use an Instant Read Meat Thermometer to check for doneness. Cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve. Remove from the oven; let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Pineapple Barbecue Chicken
The three quick steps to make the juiciest, sweet-smoky pineapple barbecue chicken really couldn’t be easier. For best results, give your chicken at least 30 minutes to marinate in the BBQ sauce before baking.
- Prep the chicken. First, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add it to a greased baking dish with the barbecue sauce. Rub the sauce generously over the chicken, then top with pineapple chunks.
- Marinate. Cover the dish and place it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. This step is optional, but it does bring the flavor up several notches.
- Bake. When ready, take the chicken out of the fridge, drizzle it with olive oil, and bake it uncovered at 400ºF for 30-35 minutes. Rest the chicken for a few minutes after baking and before serving. Enjoy!
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate. Store the leftover pineapple barbecue chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat. Warm up the chicken in the oven covered in foil, or in the microwave.
- Freeze. Freeze this pineapple barbecue chicken in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag for up to 2 months. Thaw it fully in the fridge before reheating.
Someone asked the purpose of the olive oil, but I didn’t see the response. Im curious too about the olive oil. is it necessary?
Hi! No, you don’t have to use it, but it does add flavor. That’s all. 😀
I love thi recipe will make it many times over, can I also substitute turkey for the chicken?
Hi Paula! I have not made/tested this recipe with turkey meat, but if you give it a try, please let me know! I’d love to hear how it went. 🙂
This recipe sounds great. I’m also thinking of preparing this with boneless pork chops!
That sounds good… I wonder what it of pork to use that would be tender. Maybe a pork tenderloin??
I also made this tonight. I let it sit in the refrigerator for about the hour and drizzled w/ olive oil. The ONLY thing I did different was use more BBQ sauce (Jack Daniels #7) – I eyeballed it. I also drizzled some pineapple juice as well into pan as well. It made a GREAT sauce to put on top of that white rice I served it with.
Thank you so much, I’ve made this four times in the last month at my family’s request. Last night we had a big gathering and everybody raved about it. I can’t believe how easy it is when it’s such a slam dunk! I use boneless chicken thighs and it’s delicious.
I’m definitely going to add this to my meal plan for next week! I would say oil, S&P are ingredients since they go into the dish, buuut you could just say “3 MAIN ingredients.”
Can I freeze this after I make it up? I’m looking for good make-ahead recipes and this looks like a good candidate. 🙂
Hi!
Yes, you can definitely freeze this. Place the cooled down chicken in a freezer bag and then pour the pineapple sauce over the chicken and put in the freezer.
This chicken is fantastic. Thanks.
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I have this sitting in my fridge right now, can’t wait for my hubby to get home so I can cook it, looks delish….
Thank You!!
I hope you’ll enjoy it!! 🙂
It was a huge hit!!
My husband and I Loved it sOoOoOo much!!
Thank You So Much!!
That is so awesome!!! Very happy you enjoyed it! 😀
I made my own pineapple bbq sauce. Was even better
I LOVE homemade bbq sauce!! I have a recipe on here for that, too, but would love to know yours! 😀
I made this tonight and it was great. I used your bbq sauce recipe but used pineapple juice instead of lemon juice. I also added some minced garlic.
Very happy you enjoyed it!! Thank YOU! :-))) So you used lemon juice in the bbq sauce? That sounds really good!! Did you like it? I’m sure it wasn’t as sweet, but healthier, for sure! 😀
Can you use chicken tenders instead? Have any idea about the difference in cook time? Super excited to try this!
Hi! Yep, you can definitely use chicken tenders, but I would start checking for doneness around the 25ish minute mark. I would highly suggest using a meat thermometer – chicken is done at 165F. I hope this helps. Have a great weekend ahead! 🙂
any thoughts on adding brown sugar crumbles on top before baking? Also, 40 minutes seems like a LONG time to cook it at 400…. is this correct??
I love fresh pineapple. Can fresh be used in this recipe, or is canned the only way to go?
Oh yes, you can definitely use fresh pineapple. 🙂
Thank you!
I wonder how this would do in the crock pot? I want to try it at work and can oñly use a crock pot. Also what do you think would be an easy side dish that can just be microwaved at work?
I’m wondering the same thing… also how could I use this in the instant pot.
Hi! I know I left this reply previously for the commenter above you, but my response is missing! So sorry!
For all oven to crock pot recipes, I have found this website to be super helpful >>> https://civilizedcavemancooking.com/meal-plans/converting-oven-recipes-to-crockpot/
They suggest to only convert oven to crock-pot recipes that take at least 1 hour in the oven, and to reduce the liquid by half.
In as far as cooking in the instant pot, I honestly have no idea. I am in an instant pot group on Facebook and they have been very helpful with figuring out the IP; this is the group >> https://www.facebook.com/groups/InstantPotCommunity/
I hope this helps! 🙂
What is the purpose of the oil? Is it necessary?