Description
A comforting dish featuring tender chicken caramelized with a sweet and tangy brown sugar glaze, enhanced by juicy pineapple.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (cut into medium chunks)
- 1 can pineapple chunks (20 oz can, with juice — do not drain)
- 0.5 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 0.33 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional — for heat)
- Chopped green onions (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Pat chicken pieces dry and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the seasoned chicken for about 4 minutes total, turning to get golden color on most sides.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, ground ginger, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Transfer the browned chicken to the prepared baking dish. Pour pineapple chunks with juice over the chicken and drizzle the glaze evenly. Stir gently to coat.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25–30 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Remove foil and bake another 5–10 minutes to caramelize the glaze.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if using.
Notes
Use low-sodium soy sauce to adjust sodium content. Allow cooked chicken to cool before storing to follow food safety recommendations.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 43g
- Cholesterol: 70mg