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Easy Grilled Pineapple Chicken Recipe

Easy Grilled Pineapple Chicken Recipe

Juicy grilled chicken is marinated in pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, lime, and ginger, then served with caramelized grilled pineapple. This tropical-inspired grill recipe serves four.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and Pineapple
  • 4 breasts Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
  • 1 pineapple Fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into rings or thick wedges
Marinade
  • 1 cup Pineapple juice
  • 1/3 cup Low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup Packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil or neutral cooking oil
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh lime juice or lemon juice
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
Garnish
  • As needed Chopped cilantro or sliced green onions

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Whisk pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and black pepper in a bowl. Measure and reserve about 1/2 cup before adding the raw chicken.
  2. Place the chicken in a resealable bag or shallow dish and pour the remaining marinade over it. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
  3. Heat a grill to medium-high, approximately 400–450°F. Clean the grates and lightly oil them.
  4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the used marinade. Grill chicken breasts for about 5–8 minutes per side, depending on thickness, or grill chicken thighs for about 5–7 minutes per side.
  5. Add the pineapple during the final 3–5 minutes of grilling. Turn it once and cook until lightly charred and heated through.
  6. Check the thickest part of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer. Remove it when it reaches 165°F, then rest for 5 minutes.
  7. Brush the cooked chicken and pineapple with the reserved unused marinade, or serve the marinade as a sauce only after bringing it to a full boil for at least 1 minute.

Notes

Do not marinate chicken in fresh pineapple juice overnight because bromelain can make the surface soft or mushy. Reserve marinade before it touches raw chicken, and never reuse raw-chicken marinade unless it has been boiled thoroughly. Chicken thighs are more forgiving, while chicken breasts should be pounded to an even thickness for uniform cooking.