Pineapple teriyaki chicken with rice is a fun, filling sweet and savory meal. Chunks of juicy chicken are coated with a tangy teriyaki sauce paired with pineapple chunks and a bed of rice, all inside a hollowed pineapple.
Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
This fun dish is surprisingly easy to prepare. While the rice is cooking you can hollow your pineapples, cut and cook your chicken, and make the sauce. To save even more time, skip the pineapple boat and serve in a bowl.
For a similar recipe try my favorite homemade orange chicken.
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 medium pineapple - with 1 cup of pineapple chunks reserved
Chicken:
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts - cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil - or vegetable oil, coconut oil, olive oil, etc.
Sauce:
- 1 cup pineapple chunks - from the pineapple boats
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar - or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp cornstarch - or arrowroot powder
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
Serve With:
- 2 cups cooked rice - brown rice or white rice
- 1 green onion - chopped
- ½ tsp sesame seeds
How To Make Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP 1: Cook 2 cups rice according to package instructions and the way you normally would. (I use a rice cooker).
STEP 2: Make the pineapple boats by slicing 1 pineapple in half vertically. Cut an oval matching the outer shape of the pineapple that is 1-inch in from the outer edge and 1-2 inches deep. Now cut vertical and horizontal lines inside this oval shape also 1-2 inches deep. Scoop out the chunks, add to a bowl, and repeat cutting the vertical, horizontal, and oval lines until you're left with a 1-inch thick bowl all the way around. Separate the core chunks (the tough center) to be used for the sauce.
STEP 3: To make the sauce, add the following to a blender. 1 cup of the pineapple chunks (include core chunks), ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup water, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp ginger powder, 3 Tbsp rice vinegar and 2 tsp cornstarch. Blend until it creates a smooth creamy sauce.
STEP 4: Chop 1 ½ lbs of raw chicken breasts into bite-size cubes.
STEP 5: Heat a frying pan with 1 Tbsp cooking oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the raw chopped chicken. Season it with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Brown the chicken on all sides, but do not overcook. Transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl and set aside.
STEP 6: Add the 3 minced garlic cloves to the frying pan over medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the blended sauce and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring slowly until it begins to thicken.
STEP 7: Add the cooked chicken back to the pan and mix everything. Let it warm for another 1 minute then remove from heat.
STEP 8: Scoop 1 cup of cooked rice into the bottom section of each pineapple bowl. Spoon in the teriyaki chicken into the top half. Sprinkle the tops with 1 chopped green onion and ½ tsp sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Snap peas, chopped scallions and/or cashews sprinkled on top will add extra flavor and texture.
- Substitute cornstarch with arrowroot flour, which is naturally gluten-free.
- If you skip the pineapple boats, this recipe is fast and simple, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- This sauce uses brown sugar which can burn while cooking in the frying pan. It is important to stir frequently. I prefer to use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides of the pan while the sauce begins to thicken.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Discard the pineapple boat and allow the chicken and rice to cool before placing it in an airtight container. You can keep this in your fridge for about 3-5 days.
- Freeze – Discard the pineapple boat and add the chicken and rice to an airtight container or freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheat – If frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links) - Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Knife set - – This knife set is perfect for a recipe like this, and it comes with a built-in foolproof sharpener. Comes with a stainless steel chef knife, boning knife, steak knife, paring knife, bread knife, santoku knife, shears.
- Mixing bowls – Each of these three stackable bowls get used often in our kitchen. They’re easy to grip and pour, the silicone ring on the bottom keeps them from slipping, and they’re quite durable.
- Spatula – This wood and silicone 8-piece kitchen utensil set is so handy for a variety of recipes in my kitchen. I prefer silicone to avoid scratching my pots or other surfaces.
- Meat thermometer - This is an excellent instant-read meat thermometer to check if chicken is done.
- Ziploc Freezer Bags - Here are 28 1 Gal Freezer bags, perfect for storing leftovers in the fridge or freezer.
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Pineapple Chicken With Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium pineapple - with 1 cup of pineapple chunks reserved
Chicken:
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts - cut into bite sized pieces
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil - vegetable oil, coconut oil, olive oil etc.
Sauce:
- 1 cup pineapple chunks - from the pineapple boats
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar - or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp cornstarch - or arrowroot powder
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
Serve With:
- 2 cups cooked rice - brown rice or white rice
- 1 green onion - chopped
- ½ tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
Prep The Rice:
- Cook 2 cups rice according to package instructions and the way you normally would. (I use a rice cooker).
Make Pineapple Boats:
- Make the pineapple boats by slicing 1 pineapple in half vertically. Cut an oval matching the outer shape of the pineapple that is 1-inch in from the outer edge and 1-2 inches deep. Now cut vertical and horizontal lines inside this oval shape also 1-2 inches deep. Scoop out the chunks, add to a bowl, and repeat cutting the vertical, horizontal, and oval lines until you’re left with a 1-inch thick bowl all the way around. Separate the core chunks (the tough center) to be used for the sauce.
Make The Sauce:
- To make the sauce, add the following to a blender. 1 cup of the pineapple chunks (include core chunks), ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup water, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp ginger powder, 3 Tbsp rice vinegar and 2 tsp cornstarch. Blend until it creates a smooth creamy sauce.
- Chop 1 ½ lbs of raw chicken breasts into bite-size cubes.
- Heat a frying pan with 1 Tbsp cooking oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the raw chopped chicken. Season it with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Brown the chicken on all sides, but do not overcook. Transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the 3 minced garlic cloves to the frying pan over medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the blended sauce and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring slowly until it begins to thicken.
- Add the cooked chicken back to the pan and mix everything. Let it warm for another 1 minute then remove from heat.
- Scoop 1 cup of cooked rice into the bottom section of each pineapple bowl. Spoon in the teriyaki chicken into the top half. Sprinkle the tops with 1 chopped green onion and ½ tsp sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- REFRIGERATE – Allow the chicken and rice to cool before placing it in an airtight container. You can keep this in your fridge for about 3-5 days.
- FREEZE – Add leftovers to an airtight container or freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Store it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Nutrition Info
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.
