Barbecue Pineapple Chicken

Baked barbecue pineapple chicken takes freshness to a whole new level. Caramelized fruits and vegetables are ramped up with spicy jalapeños and your favorite barbecue sauce. Just a dash of salt and pepper with no other seasonings required, this juicy chicken is full of flavor bursting with every bite.

Get your fix of sweet and heat with my baked pineapple chicken! 

Cooking the pineapple helps to curb its tartness while accentuating its sweetness. Blended with smoky barbecue sauce, sweet bell peppers, and spicy jalapenos, it’s the perfect tropical treat!

The protein and heat in this dish makes it so energizing! Though sticky and savory, it isn’t at all heavy. Plated with white rice or fresh greens, you can serve this barbecue pineapple chicken for a taste of summer any time of the year. 

You can use your choice of BBQ in this recipe… but why not make your own right at home? I have a couple recipes on my website that you can try out:

• My North Carolina BBQ is thin and peppery.
• This Kansas City Style sauce, on the other hand, is thick, sticky, and sweet.
• A fruity and bright Raspberry Peach Chipotle BBQ is zesty and well-balanced.

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS 

• Chicken – Since we’ll be chopping it up and coating it with sauce, prep will be much easier and quicker with boneless breasts as opposed to other cuts. Tenderloins are a great substitute as well.
• Barbecue Sauce – Use your favorite BBQ sauce in this dish! Something smoky, fruity, and with a bit of heat would be perfect. Any of my homemade sauces would be a great choice or my go to store bought is Loveless Cafe’s Sweet with a Bite BBQ Sauce.
• Onions & Peppers – Not only will the aroma of these veggies be absolutely tantalizing, but their delicate sweet flavors will pair perfectly with the pineapple. White or yellow onions and red or green peppers are best suited for this recipe. Feel free to go with a mix!
• Pineapple – Bite-sized chunks, either fresh or frozen, to bake with the meat. If using frozen, allow to thaw in the refrigerator before using.
• Jalapeño Peppers – Be sure to seed and dice so that the heat isn’t too strong — follow along with the video to see how. The bright, refreshing spice in this pepper will blend with the fruity sweetness of the dish. Serrano or poblano chiles are possible substitutes.
• Salt & Pepper – To lightly season and enhance the other flavors without compromising the natural flavors of the fruit, vegetables, and meat.

HOW TO MAKE PINEAPPLE CHICKEN

1. Prepare Oven and Dish.  Preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, generously coat your baking dish with oil or cooking spray.
2. Slice and Dice the Vegetables.  Chop the onion into thin slices — this is easier when you halve the onion first. Slice the bell peppers similarly, chopping into bite-sized pieces. Remove the seeds from the jalapeno pepper and dice. Put the chopped veggies to the side, keeping the individual veggies separate.
3. Marinate.  Place the chicken in a bowl and pour ⅔ cup of barbecue sauce over the top. Toss the meat in the sauce, coating evenly, and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
4. Layer the Ingredients.  Place the onion slices on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Follow with the marinated meat, bell peppers, and pineapple chunks. Pour the last of the BBQ sauce over the dish and fold into the mixture to coat every ingredient. Top with the jalapenos and sprinkle the salt and pepper over the dish.
5. Bake.  Pop into the oven and bake until the poultry reaches its safe internal temperature of 165°F, around 30-35 minutes.
6. Serve.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Spoon the leftover sauce over the meat, and serve!

What should I serve with pineapple barbecue chicken? 

Keep things simple with fluffy white rice or a bright salad — or both! Crisp, fresh vegetables will balance out the warm, soft sweetness of the dish, and rice will taste phenomenal when it soaks up that sweet and spicy sauce. 

Should I marinate barbecue pineapple chicken overnight? 

You can if you want to prep it ahead of time. With cuts this small, 15 minutes is really all it takes to absorb a good amount of that BBQ flavor, but it won’t hurt to marinate for up to a day.

How do I get juicy baked chicken? 

Be sure to let the meat rest after removing it from the oven! Otherwise, all of the juices will leak out and leave it dry. The larger the cut of meat, the longer it needs to rest. Since we’re working with bite-sized pieces, 5-10 minute should be plenty of time. 

How long does barbecue pineapple chicken keep in the fridge? 

Three to four days is the maximum amount of time to keep leftover poultry in the refrigerator.

Barbecue Pineapple Chicken

My pineapple chicken recipe combines sweet fruit and veggies with savory BBQ. This sticky, spicy dish comes together in just 40 minutes!

4.91 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Main

Cuisine: American, Western

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 336kcal

Author: Kevin Is Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped
• 1 cup barbecue sauce of choice divided
• 1 onion large, sliced
• 2 bell peppers red and or green, chopped
• 12 oz pineapple chunks fresh or frozen thawed
• 1 jalapeño seeded and diced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray, set aside. 
• Cut onion in half and slice thin. Cut bell peppers into bite size pieces. Seed and dice the jalapeño. Set aide.
• In a bowl add chopped, bite-size chicken pieces and 2/3 cup of the barbecue sauce. Toss to coat, set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
• Arrange sliced onion in baking dish and top with marinated chicken pieces, bell peppers and pineapple. Brush remaining barbecue sauce on top, toss to coat and sprinkle on the diced jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reads 165°F.
• Serve and spoon sauce and juices over chicken.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 760mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1400IU | Vitamin C: 60.4mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Have you made this recipe? Let me know on InstagramTag @KevinIsCooking and hashtag me #keviniscooking!