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A white plate with Grilled Pineapple Chicken breasts topped with a dark glaze and sliced green onions, served alongside smoky grilled pineapple wedges.
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3.50 from 6 votes

Grilled Pineapple Chicken

Grilled pineapple chicken is one of those summer recipes that looks impressive on the plate but comes together with almost no effort. The marinade is made from pantry staples: pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, lime, garlic, and fresh ginger. It does all the work for you while the chicken sits in the fridge. You get chicken breasts that are genuinely juicy and caramelized with gorgeous grill marks, plus sweet grilled pineapple planks that turn golden and soft on the outside. The whole meal is on the table in about 50 minutes, including marinating time.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Marinating Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken Breast, grilled pineapple chicken, honey, pineapple, soy sauce
Servings: 4 people
Author: Olivia Ribas

Ingredients

  • ½ cup pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 4 medium chicken breast
  • ½ medium fresh pineapple peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch planks

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and honey.
    A hand holding a whisk stirs a dark, chunky Grilled Pineapple Chicken sauce in a white bowl on a light, textured surface.
  • Place the chicken breast in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Reserve the remaining marinade for later.
    Raw chicken breasts marinating in a light brown sauce with minced garlic, seasonings, and hints of sweetness for Grilled Pineapple Chicken, placed in a round beige bowl on a light stone surface.
  • Heat the grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the used marinade. Grill the chicken for about 5–6 minutes per side, or until fully cooked and nicely charred.
    Four Grilled Pineapple Chicken breasts with visible char marks are arranged in a row on a ridged grill pan against a light background.
  • Grill the pineapple planks for 2–3 minutes per side, until caramelized with grill marks.
    Grilled pineapple slices with char marks are arranged on a black grill pan, set on a light gray surface—perfect as a sweet side for your favorite Grilled Pineapple Chicken.
  • Brush the reserved marinade over the cooked chicken during the last minute of grilling if desired. Serve the chicken warm with the grilled pineapple.
    A hand brushes barbecue sauce onto Grilled Pineapple Chicken breasts with grill marks, arranged in a row on a black grill pan.

Notes

To store: Place leftover grilled pineapple chicken in an airtight container once fully cooled and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat: I reheat this in a skillet over medium-low heat with a small splash of water or chicken broth to keep it from drying out. The microwave works too. Cover the container and reheat in 30-second intervals. The chicken reheats well and the flavors actually deepen overnight, making leftovers genuinely worth looking forward to.
To freeze: Wrap the cooled chicken tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 | Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 418mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 6mg