Grilled Pineapple Chicken is a delicious balance of tangy and sweet, with a touch of exotic flavors. Perfect for your summertime grilling!
Happy grilling season, friends! Between work, kids, and summer adventures, I like to keep dinners as simple and easy as possible – without sacrificing great flavor – and that's where the grill, and this grilled pineapple chicken recipe, come in handy.
One of my go-to year-round marinades is a very simple teriyaki marinade that my family has used for generations, and that I use regularly for chicken, beef, and pork. For summer, I like a little extra exotic flavor in my go-to marinade, and it's as easy as adding some pineapple juice!
Combined with a favorite teriyaki sauce, garlic, onions, and ginger, the pineapple juice helps make my favorite marinade even more delicious with a refreshing and bright hint of summer in each bite.
Like most marinades, the longer you allow the meat to soak up the juices while marinating in the refrigerator, the more tender and flavorful your dish will be.
I used chicken breast tenderloins for this grilled pineapple chicken recipe, but you can definitely use this for full chicken breasts, pork chops, and it would be absolutely DELICIOUS to marinate some chicken or beef skewers with sliced peppers and pineapples.
Top each grilled pineapple chicken with some freshly chopped cilantro, and you have a winning grilling dish that your whole family will love! I like to serve this with a side of white rice and my pineapple salsa.
My pineapple salsa is a fresh take on traditional salsa and is perfect to top off each piece of chicken to add even more of a tropical summer taste to this dish. I'll be sharing my pineapple salsa recipe tomorrow on the blog, so stay tuned!
If you're never tried adding pineapple juice to your favorite grilling marinades, I highly suggest giving it a try. I grew up in a household where pineapple juice was added to a variety of main courses, side dishes, and even desserts.
More Grilling Recipes
Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers
Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe- Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken
Grilled Bourbon Chicken- Grilled Pineapple Chicken
Ginger Grilled Chicken With Cider
Grilled Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts or 8 chicken breast tenderloins
- 1 6- ounce can pineapple juice
- ¾ cup teriyaki sauce
- ½ cup sliced onions
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- salt and pepper
- Garnish: finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or in a large plastic zip-lock bag.
- Refrigerate overnight, or for at least two to four hours.
- Remove from the refrigerator and place reserve marinade in a bowl.
- If using chicken tenderloins, place meat on a large piece of foil on the grill or use a grill basket to prevent the meat from falling through. If using chicken breasts, you can place either on a piece of foil or directly onto the grill.
- Grill the chicken over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes and baste with reserve marinade when the meat is halfway cooked; turn the meat over to grill for another 5-7 minutes until the chicken is cooked evenly.
- Remove cooked chicken from heat, turn off grill, plate chicken, and garnish with chopped cilantro.
- Serve immediately with side of rice and/or my pineapple salsa.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
What do you like to fire up on the grill when the weather heats up?
PIN IT:
Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman says
Hey Marlynn! I wanted to let everyone know that this chicken is Awesome!! I made 20 pounds of Pineapple Chicken (yes, you read that correctly) last weekend for a family reunion/25th Anniversary party for my in-laws. I made up the marinade in the blender (which saved me the effort of mincing the ginger and garlic) and marinated it in Ziploc bags overnight. I followed the recipe as closely as I ever do, quadrupling the fresh ginger because, well...I may have a little ginger problem. Anyway, it was a Big Hit with everyone at the party, so if anyone is looking for something super-easy and virtually fool-proof to serve at a big summer gathering, this is definitely a great option.