Ready in under an hour, baked pineapple teriyaki chicken is a quick dinner recipe for busy nights. The thick and delicious homemade teriyaki sauce adds tons of fresh, bold flavor—and you control the ingredients, sodium, and spice. Serve with rice or quinoa and vegetables for a wholesome meal.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos, helpful success tips, and a couple small tweaks to ensure a thicker teriyaki sauce.
If you’ve ever made my honey garlic shrimp, you know that dinners can be quick, healthy, and flavorful. Today’s baked pineapple teriyaki chicken is bursting with flavor and makes excellent leftovers. I encourage you to add this easy meal to your weeknight recipe rotation!
Why You’ll Love This Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
Simple to prepare
Completely from scratch, so you control the ingredients
Healthy and wholesome
Ready in under an hour
Makes great leftovers (and freezes well, too)
Customizable to your taste preferences
Packed with protein
One reader, Lisa, commented: “…You really scored a touchdown with this one. The chicken and the pineapple absorb all of the flavor from the teriyaki sauce beautifully. I had to sop up all the remaining sauce because I didn’t want any of it to go to waste. Definitely a recipe to do again and again!!!! ★★★★★“
One reader, Frida, commented: “…I made it last night and instantaneously became a staple in my house. I’ll substitute soy sauce with tamari next time to make it gluten free, and use chicken drumsticks which are a personal preference. This sauce is out of this world!!! ★★★★★“
One reader, Michelle, commented: “This was really easy and tasty! I added a chopped red bell pepper into the baking dish and used partially thawed, frozen pineapple chunks. We all loved it and my 7 year old even asked to add it to his favorites list—high praise!! ★★★★★“
Favorite Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
This is my very favorite homemade teriyaki sauce made with real ingredients you can pronounce. It is similar to the sauce in this honey teriyaki chicken (we use more honey in that recipe). It’s incredibly versatile and delicious on cooked salmon or stir-fry veggies, too.
We’ll use brown sugar and honey to sweeten the sauce. Not much of either, just enough to balance the soy sauce and bring a sweet profile to the sauce as a whole. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty, and you know exactly what’s in it.
Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead, or even bone-in chicken thighs, drumsticks, or wings.
Pineapple: Fresh, canned, or frozen—use whatever form of pineapple you’d like!
Cornstarch: This is what thickens the sauce; I do not recommend skipping it. Dissolve it in a little water first before adding it to the pot.
Brown Sugar & Honey: For sweetness.
Soy Sauce: You can use reduced-sodium or regular soy sauce here. You could also use tamari instead, for a gluten-free option.
AppleCider Vinegar: This balances the flavors in the sauce. You can use rice wine vinegar instead if needed.
Garlic: You need 1 clove, minced, for flavor. If you love garlic, feel free to add more!
Ginger: You can use dried ground ginger or minced/grated fresh ginger, whatever you prefer/have on hand. I usually use fresh. Just make sure to adjust the amount accordingly. 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger = 2 Tablespoons fresh minced ginger.
Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper, like the ginger, adds just the right amount of spice, without making the sauce spicy.
Overview: How to Make Baked Teriyaki Chicken
Make the sauce. Cook the sauce ingredients together on the stovetop. Let it boil for a couple minutes to thicken the sauce. The consistency should be slightly thicker than maple syrup, or thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. I slightly increased the amount of time it boils in the recipe, to ensure a thicker sauce.
Pour the sauce over the chicken. Pat the chicken dry, and arrange it and the pineapple in a greased baking dish. Pour all of the teriyaki sauce on top.
Bake. Bake until the chicken is completely cooked through. During this time, prepare any sides you want to serve alongside. Rice and broccoli are my favorite pairings.
Right before it’s finished baking, I remove the pan from the oven and cut the chicken into smaller pieces. This is completely optional. Here’s the dish before cutting the pieces of chicken:
Serve. Garnish with a sprinkle of scallions/green onions and sesame seeds, if desired. These are the same garnishes I always add to another similarly flavored dish: slow cooker honey teriyaki chicken. (That one is always a hit!)
Are you looking for a traditional Japanese-style teriyaki sauce? I’ve made and loved Nami’s homemade teriyaki sauce.
Can I skip the pineapple?
Yes, absolutely. If you want regular baked chicken teriyaki, skip the pineapple altogether. You could even replace it with 1 cup sliced red bell pepper (about 1 pepper).
Can I make this with fish instead?
You can, and I recommend salmon. The bake time will be slightly shorter, until the fish is completely cooked through.
Do I bake this covered or uncovered?
I recommend baking this teriyaki chicken uncovered.
Ready in under an hour, baked pineapple teriyaki chicken is a quick dinner recipe for busy nights. The thick and delicious homemade teriyaki sauce adds tons of fresh, bold flavor—and you control the ingredients, sodium, and spice. Serve with rice or quinoa and vegetables for a wholesome meal.
Use a fork to whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. It will be a thick, milky liquid. Combine the cornstarch mixture, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisking occasionally, bring to a boil. Once boiling, stop whisking and allow to boil for 2 minutes, or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and is the consistency of maple syrup. Turn off the heat and set aside for at least 10 minutes, allowing it to cool and thicken.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly grease a 2–3-quart baking dish, such as a 10-inch baking pan, 11×7-inch baking pan, shallow 9×13-inch pan, or 10-inch cast iron skillet. In the photos, I used this exact pan. Set aside.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Arrange in the prepared pan. Add the pineapples on top and all around the chicken. Pour sauce on top, then turn the chicken over to make sure every inch is coated in the sauce. Use a basting/pastry brush if needed.
Bake uncovered for 30–32 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through (internal temperature should be at least 165°F (74°C)). This is optional: at the 25-minute mark, remove from the oven and carefully slice the chicken into chunks, then return to the oven. The smaller the chicken pieces, the more sauce they’ll soak up. You can also cut up the chicken prior to cooking.
Sprinkle green onion and sesame seeds on top and serve the chicken and pineapple with sauce from the pan poured on top. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Make Ahead Instructions: The teriyaki sauce, prepared in step 1, can be made 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. You can even prepare the dish and chicken through step 3, cover the pan tightly, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature, and then bake as directed.
For a rounded out meal, serve with broccoli, rice, quinoa, baked sweet potatoes, or anything to soak up the delicious teriyaki sauce.
Pineapple: You can use fresh, canned (drained), or even frozen pineapple. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry first. You can also skip the pineapple altogether if desired, or replace with 1 cup sliced red bell pepper.
Slight updates in 2025: I increased the sauce’s boiling time from 1 minute to 2 minutes to allow for a thicker sauce. You will also pat the chicken dry, which helps the sauce coat it easier.
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 chicken breast and 1/4 cup pineapple
