Baked Pineapple Chicken Breasts

Pineapple baked chicken
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Pineapple juice and a variety of spices and seasonings flavor these simple baked boneless chicken breasts. The chicken is first coated with seasoned flour and browned in the skillet and then it's baked with a sweetened pineapple juice sauce. If you would like a sauce, it takes just a few extra minutes to thicken the liquids with a simple mixture of cornstarch and water.

Boneless chicken breasts are used in this recipe. If you use very thin or small chicken breasts, bone-in chicken breasts or other chicken parts, you might have to adjust the time. Check with an instant-read food thermometer to make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Serve it with pineapple chunks or slices, rice or noodles, and your favorite vegetable. The recipe is easily scaled down for four.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

  • 1 teaspoon celery salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 8 medium boneless, skinless chicken breast

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

  • 2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

  2. Mix together flour, salt, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and nutmeg; dredge chicken in seasoned flour mixture to coat thoroughly.

  3. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the coated chicken breasts and cook until golden brown, turning to brown both sides. 

  4. Arrange the chicken breasts in a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish.

  5. In a bowl, combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, and granulated sugar; mix well and pour over the chicken.

  6. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until chicken is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes longer, basting with pan juices several times. Serve sauce with the chicken, if desired. If the chicken breasts are small or quite thin, cut back on the cooking time. The minimum temperature for chicken is 165 F (74 C). Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness.

  7. If you would like a thicker sauce, remove the chicken to a platter and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Strain the juices into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir until smooth. Add the mixture to the sauce and continue cooking until the sauce is thickened and clear.

  8. Serve the chicken with the sauce.

 

Recipe Variations

  • Reduce the pineapple juice to 1 cup and add 1 cup of crushed or mashed pineapple to the chicken or replace the pineapple juice with a 20-ounce can of pineapple chunks with juice.
  • Add 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger to the pineapple juice mixture.
  • Garnish the dish with chopped fresh cilantro, parsley, or sliced green onion tops.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
402 Calories
16g Fat
24g Carbs
39g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 402
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 21%
Saturated Fat 8g 42%
Cholesterol 132mg 44%
Sodium 679mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 39g
Vitamin C 27mg 137%
Calcium 35mg 3%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 413mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)