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Grilled Pineapple Chicken

Grilled pineapple chicken with sweet-and-savory marinade that keeps juicy chicken breasts tender and helps pineapple rings caramelize on the grill. Finished with visible grill marks, grilled pineapple, and fresh cilantro-lime garnish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and marinade
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger, grated
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
Pineapple and garnish
  • 4 fresh pineapple rings
  • 1 cilantro and lime for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the marinade
  1. Combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks evenly blended.
  2. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade and pour the rest over the boneless chicken breasts in a container, then marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Grill chicken and pineapple
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and season the marinated chicken with salt and pepper right before grilling for best surface flavor.
  2. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, closing the lid as needed, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and grill marks are visible.
  3. In the last 5 minutes, add the fresh pineapple rings and grill for 2-3 minutes per side until caramelized with browned edges.
Finish and serve
  1. Brush the grilled chicken with the reserved 1/4 cup marinade so it clings to the surface without steaming.
  2. Top the chicken with the grilled pineapple rings and garnish with cilantro and lime to finish.

Notes

For deeper pineapple flavor, keep the chicken covered while it marinates and pat it lightly before grilling so it sears instead of steaming. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze cooked chicken only (up to 2 months) for best texture. For a lower-sugar option, replace brown sugar with an equal amount of a brown-sugar-style sweetener that caramelizes or use half the amount and add a teaspoon more pineapple juice.