Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken – Plain Chicken

Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken is an easy grilled chicken recipe made with pineapple juice, brown sugar, and BBQ sauce. Sweet, smoky, juicy, and packed with flavor! Perfect for summer cookouts or quick weeknight dinners. Serve with rice and grilled veggies for an easy meal the whole family will love. #grilledchicken #pineapplechicken #easydinner #bbqsauce

Easy Chicken Marinade Recipe

Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken is sweet, smoky, tangy, and packed with tropical flavor. The pineapple juice and brown sugar create a simple marinade that caramelizes beautifully on the grill, while the BBQ sauce adds a rich, savory finish. The chicken stays juicy and tender with just a few basic ingredients. This Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken recipe is great for busy weeknights, summer cookouts, or easy meal prep. The marinade also works great on pork chops, pork tenderloin, steak, or even skinless chicken breasts if you don’t have chicken tenders on hand.

How to Make Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken

This pineapple chicken recipe comes together with only a few pantry staples. In a medium bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, brown sugar, and BBQ sauce until smooth. Reserve a little marinade for brushing on the chicken while it grills.

Place the chicken tenders in a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours so the flavor has time to soak into the meat. Don’t marinate overnight because the pineapple juice can start to break down the chicken too much.

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Brush both sides with the reserved marinade right before removing from the grill. The brown sugar helps create a delicious sticky glaze with lots of flavor.

You can also cook Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken in a grill pan or skillet on the stovetop if the weather doesn’t cooperate. Cook over medium heat until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

• Don’t skip reserving some marinade before adding the raw chicken. This gives you a safe sauce for brushing on the chicken while grilling.
• Chicken tenders cook quickly and stay very juicy, but skinless chicken breastsor boneless chicken thighs also work well.
  • This marinade also works great with pork, beef, and even vegetables..
• Fresh pineapple chunks make a great garnish and add even more pineapple flavor.
• For extra flavor, sprinkle the finished chicken with sliced green onions or sesame seeds before serving.
• Want a little heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce to the marinade.
• Our favorite store-bought BBQ sauces are Sweet Baby Rays, Stubbs, G.Hughes, and Williamson Brothers. I buy them all at Walmart.
  • Here is our recipe for Homemade BBQ Sauce made with ketchup, water, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, Kosher salt, black pepper, and cumin: https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-bbq-sauce/
• If using a grillpan indoors, lightly coat the pan with olive oilto help prevent sticking.
  • Add a splash of liquid smoke if cooking the chicken inside.
• Bring the chicken close to room temperature before grilling so it cooks more evenly.

Storage Tips

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat leftovers in the microwave, oven, or a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
• Thischicken recipe is freezer friendly. Freeze cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

What to Serve with Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken

This Brown Sugar Pineapple Chicken has been on repeat at our house lately. We love the sweet and smoky flavor from the pineapple juice and BBQ sauce, and the whole family gobbled it up the first time I made it.

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