Easy Juicy Pineapple Chicken and Rice Recipe

Treat yourself and the family to my pineapple chicken and rice recipe. Tender chicken cooked in a sweet pineapple honey Dijon sauce and served over jasmine rice, ready in 40-minutes.

It’s always great to have an easy chicken recipe on hand—especially one that uses ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. This dish was born on a night when my fridge was nearly empty. I had some frozen chicken, rummaged through my pantry, and found a can of sliced pineapples. With a little creativity, this sweet and savory recipe came to life!  It’s the perfect sweet chicken recipe, I usually serve my chicken over a bed of instant pot rice or grilled potatoes (or if you are more of an air fryer person, some crispy air fryer potato wedges). For a veggie, I usually prepare slow cooker broccoli casserole. 

Like most of my recipes, this one is kid-friendly! For little ones, I like to cut the chicken and pineapple into bite-sized pieces and mix everything together in a bowl. Every time I serve these chicken rice bowls, the dinner table goes silent—proof that my kids love it!

This Pineapple Chicken and Rice recipe is an excellent choice for meal prepping. The chicken and sauce store well in the fridge, allowing you to make a batch ahead of time for quick and easy lunches or dinners throughout the week.  I like making a large portion of chicken and rice and either freezing some portions for nights when I know I won’t have time to cook.

Ingredients Highlights for my Easy Pineapple Chicken and Rice Recipe

Though I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, chicken thighs work just as well. Be warned that the cook time is a bit shorter for chicken thighs, so make sure to check the internal temperature earlier than suggested in the recipe card to avoid dry chicken.  

You can opt to use fresh or canned pineapple (I tested out the recipe with canned pineapples but it’s just as delicious with fresh pineapple chunks). Canned pineapple is softer, sweeter, and more convenient since it requires no prep, but it can be overly sweet if packed in syrup. Fresh pineapple has a firmer texture and a bright, tangy flavor that balances the dish but requires more prep work. If you want a quick, consistent option, go with canned (preferably in juice, not syrup).

Secret to Perfect Rice: Instant Pot

If you want an easy way to cook rice, look no further than my Instant Pot Jasmine Rice recipe for cooking white rice. I love my Instant Pot and use it at least twice a week. If I had to pick just one kicker appliance to use for the rest of my life, then I would pick my instant pot without hesitation.  From boiled eggs in the instant pot to Instant Pot Chili and even instant pot crab legs. You can also make instant pot green beans or instant pot broccoli in the instant pot as a fast and healthy side to your chicken with pineapple meal. 

See my Everyday Instant Pot recipes for how you can make the most of your instant pot!

How to make Pineapple Chicken and Rice 

Preparing the Chicken 

Season chicken breasts with dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Next, after heating the skillet to a medium to highest, brown the chicken on both sides, locking in the moisture. 

Making the Sauce

While browning the chicken, drain and rinse of pineapple slices (making sure to reserve the juice).  There is nothing like a watery sauce to ruin dinner, so don’t forget to mix the cornstarch with your pineapple juice, it will help it thicken. Make sure to give it another stir before adding it to the pan for good measure. 

Cooking the Chicken in the Sauce

Once the chicken is browned, pour the Dijon mixture into the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the chicken simmer. 

Thicken the Sauce

After simmering, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. Give the cornstarch mixture a quick stir before adding it to the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil and stir continuously for about 2 minutes until it thickens.

Coat the Chicken & Heat the Pineapple

Return the chicken to the pan, flipping it to fully coat it in the thickened sauce. Arrange the pineapple slices on top and around the chicken, cover the pan, and let everything heat through for 2-3 minutes. 

Serve Chicken and Pineapple!

Use a nice sharp knife and cut the chicken into pieces, lay it over the rice dish,  poor over the remaining sauce and a couple of pineapple chunks. Serve while hot. 

How to Store Leftovers  

You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.  Alternatively, seal properly and put in the freeze. Thaw overnight before reheating if it was in the freezer. 

Love this recipe? Try my Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwich.