Pineapple BBQ Chicken

 

Delicious and effortless! This sweet and savory marinade transforms grilled chicken breast into a delightful dish. The addition of pineapple brings out a lovely Hawaiian flair. Pair it with grilled pineapple over rice for a complete meal. Let’s fire up the grill and In just 20 minutes, you can enjoy this quick dinner experience! 

Servings6

Ingredients

For The Chicken

2 pounds chicken breast cut into tenders or strips

¼ cup canned pineapple juice

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger

1 tsp. sesame oil

½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 - 2 tsp. sweet red chili sauce optional

Fresh cilantro to taste (Optional)

For The Pineapple

1 large pineapple 12 wedges

¼ cup packed brown sugar

Instructions

In a one-gallon Ziplock bag place all the ingredients for the chicken except the cilantro. Seal the bag and shake the contents around until all the ingredients are mixed and the chicken is well coated.

Leave the bag on the counter to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 2 hours flipping occasionally.

Remove the top and bottom of the pineapple and cut the rind off the sides. Cut the pineapple into quarters from top to bottom and then cut out the core of each piece. Slice the quarters into about 4 spears each.

Place the spears of pineapple into a 2nd gallon Ziploc bag with the ¼ cup brown sugar. Toss gently to coat and leave out with the chicken. When the marinating is finished, pre-heat your grill to a medium heat of about 350 F.

Add the pineapple to the grill first and let it cook 3-4 minutes before adding the chicken. (Reserve the sugar sauce for basting or serving if desired.)

Add the chicken alongside the pineapple. Grill 4-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked on the bottom. Flip the chicken and the pineapple and grill another 2-4 minutes until the chicken is firm to the touch and has reached an internal temperature of 160 F.

The pineapple is done when it is hot and has good grill marks. Remove the chicken and pineapple to a platter and use a cooking brush to baste the sauce from the pineapple bag over both if desired.

Tear up some fresh cilantro leaves and scatter over the chicken and pineapple. Serve with steamed rice. 

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Ashford University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.