Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken With Homemade Pineapple Teriyaki Glaze

Some dinners taste like a mini vacation on a plate, and this Hawaiian teriyaki chicken is exactly that kind of dinner. It balances sweet, savory and tangy flavors in every bite, with juicy chicken coated in a sticky caramelized glaze, bright pineapple sweetness and just a whisper of smokiness from the hot skillet.

this …

The original recipe author first fell for Hawaiian style teriyaki chicken at a small roadside stand on Oahu, where the chicken came charred at the edges, glossy with glaze and piled over fluffy white rice next to creamy macaroni salad. You can read the original Hawaiian teriyaki chicken recipe that inspired this version. That memory is the whole idea here, recreating those island flavors at home with a homemade teriyaki sauce made from a few simple pantry staples.

What I love most is how flexible it is. Keep things quick and easy on the stovetop for a busy weeknight, or take it outside to the grill when you want lightly charred backyard barbecue character. Either way, the sweet sticky glaze caramelizes beautifully and the chicken stays juicy enough to feed a hungry crowd. Serve it hot over steamed white rice or coconut rice, shower it with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, and dinner is done.

Why You’ll Love It

This is restaurant quality flavor at home, the kind of sweet and savory teriyaki chicken you would expect from your favorite Hawaiian barbecue spot. The glossy homemade sauce tastes fresher and bolder than anything from a bottle, and you control exactly how sweet it gets. Since the sauce uses no preservatives, every bite tastes clean and bright, with real garlic, ginger and pineapple juice doing the heavy lifting.

It is endlessly flexible too. Grill it when you want light smokiness and caramelized edges, bake it when you want a hands off dinner, or pan fry it on the stovetop when the weeknight clock is ticking. Kids love the sweet glaze, grown ups love the savory depth, and the whole thing works just as well for a casual family dinner as it does for a backyard crowd.

Meal prep fans, this one is for you. The chicken reheats beautifully, staying juicy alongside rice, noodles or a pile of simple sauteed vegetables. Make a batch on Sunday and you will have lunches that actually excite you all week long.

• Restaurant quality flavor at home, rivaling Hawaiian barbecue spots
• Your choice of cooking method: grill, bake or pan fry
• Kid friendly and crowd pleasing sweet and savory flavor
• Great for meal prep; reheats well with rice, noodles or vegetables
• Homemade sauce with no preservatives and bold fresh flavor

Ingredient Notes & Details

This recipe keeps things simple with two short lists, one for the chicken and one for the glossy teriyaki sauce. Everything is easy to find at a regular grocery store, and most of the sauce ingredients are probably in your pantry already. Here is the full lineup for six servings, followed by notes on smart swaps and why each ingredient matters.

For the Chicken

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned, juice reserved
• 2 green onions, sliced, for garnish
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional

For the Teriyaki Sauce

• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice, from the canned pineapple or fresh
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch whisked with 2 teaspoons water, mixed into a slurry for thickening

A few notes to help you shop and swap with confidence:

• Chicken: Boneless skinless thighs are the top pick for juicy results. They hold up better to marinating and high heat than breasts, though breasts work fine if that is what you have.
• Soy sauce: This forms the savory base of the glaze. Low sodium soy sauce keeps the salt in check while delivering all that classic teriyaki flavor.
• Brown sugar and honey: Brown sugar brings sweetness and helps the glaze caramelize into sticky perfection. Honey can stand in for the sugar when you want a naturally sweetened sauce.
• Pineapple juice: This is the Hawaiian touch, adding sweetness and gentle tang. Fresh juice or canned unsweetened juice both work beautifully.
• Garlic and ginger: Fresh gives the brightest, boldest flavor, but powdered versions can fill in in a pinch.
• Rice vinegar and cornstarch: A splash of rice vinegar balances the sweetness with light acidity, and apple cider vinegar makes an easy substitute. Just two teaspoons of cornstarch whisked with water thickens everything into a glossy glaze that clings to every piece. Finish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for color, crunch and fresh flavor.

  

Step by Step Instructions

Here is the stovetop method from the recipe card, which keeps everything in one skillet and gets dinner on the table fast. Prep takes about 15 minutes and cooking takes about 25 minutes. No total time is listed in the source, so plan your sides around those two numbers. Read through once before you start, since the sauce thickens quickly at the end.

1. Make the sauce. Combine 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/3 cup pineapple juice, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens and turns glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Cook the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Combine and glaze. Pour the prepared teriyaki sauce into the skillet and add 1 cup pineapple chunks. Toss everything to coat and let it simmer together for 3 to 4 minutes, until glossy and caramelized.
4. Serve. Spoon the chicken over steamed white rice or coconut rice while hot. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Keep the sauce moving as it simmers and pull it off the heat the moment it turns glossy. It thickens fast, and glossy is exactly what you want coating the chicken.

Want to mix up the cooking method? The options below are optional extras from the article body, not replacements for the skillet method above.

Optional marinating tip: reserve one third of the sauce for basting and serving, then marinate the chicken in the rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours in the fridge for deeper flavor.

Storage Tips

Leftovers are a gift with this recipe, because the flavors settle in beautifully overnight. A little planning means you get a second dinner that tastes just as good as the first.

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Cooked chicken with its sauce freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet with a splash of water or a spoonful of extra sauce to keep the chicken moist and juicy.

Variations

Once you have the basic glossy chicken down, it is fun to play. These twists all start from the same sauce and method, so pick the one that matches your mood.

• Spicy kick: Whisk a teaspoon of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes into the sauce for gentle heat that plays beautifully against the sweet pineapple.
• Grilled pineapple topper: Grill thick pineapple rings until caramelized and lay them right over the chicken. For more grilled inspiration, see these grilled teriyaki chicken skewers recipe ideas for your next cookout.
• Skewers for the barbecue: Cube the chicken, marinate it, thread it onto skewers and grill for a party friendly version that is easy to serve.
• Naturally sweetened: Swap the brown sugar for honey or coconut sugar for a naturally sweetened sauce with deep caramel notes.
• One pan sheet pan dinner: Roast the chicken alongside bell peppers, onions and pineapple chunks for an easy one pan dinner with almost no cleanup. Prefer a hands off approach? This slow cooker teriyaki chicken recipe is another favorite the family will ask for again and again.

  

For another take on the classic, this grilled Hawaiian teriyaki chicken thighs version is worth a look when you want maximum char on the grill.

See the additional source.

FAQs

Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Some dinners taste like a mini vacation on a plate, and this Hawaiian teriyaki chicken is exactly that kind of dinner. It balances sweet, savory and tangy flavors in every bite, with juicy chicken coated in a sticky caramelized glaze, bright pineapple sweetness and just a whisper of smokiness from the hot skillet.

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Chicken
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, or breasts, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned, juice reserved
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Teriyaki Sauce
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup pineapple juice, from the canned pineapple or fresh
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons cornstarch + water, 2 teaspoons water slurry, for thickening

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Instructions
1-Make the sauce: Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
2-Cook the chicken: Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
3-Combine: Combine: Add the prepared teriyaki sauce and pineapple chunks to the skillet with the chicken. Toss to coat and let everything simmer together for 3-4 minutes until glossy and caramelized.
4-Serve: Serve: Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot over steamed white rice or coconut rice.

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Method: stovetop