Pineapple Chicken And Rice brings big flavor with tender marinated chicken and a fresh pineapple salsa. So easy and incredibly good!
Featured Comment
I made this tonight and it was incredible!! The pineapple salsa was divine! Bravo 👏🏼
– Jenni
Author’s Note
Sweet, Smoky, and Seriously Good Chicken!
I’ve been hooked on grilling fruit lately; pineapple, peaches, mango, you name it. That smoky-sweet flavor is unreal, especially with chicken or salmon.
So when I paired my favorite pineapple salsa with my go-to chicken marinade, it was a total match made in heaven.
The easy marinade loads the chicken with flavor while keeping it ultra tender, and the sweet pineapple makes every bite taste like summer. It’s fresh, simple to throw together, and definitely one of those recipes you’ll want to make again and again.
Pineapple Chicken And Rice Ingredients
A few quick ingredient tips first—then the full recipe’s below in the box.
| Ingredient | Tip |
|---|---|
| Chicken | Breasts or thighs both work. Use what you like best. |
| Olive oil | A good extra virgin olive oil gives the best flavor. |
| Limes | Choose limes that feel heavy since they are juicier. |
| Cumin & coriander | These add warm, citrusy flavor. Adjust to taste. |
| Pineapple | Riper and sweeter pineapple makes the dish better. |
How To Make Pineapple Chicken And Rice (Tips)
- Pound the chicken evenly: Helps it cook faster and stay juicy.
- Oil the grill well: Stops the chicken from sticking to the grates.
- Use a meat thermometer: Makes it easy to know when chicken is done.
- Use a juicer: Way faster and easier for squeezing fresh limes.
- Take shortcuts: Use jarred garlic or grab pre-cut pineapple to save time.
How To Serve Pineapple Chicken And Rice
- Over a base like coconut rice, cilantro-lime rice, or quinoa.
- In a bowl with black beans, avocado, grilled corn, and cilantro-lime sauce.
- Wrapped in warm tortillas for easy tacos.
- With chips for scooping up extra salsa.
- Alongside a simple salad like fruit salad or cucumber salad.
Storage
- Chicken: Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Eat within 3–5 days.
- Salsa: Keep in the fridge and use within 1–2 days for the best flavor and texture.
More Chicken Recipes To Love:
Pineapple Chicken And Rice
Pineapple Chicken And Rice turns everyday chicken into something unforgettable with a quick marinade and a sweet pineapple salsa. Shop the recipe here.
Video
Equipment
- Grill or grill pan or large pan
Ingredients
Grilled Chicken
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 limes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and pepper
- Vegetable oil for greasing grill/grill pan
Pineapple Salsa
- 3 cups diced pineapple 18 ounces/most of 1 pineapple; see note 1
- 1 cup cilantro measure loosely packed, then finely dice
- 2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeño
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 large avocado finely sliced or diced, see note 2
- Coconut rice or cilantro-lime rice or quinoa, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Trim chicken and slice breasts in half widthwise. Pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or the bottom of a pan. (Not super flat, just even.)
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, 1 tsp lime zest, ¼ cup lime juice, minced garlic, honey, cumin, coriander, and about ½ tsp each salt and pepper. Set aside 3 tablespoons of the marinade.
- Add the rest of the marinade to the chicken in a large resealable bag. Seal and knead to coat evenly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2–3 hours (no longer than 4 hours).
- To cook this on the stovetop, see note 3. Otherwise, heat grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 400°F). Oil the grates well with a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil (use tongs to hold the towel).
- Optional: Grill Pineapple. (See note 1.) Rub pineapple strips with 1–2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Grill for 2–3 minutes per side, until lightly charred. Let cool slightly, then finely dice.
- Remove chicken from the marinade (discard marinade). Grill for 4–6 minutes per side, or until internal temperature is 160°F. Baste with reserved marinade while grilling and after flipping. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- In a large bowl, combine diced pineapple, cilantro, jalapeño, and red onion. Add 2 tbsp lime juice, cumin, and salt & pepper to taste (about ¼ tsp salt and pinch of pepper). Toss gently. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Add a drizzle of honey if you want it sweeter or a drizzle of olive oil if you'd like it richer.
- Slice or chop the chicken. Serve over rice with pineapple salsa and diced avocado on top. Enjoy!
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: You don’t have to grill the pineapple, but it adds amazing sweetness. I cut the peeled, cored pineapple into about 9–10 long strips. After grilling, I slice each strip into 3 long pieces, then dice them small. You’ll likely have extra salsa—it’s great with chips!
Note 2: A ripe avocado adds creamy texture. If you skip the avocado but want something creamy, add a cilantro-lime sauce.
Note 3: For stovetop cooking, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Let excess marinade drip off the chicken. Cook 2–4 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove from pan and brush with reserved marinade.
Nutrition Note: Nutritional information does not include rice.
Storage: Store chicken in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3–5 days. Keep the salsa refrigerated and use within 1–2 days for the best flavor and texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 1077mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 212IU | Vitamin C: 75mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Anyone add black beans when they made this? I feel like that would be good.
Just made this for the first time tonight. I’ll definitely add it to my healthy dinner repertoire. I subbed a packet of stevia for the honey and grilled the pineapple as suggested. Reduced the cumin to 1.5 teaspoons for the marinade and just a dash in the salsa because it’s not my favorite spice. Delicious! The whole family liked it.
So happy to hear this was a hit! Thanks for the comment 🙂
you can use the leftover pineapple juice instead of honey. I thought it was ok but only adding cumin…..it needed something else. Also, I think grilling the red onion before adding the salsa might be good. I’ll try it next time.
Sounds great! Thanks for your comment!
Love this. I made cilantro lime cauliflower rice to serve with it. Soooo good!!
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Bryttney! 🙂
Great summer meal! I made the coconut rice with it and my family loved it. Will add this as a regular on my summer meal planning!
I’m so happy to hear this Jess! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
Question, I cannot do cilantro so what would you suggest as a substitute?
Hmm I think flat leaf Italian parsley will be your next best bet!
Made this vegetarian by subbing extra firm tofu for the chicken and baking after it marinated. Served over cilantro lime quinoa. It was really good!
MMM that sounds awesome!! Thanks for the tip! 🙂
Trying this tonight. I don’t grill and the hubby isn’t home so I am doing it on the stove top. I think the stove top method repeats the chicken steps twice or maybe the word chicken is used instead of pineapple. I can’t wait to eat this!!
Hey Chris, I’m not sure where you’re seeing that! Is that on this recipe? “Pineapple chicken”? Thanks!
Used canned pineapple bc it’s what i had and still… amaaaaazing! Hubby grilled the chicken after a 30 min. marinade and everything was delicious. Served with pineapple jalapeno margaritas and it was a hit. Will make again for sure!
Yay! So happy to hear this was a hit! 🙂 Thanks for the comment Amy!
This was a big hit. I had to sub shallots for red onions because that was all I had on hand and it was still great! I had never made grilled pineapple before but will certainly be making it again. Great recipe!
I’m sooo glad you enjoyed!! Thanks so much! 🙂
I made this tonight and it was great! I did not have a grill, so I pan-fried the diced pineapple in vegetable oil and they were so good! Salsa was a perfect combination over the chicken. I probably would salt and pepper the chicken first before adding a marinade.
So happy to hear this was a hit! Thanks so much for the comment Kesi 🙂