Baked Hawaiian chicken in a “huli huli” inspired pineapple sauce, featuring butterflied breast meat in a superb sweet and sticky sauce.
This recipe takes around an hour to cook, but 30 minutes of that is time for marinating the chicken.
Huli Huli (ish) Chicken Breast
I adore savoury dishes that play with sweet flavours, odd for someone who doesn’t eat a lot of sweet dishes.
But my site is littered with them, I have obvious dishes like sweet and sour pork balls and Vietnamese caramel chicken to lesser-known recipes like my Jollibee spaghetti and sweet chilli sauce salmon.
My latest recipe is a Hawaiian-influenced pineapple chicken breast that is based on the flavours of Huli Huli chicken.
Huli huli chicken is usually cooked over coals as it is spun, which is where it gets its name.
My version uses a butterflied chicken breast that is quickly marinated in an awesome pineapple sauce. A sauce that combines pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and tomato ketchup, it’s my basic childhood dream!
It is quickly pan-fried and then cooked, topped with a couple of pineapple rings.
It’s delicious, quick and easy food, and I love it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to butterfly the chicken breast?
No, but you would have to significantly change the cooking times. Depending on the size of the chicken breast, anything from 18-25 minutes should be about right.
Can I use bone in chicken legs or thighs?
Yes, but again, the timing will change even more!
Can I marinate the chicken for a long time?
I would avoid doing this because the enzymes in the pineapple will break down the chicken.
Can I use fresh pineapple?
You can, but it is a little wasteful for a dish that feeds two. But if you have some pineapple knocking around, feel free, but you will also need to buy some pineapple juice.
Can I make this in advance?
No, this recipe does not heat particularly well, and the chicken will almost certainly dry out.
Serving Suggestions
This pineapple chicken breast recipe is unashamedly influenced by Hawaiian huli huli chicken, a dish that is typically served with plain steamed rice and, on occasion, some kind of slaw or pasta salad.
Something like this rainbow slaw or this Hawaiian pasta salad would be perfect.
However, I very much prefer the sweet and sour sauce with something salty and crispy. For me, that means some form of potato!
In the photos on this page, I have gone with my baked crushed new potatoes.
But you could go with everything from crispy straw potatoes to fried new potatoes.
Or if you are feeling really lazy, you could cook some chips in the air fryer!
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11″ frying pan.
- Whisk.
- Kicthen tongs.
- Chopping board.
- Rolling pin.
- Mixing bowls.
- Weighing scale and measuring spoons.
Hawaiian Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Medium-Large Skinless Chicken Breasts 500g total
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
For the Sauce/Marinade:
- 1 Tin Pineapple Slices in Juice 225g or 8oz tin
- 3 tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
- 2 tablespoon Honey 40g
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Granules
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cornflour (cornstarch in the US)
- 2 teaspoon Water
Instructions
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Remove the pineapple slices from the tin and add the juice to a bowl. Set the pineapple slices.
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Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce/marinade to the bowl with the pineapple juice, and whisk to combine.
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Butterfly the chicken breasts by making a cut along the side, open it up like a book (or butterfly), then bash it with a rolling pin to even out the thickness.
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Add the chicken to the marinade and allow it to sit for 30-45 minutes.
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Heat a 28cm (11″) frying pan over a high heat, remove the chicken from the marinade, scraping off any excess.
Add the oil to a hot pan, and sear the chicken on the presentation side for 2-3 minutes, then flip the chicken.
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Pour in the sauce, add the pineapple slices to the top of the chicken, spoon over a little of the sauce and transfer it to a preheated oven (200°C or 390°F) for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.
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Mix together the water and cornflour, and when the chicken is cooked, remove it from the sauce, and whisk the cornflour into the sauce until it thickens.
Video
Nutrition
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