Avoid extra dishes in the kitchen while preparing this sweet and savory Hawaiian Chicken Skillet recipe. You will have juicy, flavorful chicken to eat with a side of white rice.
Hawaiian Chicken Skillet One Pot Meal
Do you often stress over making dinner and making a mess? If you want to avoid using too many pots and pans, but you still want to prepare a meal that your family will enjoy, try the Hawaiian Chicken Skillet.
It is simple enough to make and contains some of the best ingredients, including chicken thighs, pineapple chunks, and red peppers. Serve your chicken with a side of your favorite type of white rice and add sesame seeds as a garnish.
Why You’ll Love this Hawaiian Chicken Recipe:
- Perfect combo: It is both sweet and savory. If you love the combo, this recipe is perfect for you to try.
- Fresh ingredients: You can make it using simple yet tasty ingredients, such as pineapple chunks, ground ginger, garlic, and more.
- One skillet meal: It is a mess-free meal that you can prepare in the skillet instead of using multiple dishes.
How to make Hawaiian Chicken
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Add oil to a skillet and allow it to get hot while you toss your chicken thighs in flour.
- Place the thighs in the skillet and cook until they become golden on each side.
- Remove the chicken and set it off to the side. Add more oil to the skillet, along with the red onion and red pepper, cooking for about five minutes.
- Combine brown sugar with cornstarch in a bowl, stir in the juice from the pineapple, and add ginger, salt, pepper, and garlic into the bowl.
- Pour your sauce into the skillet and wait until it begins to boil before lowering the heat and allowing it to simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Place chicken in the skillet, coat with the sauce, and cover before cooking for up to 15 minutes.
Why Is It Called Hawaiian Chicken?
The dish is called Hawaiian Chicken because it contains ingredients that are popular in Hawaii, including ginger, garlic, and pineapple.
The sweet taste of this chicken will remind you of the beautiful island.
What Type of Chicken Do I Need?
It is best to use chicken thighs for this recipe. Be sure to use boneless, skinless thighs. If you absolutely cannot use thighs, use chicken breasts as a replacement.
Is Hawaiian Chicken Spicy?
The Hawaiian Chicken Skillet meal is not spicy, but you can add a kick to it by including red chili flakes or chili paste.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Check your chicken thighs after 10 minutes of cooking in the sauce to make sure they are not pink inside. If they are still pink, continue cooking for an additional five minutes.
- If you do not have fresh garlic cloves, you can use minced garlic from a jar in this dish.
- Use a large skillet to ensure that you will have more than enough space for all your ingredients to cook evenly.
The Hawaiian Chicken Skillet is a delicious, easy-to-prepare meal. Not only can you make this for lunch or dinner, but you can also do so without using multiple pots and pans!
More one pot chicken recipes we love
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons oil divided
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 medium red onion cut in chunks
- 1 red pepper cut in chunks
- 1 can pineapple chunks juice reserved
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. In a large bowl, toss chicken thighs with flour to coat. Brown chicken thighs for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove to plate.
- Add ½ tablespoon oil to the same skillet and add red onion and red pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the juice from the canned pineapple, minced garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.
- Add the sauce to the skillet and heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
- Return chicken to the skillet and stir to coat with sauce. Cover skillet and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds and serve with rice.
Fred Zbikowski says
When should the pineapple chunks be added? Could it be with the chicken, or maybe just before serving?
Becky Hardin says
With the chicken!
Jenn says
When do you add the pineapple? Maybe I just missed it, I’ve herd the recipe a couple times and don’t see where you add the pineapple…
Becky Hardin says
With the chicken!
Katherine Morrow says
We absolutely lived this. I’ve made it twice. Once exactly as written. Once with adding mushrooms and an additional bell pepper and served over riced cauliflower. Delicious both times.
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing! Love those additions!
Susan says
OMG this was absolutely delicious!!!
Becky Hardin says
So glad you enjoyed it, Susan!