I’m updating my “Tuesday night dinner that feels like we’re in Hawaii” with double the sauce! You guys asked, so I added more of that sweet, tangy, deliciousness to this Baked Sweet Hawaiian chicken! It’s easy, even after a busy day!
Say Aloha to Your New Favorite Dinner
- Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor: You don’t need anything fancy here, just pantry staples that come together into a sweet, tangy sauce.
- Sauce That Actually Hits: It’s perfectly balanced, not too sweet, not too heavy, and coats every piece of chicken!
- Consistently Good: No complicated steps, no guesswork, just a great recipe that turns out every time.
A Reader’s Review
Alyssa, I had to leave a comment because this was out of this world!! I doubled the recipe and there’s hardly any left!! Definitely will be making this again.
Jennifer
Baked Hawaiian Chicken Ingredients
- Pineapple: You can use diced fresh pineapple instead of pineapple tidbits if you’d like.
- Bell Pepper: Any color works, but green peppers have a slightly more bitter flavor, while red, yellow, and orange are sweeter.
- Soy Sauce: For lower salt content, use low-sodium soy sauce.
Baked Sweet Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
My baked Hawaiian chicken recipe is just so good, and every time I make it, I wonder why I don’t make it more. I whip up some instant pot rice and some Hawaiian sweet rolls for a full meal!
- Prep: Preheat oven to 325°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces, then season with salt and pepper.
- Cornstarch Chicken: Add cornstarch to a large ziplock bag and eggs to a bowl. Add the chicken to the bag, seal, and shake until evenly coated.
- Coat Chicken: Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture until coated, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet to prevent sticking.
- Cook in Batches: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the chicken in 2 to 3 batches until browned, then transfer to the baking dish. No need to cook through; it will finish in the oven.
- Make Sauce: Combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and cornstarch in a medium bowl, then pour over the chicken.
- Bake: Top with bell pepper and pineapple. Bake uncovered for 1 hour, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes to coat in the sauce. Let the baked sweet Hawaiian chicken stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Must Have Tools For This Recipe
- Nonstick Skillet: Ensure good browning and less sticking!
- Splatter Screen: Prevents oil from popping everywhere. Also protects you from burns from hot oil.
- 9 x 13-inch 3-quart baking dish: Perfect for baking then serving!
Air Fyer Instructions
- Skip the Eggs: Omit the eggs and coat the chicken in cornstarch only.
- Air Fry: Place the chicken in a greased air fryer basket and lightly spray with oil.
- Cook: Cook at 350°F for 4 to 5 minutes, flip, spray again, and cook another 4 to 5 minutes until it reaches 165°F.
- Work in Batches: Cook in batches if needed, so everything cooks evenly.
- Finish: Add the cooked chicken to the baking dish and continue with the recipe starting at step 6.
Baked Sweet Hawaiian Chicken
Delicious chicken that gets breaded and baked in a sweet and tangy pineapple sauce. It bakes to perfection and is so much better than takeout!
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 446kcal
Equipment
- 1 large nonstick skillet 12 or 14-inch
- 1 9 x 13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1.5 pounds
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups cornstarch
- 3 large beaten eggs
- ⅓ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
Sweet Hawaiian Sauce
- 1 ½ cups pineapple juice
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup soy sauce low-sodium for less salt
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic about 1 large clove
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 ½ teaspoons
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper about 1 medium bell pepper
- 1 (20-ounce) drained can pineapple tidbits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, then set aside.
- Cut 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season well with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Add 1 ¼ cups cornstarch to a large ziplock bag, and 3 large beaten eggs to a bowl. Add the diced chicken to the ziplock bag and close it securely before shaking vigorously, until all the chicken is evenly coated in cornstarch.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the eggs until coated. To prevent the chicken from sticking, you can place the coated pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Heat ⅓ cup canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the breaded chicken in 2-3 batches until browned. No need to cook them completely through, since they will finish cooking in the oven. Add the browned pieces to the prepared baking dish.
- Combine 1 ½ cups pineapple juice, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup soy sauce, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a medium bowl, then pour over the chicken.
- Top with 1 cup diced red bell pepper and 1 (20-ounce) drained can pineapple tidbits.
- Bake uncovered for 1 hour, stirring the chicken every 15-20 minutes or so to coat it evenly in the sauce. Let the dish stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
-
- Leftover, Make Ahead, and Reheating Instructions
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze pan-fried chicken on a parchment-lined sheet for 1 to 2 hours until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Store sauce separately. Bake from frozen with sauce, adding 10 to 15 minutes. Freeze up to 3 months.
- Make Ahead: Sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Don’t prep the chicken early or it will get soggy.
- Reheat: Warm on the stove over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through. Avoid the microwave so the chicken stays tender.
Nutrition
Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 1163mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 748IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg
