Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

Looking for an easy weeknight meal? When it comes to busy days, the last thing you want to be doing is standing over the stove for a long time. Luckily, this pineapple teriyaki chicken recipe has you covered. Food photographer Petar Marshall developed this recipe to be as simple as can be. And the results? Totally delicious. "You won't have to spend much time to get dinner on the table," he says. "But the results are jam-packed with great flavor, offering excellent protein and veggies for a well-balanced meal."

For this recipe, chicken tenderloins are paired with juicy, sweet pineapple and red bell pepper. Everything is cooked in a tangy teriyaki sauce for the perfect bite, making the ideal pairing for jasmine rice or even ramen-style noodles. You'll only need a total of 10 ingredients and dinner will be on the table in no time. It's that easy! Keep reading for step-by-step instructions to pull it off. 

Ready to dive in on making a flavorful dinner? Let's get started! First up, gather all of your ingredients ahead of time to make the process that much simpler. For this recipe, you'll need chicken tenderloins, a whole, fresh pineapple, one shallot, five cloves of garlic, one red bell pepper, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger paste, and honey. Be sure to grab some scallions for a pop of color and flavor as a great garnish. Keep in mind that you'll want to chop up the pineapple before cooking, as well as mince the garlic, and dice the shallot and red bell pepper.

Teriyaki sauce is one of the simplest sauces to mix up at home. First, start by adding the soy sauce into a bowl. Then, add in the brown sugar, ginger paste, and honey. Grab a whisk and mix the sauce until well combined. "I like to make my own quick sauce for this recipe," says Marshall. "But you could swap it out and use a pre-made teriyaki sauce as well." Once the sauce is mixed and ready, set it aside until it's time to use it. 

With the sauce ready to go, it's time to cook the chicken tenderloins. Place your pan on the stove top and turn the heat up to medium. Add in the minced garlic and diced shallot once the pan has heated up. Cook until they're light brown in color and fragrant. Next, add in the chicken tenderloins. Cook the chicken for about three minutes on each side. "These cook quickly, but be sure to check one of the tenderloins for doneness before moving on," says Marshall. 

Once the chicken is cooked, it's time to add in a splash of color! Turn the stove top up to medium-high heat and mix in the chopped pineapple and red bell pepper. The moisture from the two will be released while cooking, creating steam. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. This will create the perfect base to add in your prepared teriyaki sauce. 

With the chicken, fruit, and veggies cooked, it's time to finish off this dish. Keep the stove top heat at medium-high and add in the teriyaki sauce. Pour the sauce all over the chicken mixture to be sure it's fully covered, and then give it a stir. Allow all of the ingredients to sit and simmer in the sauce for five minutes. During that time, the sauce will reduce slightly. Once the pineapple teriyaki chicken is finished, serve it up with jasmine rice, or enjoy it on its own. Garnish the top of your dish with chopped scallions.