Easy Sheet Pan Pineapple BBQ Chicken
You will love Easy Sheet Pan Pineapple Chicken! It’s just five main ingredients, super delicious, and on the table in 30 minutes.
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This BBQ Pineapple Sheet Pan Chicken is an easy, flavorful dinner that comes together on one pan! Tender pieces of chicken are tossed with juicy pineapple, colorful bell peppers, red onion, garlic, and BBQ sauce, then roasted until caramelized and delicious.
The combination of sweet pineapple and smoky BBQ sauce is SO good, and since everything cooks together on one sheet pan, cleanup is incredibly easy. Serve it over rice for a simple weeknight dinner the whole family will love!
If you love these flavor combinations, try my crock pot version of the BBQ Pineapple Chicken.
Why You’ll Love BBQ Pineapple Chicken
- Easy one-pan dinner: Everything cooks together on one sheet pan, making cleanup a breeze.
- Big, bold flavor: Sweet pineapple pairs perfectly with smoky, tangy BBQ sauce.
- Family-friendly: The ingredients are simple and the flavors are approachable.
- Easy to customize: Use chicken breast or thighs, your favorite BBQ sauce, and whatever color bell peppers you have on hand.
- Great for busy weeknights: Prep everything, pop it in the oven, and dinner is ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Sheet Pan: I’m using a half sheet pan. I love this one from Great Jones. If you only have quarter sheet pans, split it between the 2 pans.
Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breast, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs work wonderfully, too. Cut the chicken into fairly large pieces. Larger pieces help keep the chicken juicy and prevent it from drying out in the oven.
Pineapple: Fresh pineapple is delicious in this recipe and gets beautifully caramelized as it roasts. Canned pineapple can also be used when you want to make this dinner even easier.
Bell peppers: I use one red and one orange bell pepper, but any combination of colors will work.
Red onion: Red onion adds a little sweetness and savory flavor as it roasts.
Garlic: Fresh grated garlic adds another layer of flavor to the BBQ sauce.
BBQ sauce: Use your favorite BBQ sauce. You’ll use some to coat the chicken and vegetables before baking and the rest at the end for even more BBQ flavor.
Salt and black pepper: Season generously to bring out the flavors of the chicken and vegetables.
Rice: We love serving this over cooked rice, but there are plenty of other options below.
How to Make BBQ Pineapple Sheet Pan Chicken
1. Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, or spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine the chicken and vegetables
Add the chicken pieces, pineapple chunks, bell peppers, red onion, grated garlic, and 3/4 cup of BBQ sauce to a large bowl.
Season generously with salt and pepper.
Stir everything together until the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated in the BBQ sauce.
3. Add everything to the sheet pan
Spread the chicken and vegetables onto the prepared sheet pan in a single layer.
Try not to overcrowd the pan. Giving the ingredients some space helps them roast instead of steam and allows the edges to caramelize.
4. Bake
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Start checking the chicken around the 25-minute mark so it doesn’t overcook. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.
For food safety, chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part.
5. Add more BBQ sauce
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and pour the remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce over the chicken and vegetables.
Toss everything together directly on the pan to coat it in the extra BBQ sauce.
6. Serve
Serve the BBQ pineapple chicken over cooked rice and spoon plenty of the pineapple, peppers, onions, and BBQ sauce over the top.
It’s such an easy and flavorful dinner!
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What to Serve with BBQ Pineapple Chicken
We love serving this sheet pan chicken over white or brown rice. The rice soaks up all of that delicious BBQ sauce and pineapple juice.
You can also serve it with:
- Cauliflower rice
- Coconut rice
- Quinoa
- Pasta
- Mashed potatoes
- Roasted potatoes
- A simple green salad
- Steamed broccoli
Fresh or Canned Pineapple?
Either works!
Fresh pineapple gives you a bright, juicy flavor and caramelizes beautifully in the oven. However, canned pineapple is a great shortcut and makes this recipe especially convenient for a busy weeknight.
If using canned pineapple, drain it well before adding it to the bowl so there isn’t too much extra liquid on the sheet pan.
Chicken Breast or Chicken Thighs?
Both work well in this recipe.
Chicken breast is lean and cooks quickly, while boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a little more forgiving and tend to stay especially juicy.
Whichever you use, cut the chicken into larger pieces rather than very small chunks. This helps prevent the chicken from drying out while the vegetables and pineapple roast.
Tips for the Best Sheet Pan Chicken
Don’t cut the chicken too small. Larger pieces stay juicier and are less likely to overcook.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Spread everything into one even layer with a little space between the ingredients when possible.
Check the chicken early. Start checking at 25 minutes because oven temperatures and chicken piece sizes can vary.
Drain canned pineapple well. Extra liquid can make it harder for the ingredients to caramelize.
Use your favorite BBQ sauce. A smoky BBQ sauce, honey BBQ sauce, or spicy BBQ sauce can all work well.
Line the pan with foil. It makes cleanup incredibly easy, especially with sticky BBQ sauce.
Variations
Make it spicy
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or your favorite hot sauce to the BBQ sauce.
Add more vegetables
Try adding zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, or mushrooms.
Use different chicken
Swap chicken breast for boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Add bacon
For an extra savory twist, add cooked, crumbled bacon before serving.
Make it Hawaiian-inspired
Serve the BBQ pineapple chicken over coconut rice and garnish with sliced green onions.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover BBQ pineapple chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave until heated through, or warm them in a skillet over medium heat. If the chicken seems dry, add a little extra BBQ sauce before reheating.
You can also portion the leftovers over rice for an easy lunch the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned pineapple for BBQ pineapple chicken?
Yes! Canned pineapple is an easy substitute for fresh pineapple. Drain it well before adding it to the recipe.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?
Absolutely. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work very well and tend to stay juicy.
Can I make this recipe with frozen pineapple?
Fresh or canned pineapple is best. If using frozen pineapple, thaw and drain it well first to prevent excess moisture on the sheet pan.
How do I keep the chicken from drying out?
Cut the chicken into larger pieces and don’t overcook it. Start checking the chicken around 25 minutes and remove it from the oven once it reaches 165°F.
Can I use a different BBQ sauce?
Yes! Use your favorite BBQ sauce. Sweet, smoky, spicy, or honey BBQ sauces would all be delicious.
Can I make this without rice?
Of course. The BBQ pineapple chicken is delicious on its own or served with cauliflower rice, quinoa, pasta, mashed potatoes, or roasted vegetables.
Easy, Flavor-Packed Sheet Pan Dinner
If you love the combination of sweet and savory flavors, this BBQ Pineapple Sheet Pan Chicken needs to be on your dinner rotation. The juicy pineapple, tender chicken, colorful peppers, red onion, garlic, and smoky BBQ sauce make every bite flavorful.
And because everything cooks on one pan, it’s an easy dinner with minimal cleanup—exactly what you want on a busy weeknight!
More Delicious Sheet Pan Recipes
- Roasted Vegetable Salad
- Shrimp Fajitas
- Five Ingredient Meatloaf
- Honey Mustard Chicken with Green Beans
- Sheet Pan Ranch Chicken with Potatoes
- Lemon Butter Shrimp with Asparagus
- Mini Meatloaves
Video How To Make Sheet Pan BBQ Pineapple Chicken
Sheet Pan BBQ Pineapple Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast or boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into large pieces
- 1 pineapple cut into chunks (canned pineapple can be used)
- 2 bell peppers cut into chunks (any color; I use 1 red and 1 orange)
- 1 red onion diced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 1/4 cups BBQ sauce divided
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine ingredients: Add chicken, pineapple, bell peppers, red onion, garlic, and 3/4 cup BBQ sauce to a large bowl. Generously season with salt and pepper. Stir well to coat everything in the BBQ sauce.
- Spread the chicken and vegetables onto the prepared sheet pan in a single layer.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F. Begin checking at 25 minutes so the chicken doesn’t overcook.
- Pour the remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce over the chicken and vegetables and toss to coat.
- Serve over cooked rice, or try cauliflower rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or your favorite side.
Notes
Nutrition
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I made this last night and it was ok. A little dry and bland.
I’ve made this twice. Both times I added carrot sticks with the other veggies. 1st time I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ and the 2nd time I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Chipotle BBQ. Both were great! Had it over white rice. Thanks for the easy and tasty recipe that the whole family loved!
I’ll have to try with the honey chipotle! Sounds delicious!
This was pretty good but I had to add about another 1/2 cup of bbq sauce at the very end, as well as more pineapple as I wanted it more saucy when served over rice.
With those changes I will definitely be making this again!
Great to hear!
Could u put this in a crockpot instead of an oven
Definitely! Here’s the full recipe https://www.stephreallife.com/slow-cooker-bbq-pineapple-chicken/
Did this last night and it is delicious!!! Will definitely do it again.
Turned out great! Definitely will do it again 😀
Thank you for sharing!
It is something I make all the time now | threw shrimp and squash in it this time it was even better