Being a Florida girl, my heart belongs to any meal that tastes like sunshine and a tropical vacation! This Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan is a little taste of the islands on a plate. This easy pineapple chicken recipe is bright, sweet, tangy, and my daughter, Olivia, loves the juicy, caramelized pineapple chunks.
This Hawaiian chicken sheet pan recipe is easy to prepare and bursting with flavor! It's a one-sheet pan dinner that combines juicy chicken pieces, colorful bell peppers, sweet onions, and caramelized pineapple all roasted together. Now this easy hawaiian chicken sheet pan has become one of our go-to dinners for busy weeknight meal solutions.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Ingredients for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- How to Make Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- My Top Tips for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Making Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan with My Family
- Substitutions for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Variations on Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Equipment for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Storage Tips for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Adam's Tip for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- FAQ about Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Conclusion
- Related
- Pairing
- recipe
Why You'll Love This Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- One-pan wonder: Everything cooks together on line a large sheet pan, which means minimal prep and easy cleanup for this one-sheet pan dinner.
- Healthy and colorful: Packed with lean protein, colorful bell peppers, and tropical fruit, it's a balanced meal that looks as good as it tastes.
- Quick weeknight meal: Ready in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for those busy weeknight meal nights when you need dinner fast.
Ingredients for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
This Sheet Pan Hawaiian Chicken has chicken, peppers, and onions in a sweet and tangy sauce that's irresistible. The hawaiian chicken sheet pan with pineapple creates that signature tropical flavor, while the hawaiian chicken sheet pan with soy sauce and honey adds depth and sweetness. This recipe uses simple ingredients to create a best hawaiian chicken sheet pan that rivals any restaurant version.
What You'll Need
For the Chicken and Vegetables:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 red onion, cut into chunks
- 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks (or canned, drained)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Hawaiian BBQ Sauce:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
For Serving:
- Cooked rice
- Sesame seeds
- Sliced green onions
- Fresh cilantro
Why These Ingredients Matter
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Cut into pieces for quick cooking and maximum surface area for the sauce to coat, creating juicy chicken pieces in every bite.
- Pineapple chunks: Fresh or canned both work, but they caramelize beautifully in the oven, adding natural sweetness to balance the savory elements.
- Soy sauce and honey: This combination creates that signature sweet-tangy sauce that defines Hawaiian chicken and makes every bite irresistible.
How to Make Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
Step-by-Step Directions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, ketchup, minced garlic, grated ginger, rice vinegar, and sesame oil to make the Hawaiian BBQ sauce.
- In a large bowl, combine chicken, red onion, bell peppers, pineapple, and Hawaiian BBQ sauce.
- Toss everything with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Pour half of the Hawaiian BBQ sauce over the chicken and vegetables, reserving the other half.
- Spread the chicken mixture in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan.
- Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking, brush the reserved sauce over everything for extra flavor.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro.
Hint: For the weight watchers hawaiian chicken sheet pan recipe version, use sugar-free honey substitute and reduce the oil to 1 tablespoon. The dish will still be delicious but with fewer points.
My Top Tips for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
Don't overcrowd the sheet pan. If everything is piled too high, it will steam instead of roast, and you won't get that beautiful caramelized pineapple and slightly charred edges on the vegetables. If you have a lot of ingredients, use two sheet pans or make it in batches. The key to this one-sheet pan dinner success is giving everything enough space to roast properly. This technique is similar to what we use with our creamy white cheddar chicken pasta, where proper spacing makes all the difference.
Making Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan with My Family
Last week, Adam helped me prepare this hawaiian chicken recipe by cutting the bell peppers. He arranged all the colorful bell peppers on the pan in a pattern and said, "It looks like a rainbow before we cook it." I smiled and told him that's exactly what makes this dish so appealing.
When we served it for dinner, Adam loaded his plate with extra pineapple and declared, "This is like if a Hawaiian pizza became chicken." Grandma Viola, who was visiting, tried some and said, "This one-pan wonder combines juicy chicken, colorful bell peppers, sweet onions, and tropical pineapple perfectly. And only one pan to clean? That's my kind of recipe."
Substitutions for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Protein: Use chicken thighs for juicier meat, or try shrimp for a seafood version that cooks even faster.
- Vegetables: Add broccoli, snap peas, or zucchini for hawaiian chicken sheet pan with broccoli variety.
- Sweetener: Replace honey with maple syrup or agave for a different sweet note in the sauce.
- Pineapple: Use mango chunks for a different tropical twist while maintaining that fruity sweetness.
Variations on Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Pioneer Woman style: Make it hawaiian chicken sheet pan pioneer woman inspired by adding bacon pieces and using BBQ sauce base.
- Spicy version: Add red pepper flakes or sriracha to the sauce for a spicy-sweet combination.
- Rice bowl: Create hawaiian chicken sheet pan with rice by spreading cooked rice on the bottom of the pan before adding toppings for a complete one-pan meal. Check out this sheet pan Hawaiian chicken recipe for more variations.
Equipment for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Large rimmed sheet pan: An 18x13-inch half-sheet pan works perfectly for spreading everything in a single layer.
- Parchment paper: Makes cleanup even easier and prevents sticking.
- Sharp knife: For cutting chicken and vegetables into uniform pieces so everything cooks evenly.
- Small bowl: For mixing the Hawaiian BBQ sauce before adding to the pan.
Storage Tips for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This makes excellent meal prep for trendy healthy food lunches.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken and vegetables (without the pineapple) for up to 2 months. Add fresh pineapple when reheating.
- Reheating: Warm in the oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 2 to 3 minutes.
This is one of those sheet pan recipes that's perfect for whole food meal prep for the week. Make it on Sunday and you'll have healthy lunches or quick dinners ready to go. It pairs beautifully with our creamy tomato pasta when you want variety in your weekly weeknight meals.
Adam's Tip for Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
"Make sure you get some of the pineapple that's all brown and crispy from the oven. That's the best part. Also, if you don't like onions, you can skip them, but the peppers are really good so don't skip those."
FAQ about Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
Is Hawaiian chicken sheet pan healthy?
Yes! This hawaiian chicken sheet pan is a healthy meal option. It's packed with lean protein from chicken, vitamins from the colorful bell peppers and onions, and natural sweetness from pineapple. The dish is low in fat and high in nutrients. For an even healthier version, try the weight watchers hawaiian chicken sheet pan recipe by reducing honey and oil. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice for a complete balanced meal.
What seasoning for Hawaiian Chicken?
Traditional hawaiian chicken seasoning includes soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a touch of sweetness from honey or brown sugar. Some recipes add sesame oil for nutty depth. The combination creates that signature sweet-tangy sauce flavor. You can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat or pineapple juice for extra tropical flavor. The key is balancing sweet, salty, and savory elements.
How long to cook sheet pan chicken and potatoes in the oven?
For sheet pan meals chicken with potatoes, cook at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes total. Start potatoes first for 10 minutes since they take longer, then add chicken pieces and cook together for the remaining 15 to 20 minutes. For this hawaiian chicken sheet pan recipe, everything cooks together for about 20 to 25 minutes since we're using smaller chicken pieces and vegetables that cook at similar rates.
What is Hawaiian Chicken sauce made of?
Hawaiian Chicken sauce is typically made of soy sauce, honey or brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and sometimes pineapple juice or ketchup for sweetness and tang. The hawaiian chicken sheet pan with soy sauce and honey version creates a glossy, flavorful glaze. Some recipes add rice vinegar for acidity and sesame oil for depth. The sauce should be sweet-tangy with savory undertones that complement the caramelized pineapple and vegetables.
Conclusion
I hope this simple and delicious recipe brings a little bit of that bright, beautiful tropical sunshine right to your kitchen table, no matter where you are. Enjoy your little taste of the islands! This Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan is the ultimate easy weeknight dinners solution that brings vacation vibes to any night.
Whether you're looking for healthy dinner recipes for 6 people or healthy easy dinner ideas for two, this one-sheet pan dinner scales perfectly. If you're searching for more sheet pan recipes, try our easy taco lasagna recipe or cheesy garlic chicken wraps for variety. Let me know how your hawaiian chicken turns out! Enjoy.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan:
recipe
Easy Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan
Equipment
- 1 Large rimmed sheet pan (18x13 inch) Allows ingredients to roast instead of steam.
- 1 Parchment paper Optional but helps with easy cleanup.
- 1 Large mixing bowl For tossing chicken and vegetables.
- 1 Small mixing bowl For whisking the sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts Cut into bite sized pieces.
- 1 red bell pepper Cut into chunks.
- 1 yellow bell pepper Cut into chunks.
- 1 red onion Cut into chunks.
- 2 cups pineapple chunks Fresh or canned, drained.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper To taste.
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 cloves garlic Minced.
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger Grated.
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch Mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
- cooked rice
- sesame seeds
- sliced green onions
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, ketchup, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
- In a large bowl, add the chicken, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, and pineapple. Pour the sauce over the top, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Spread everything out on the sheet pan in a single layer.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until chicken is cooked and pineapple caramelized.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro.
Notes
- Chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts for extra juiciness.
- Reduce honey to 2 tablespoons for a lighter option.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- This recipe works well for meal prep and reheats beautifully.
- Serve with cauliflower rice for a lower carb meal.
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