Pineapple Brown Sugar Chicken

Succulent Grilled Pineapple Brown Sugar Chicken is super moist and flavorful because the chicken breast is marinated in pineapple juice and brown sugar before it's fired up on the grill.

*Disclaimer - This recipe was originally published in 2015. I'm working hard to update all my older recipes with recipe cards, new photos, and additional recipe information. But, getting to all of them will take time. Please bear with me. In the meantime let me assure you that this recipe is still a winner and one I'm sure you'll be well pleased with when you make it at home.

This Grilled Pineapple Brown Sugar Chicken is incredibly delicious. It reminds me so much of a menu item I used to order when my husband and I were dating back in the late 70s. It was a dish from our favorite restaurant called Monterey Whaling Village and the memories that the flavor of this chicken brings back are astounding. We both loved that restaurant so much and having this flavorful reminder of such a sweet time in our relationship is a food memory I'll treasure.

The Monterey Whaling Village didn't, however, top their chicken with grilled pineapple slices, green bell pepper rings, red onion slices, and Swiss cheese, that's my special touch.

GRILLED PINEAPPLE BROWN SUGAR CHICKEN   {PRINT THIS RECIPE}
Serves: 5     Prep Time:  1 hour (includes marination time)    Cook Time:  30 minutes

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed to even thickness
1-gallon zip-top bag
2 cups pineapple juice
½ cup teriyaki sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 large red onion, sliced thinly
2 green bell peppers, seeded and sliced into rounds
1 can pineapple rings, drained and dried on paper towels
10 slices of Swiss cheese
salt and pepper

-Use a paring knife or a marinating tool to pierce many holes into the trimmed chicken breasts. Add the chicken breasts into the zip-top bag. Pour in the pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, garlic, and brown sugar. *Note - it's best to place the bag into a container so it doesn't leak. Place the chicken into the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 60 minutes.

-Once marinated, remove the chicken and discard the marinade. *Note - it is unsafe to use the marinade as a baste at this point because of the raw chicken. Please discard. Dry the chicken on paper towels and season each one liberally with salt and pepper.

-Heat the outdoor grill and add the green pepper, onion, and pineapple slices to cook and caramelize on both sides. *Note - I used a small skillet on the grill grates to cook the onion slices until soft. Remove the caramelized vegetables and pineapple to a baking sheet and set aside.

-Place the chicken breasts on the grill over medium heat and cook on one side for 10-15 minutes.
Turn the chicken breast over and continue grilling until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees (or the juices run clear when pierced).

-Remove the chicken to a baking sheet and top each with a slice of grilled pineapple, green bell pepper, onion slices, and 2 slices of Swiss cheese. Return the topped chicken back to the grill just to allow the cheese to melt. Remove and serve.