Pineapple Chicken Rice Bake (Printable)

A vibrant casserole of tender chicken, pineapple, rice, and teriyaki glaze for a flavorful meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (about 1.3 lbs), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Rice

02 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Vegetables & Fruit

03 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces (or canned, drained)
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish

→ Teriyaki Glaze

07 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
09 - 2 tablespoons honey
10 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
14 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

→ Liquids

15 - 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Optional Garnish

16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - In a saucepan over medium heat, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook for 1–2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Spread rinsed rice evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with chopped onion, bell pepper, and pineapple pieces.
04 - Arrange chicken pieces over the rice and vegetables. Pour chicken broth evenly over the dish. Drizzle half of the teriyaki glaze over the chicken and rice.
05 - Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
06 - Remove foil, drizzle remaining teriyaki glaze over the dish, and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender.
07 - Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The sweet-savory balance hits differently when everything cooks together in one dish, creating pockets of concentrated flavor that you'll chase with every forkful.
  • It's genuinely easy to throw together but tastes like you spent way more time than the hour it actually takes.
  • Naturally dairy-free and flexible enough to swap proteins or vegetables based on what you have sitting around.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice or you'll end up with a gluey casserole instead of fluffy individual grains that actually taste good.
  • The cornstarch slurry in the glaze is essential—without it you're basically drizzling thin sauce over everything, and it won't stick or create that glossy appearance that makes the dish feel special.
  • Fresh garlic and ginger genuinely matter here; jarred versions can taste metallic or funky once they've been sitting in your fridge for months, so check your bottles if you're using them.
03 -
  • Make the teriyaki glaze the night before and store it in the refrigerator—the flavors actually deepen and meld when they sit, and you'll have less to do on cooking day.
  • If your casserole seems dry when you remove the foil, it means your broth wasn't quite enough; next time use 1 7/8 cups instead of 1 3/4, but remember that more broth means slightly longer cooking time for the rice.
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