Aloha Chicken Recipe

If someone told you that they had the best meal ever and it was called Aloha Chicken, what would come to your mind first? Probably chicken and pineapple, right?

That’s exactly what’s in this dish – but it’s more than just those two ingredients. It’s a simple one-pan meal full of sweet and savory flavors, making it perfect for dinner any night of the week.

If you are dreaming of a vacation to Hawaii, this recipe is an easy way to bring a little tropical flavor to the dinner table with very little effort. Best of all, most of the ingredients you may already have on hand, especially if you have a little bit of leftover rotisserie chicken in your refrigerator.

Because everything cooks together in one dish, cleanup is easy. That’s why this is a great recipe to make when time is short or when you want something with great flavor but without standing over the stove.

Ingredients Needed for Aloha Chicken:

• Light brown sugar – gives the dish a little sweetness
• Low-sodium soy sauce – adds a savory taste
• Low-sodium chicken broth – needed to cook the rice properly
• Minced garlic – use fresh or jarred
• Uncooked long-grain white rice – the base of the meal
• Onion – gives mild flavor and texture
• Red bell pepper – adds sweetness and color
• Canned pineapple tidbits in juice – the tropical part
• Cooked, shredded or diced chicken – rotisserie chicken works well
• Optional garnish: sliced green onions

The ingredients come together to make a flavorful sauce that cooks right in the pan with the rice and vegetables. And the pineapple juice blends with the soy sauce and broth to make sure that the rice cooks perfectly.

Choosing the Right Type of Rice

This Aloha Chicken recipe calls for uncooked long-grain white rice. You can also use Jasmine or Basmati rice as both cook up fluffy and absorb flavors well in about the same amount of time.

However, don’t use instant rice, as it will overcook and turn mushy. Also avoid brown rice unless you’re ready to adjust the cooking time and the amount of liquid required, since it takes longer to cook than white rice.

Canned or Fresh Pineapple

Canned pineapple tidbits in juice are recommended for this recipe. The juice is part of what flavors the rice as it cooks.

You could use fresh pineapple if you already have pineapple juice on hand, but for best results, go with the canned version that includes juice (plus it’s easier).

Using Cooked or Raw Chicken

This recipe is easiest when using cooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken, which is already seasoned and ready to go. If you prefer to use raw chicken, dice one chicken breast into small ½-inch pieces and add it in the beginning. Just make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F before serving.

If you’re planning ahead, you can cook and shred chicken earlier in the week and keep it refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to use it. Here is how I make a large batch of shredded chicken in a short amount of time: Instant Pot Shredded Chicken.

How Much Time Is Needed to Make Aloha Chicken

You can have this dish in the oven in about 10 minutes if you’ve already diced the vegetables and shredded the chicken. If you’re starting from scratch, give yourself a few extra minutes to prep.

Once in the oven, it bakes for about an hour. This gives the rice time to absorb the liquid and cook through. After that, you stir in the chicken and return it to the oven just long enough to heat everything up.

However, the actual baking time might vary slightly based on your baking dish. Glass dishes may cook the rice a little faster than metal pans. No matter which type you use, be sure to tightly cover the dish with foil before baking. This keeps the steam inside and helps the rice cook all the way through.

After about 55 minutes, the rice should be mostly tender. If there’s too much liquid still left, let it bake a little longer before adding the chicken. Then, stir in the cooked chicken and return the dish to the oven uncovered for another 10 minutes to heat the chicken through.

Simple Additions and Variations

Feel free to customize the Aloha Chicken recipe based on what you have. Add chopped zucchini, frozen peas, or even broccoli florets for more vegetables. If you like crunch, toss in chopped cashews or sliced almonds during the last 10 minutes of baking.

For a different flavor, small pieces of cooked bacon or pork belly can be stirred in with the chicken before the final bake.

Storing Recommendations

This is a great dish to make ahead of time as it is easy to store and reheat. After it cools, portion it into containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

To reheat, microwave individual servings or warm them in a covered dish in the oven until hot. The flavors actually get better after sitting for a day, making leftovers something to look forward to.

Aloha Chicken Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped*
• 1 (8 oz) can pineapple tidbits in juice (not drained)
• 1 cup cooked, shredded or diced chicken
• Optional garnish: sliced green onions

*Save the other half of the red bell pepper to make my Easy Pepper Steak Stir Fry recipe. It’s another dish that can be made in minutes!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. In the dish, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and chicken broth.
3. Add the rice, onion, bell pepper, and the entire can of pineapple (including juice). Stir to combine.
4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 55 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and fluff the rice with a fork. If there’s still excess liquid, re-cover and bake for another 5–10 minutes.
6. Stir in the cooked chicken. Return to the oven uncovered for 10 minutes to heat the chicken through.
7. Remove from oven and garnish with chopped green onions if desired.

This Aloha Chicken recipe makes enough for two generous portions or 4 smaller portions. I prefer to make it ahead of time and then reheat it for a quick, easy and delicious meal whenever we need one.

Once you give it a try, I am sure you will love it as much as I do! Aloha!

Enjoy! Mary

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