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Skillet Pineapple BBQ Chicken

Skillet Pineapple BBQ Chicken

Make Skillet Pineapple BBQ Chicken tonight: seared thighs glazed with sticky pineapple-BBQ for an easy, impressive dinner.

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Yield6

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the skillet and season the chicken

Warm a large skillet over medium heat in preparation, then add the tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl so the pan is evenly coated. While the pan is coming to temperature, pat the boneless skinless chicken thighs dry and season both sides with a light pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper — this simple seasoning sets the foundation for deep, golden browning.

Step 2: Sear the chicken until golden and cooked through

Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken thighs and sear them until each side develops a deep golden-brown crust and the pieces are cooked through. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding; when done, remove the thighs to a clean plate so the skillet is ready for the sauce stage. The cooked chicken should look glossy from residual oil, with clearly defined charred edges and rendered fat.

Step 3: Drain the pineapple and reserve the juice

Open the can of pineapple slices, drain them into a bowl and reserve about half a cup of the syrupy juice in a small glass measuring cup. The slices themselves should be intact, glossy with syrup but not falling apart, ready to be seared and glazed later.

Step 4: Deglaze and build the pineapple-BBQ sauce

Turn the heat down to low and pour about 1/2 cup of the reserved pineapple juice into the warm skillet, stirring and scraping to dissolve the browned bits into the liquid. Once loosened, add the BBQ sauce and stir until a thick, glossy pineapple-BBQ glaze forms; taste and adjust with a pinch of salt or another splash of pineapple juice if it becomes too thick. The finished sauce should be syrupy, amber-colored, flecked with tiny caramelized bits and cling to the back of a spoon.


Step 5: Glaze the chicken and pineapple, then caramelize

Return the seared chicken thighs and the pineapple slices to the skillet, dredging both sides in that sticky pineapple-BBQ glaze and spooning extra sauce over them so everything is well coated. Transfer the skillet to a very hot broiler briefly to caramelize the sauce edges and develop a glossy, slightly charred finish on both chicken and pineapple — the final result is sweet, savory, and lacquered with a few darkened spots where sugars have caramelized.

Step 6: Garnish and serve

After caramelization, scatter the thinly sliced jalapeño rings and the sliced green onions over the hot chicken and pineapple to add a bright green contrast and a pop of heat, then serve straight from the skillet so the glossy sauce pools around the thighs and slices.

Notes