Roasted pineapple rum chicken turns a regular weeknight dinner into something that tastes like a beach vacation. Chicken pieces roast slowly in a buttery sauce of fresh pineapple, onion, and a splash of rum until the skin crisps and the fruit caramelizes. The result is juicy meat under a sweet, tropical glaze.
Why Roasted Pineapple Rum Chicken Belongs on Your Table
- Crispy chicken skin bathed in a sweet and tangy pineapple sauce
- Made with simple pantry items plus fresh pineapple and a little rum
- One baking dish means easy cleanup after dinner
- Leftovers make an unbeatable tropical chicken salad the next day
This is the kind of meal that feels special without asking much of you. The oven does the slow work while the rum and fruit melt into a glossy sauce. Serve it over rice or with fried plantains and dinner feels like a getaway.
Pat the chicken dry before seasoning so the skin browns instead of steaming.
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Why You’ll Love These Roasted Pineapple Rum Chicken
- The pineapple rum chicken comes out of the oven with crackly skin and a sauce that tastes both sweet and a touch tangy.
- Every bite of fruit roasts down into soft, jammy bits that cling to the meat.
- A gentle warmth from the jalapeno balances the sweetness without making it spicy.
Ingredient Notes
These are just notes on what matters most; the exact measurements in the recipe card have everything you need to shop and cook. A few choices make a real difference in how the tropical chicken turns out.
- Fresh pineapple roasts into soft, caramelized chunks; canned works if you drain it very well.
- White rum adds a smooth, fruity note that cooks off into the sauce.
- Jalapeno peppers bring a quiet heat once seeded and finely chopped.
- Orange juice and a touch of soy sauce round out the glaze with sweet and savory.
For equipment, you need a 9×13 baking dish, a medium pot for the sauce, and a small whisk for the cornstarch slurry. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness.
How to Make Roasted Pineapple Rum Chicken
Making roasted pineapple rum chicken is mostly about building a quick sauce on the stove, then letting the oven finish the job. The steps below give you the shape of it before you head to the recipe card.
- Season the chicken and arrange it in the baking dish, then heat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Melt the butter with brown sugar and onion and cook for about 4 minutes.
- Add the rum, peppers, pineapple, orange juice, and soy sauce, then simmer 5 minutes.
- Whisk a little cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of the liquid, stir it back in, and cook 3 more minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and roast for 45 minutes, until it reaches 160 degrees at the thickest part.
To scale up for a crowd, double everything and use two dishes so the chicken roasts in a single layer. You can make the sauce up to 1 day ahead and keep it chilled until you are ready to roast.
Storage Options
Leftover pineapple rum chicken keeps beautifully and the sauce soaks deeper into the meat overnight. Cool it fully before sealing it up.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze the cooked chicken and sauce together for up to 2 months.
- Reheat gently in a covered dish at 325 degrees until warmed through.
Variations & Substitutions
This tropical chicken is easy to bend to what you have on hand. A few swaps keep it interesting without changing the heart of the dish.
- Skip the rum and use extra orange juice for an alcohol-free version.
- Trade jalapeno for a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want milder heat.
- Use mango in place of some of the pineapple for a different fruity note.
- Stir leftover meat with diced mango and mayo for a quick chicken salad, much like this jerk chicken salad with avocado.
What to Serve with Roasted Pineapple Rum Chicken
Roasted pineapple rum chicken loves a base that catches all that sauce. Pick something simple so the glaze stays the star.
- Steamed white rice or coconut rice to soak up the sauce.
- Fried plantains for a sweet, golden side.
- A crisp green salad with citrus dressing.
- For another island-leaning dinner, try these Polynesian chicken thighs with mango salsa.
Before you preheat the oven, here are a few questions that come up often with this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make roasted pineapple rum chicken without alcohol?
Yes. Leave out the rum and add a splash more orange juice; you will still get a sweet, tropical sauce.
Can I use canned pineapple instead of fresh?
You can, but drain it very well so the extra juice does not thin out the sauce.
How do I know the chicken is done?
Use a thermometer in the thickest part of the meat; it should read 160 degrees before you pull it from the oven.
What kind of chicken pieces work best?
A mix of breasts, thighs, and legs all work; just keep the pieces in a single layer for even roasting.
Once you smell that pineapple and rum bubbling away, you will understand why this dish earns a spot in the regular rotation. Serve it warm, spoon plenty of sauce over the top, and save a little for tomorrow’s lunch.
Roasted Pineapple Rum Chicken
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs assorted chicken pieces like breasts thighs and legs
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- ½ cup onion diced
- ⅓ cup Captain Morgan White Rum
- 2 jalapeño peppers seeded and finely chopped
- 3 cups fresh pineapple diced (canned is fine if you drain well)
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp corn starch
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º. Place chicken parts in a 9×13 baker. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a medium sized pot over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add brown sugar and onion. Cook for four minutes.
- Add the rum, peppers, pineapple, orange juice and soy sauce. Lower the heat to medium and allow to simmer for five minutes.
- Scoop out two Tbsp of the liquid and place in a small bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch until completely incorporated. Pour this mixture back into the pot and cook for another three minutes.
- Pour contents in pot over chicken breasts. Place in a 325º oven for 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 160º.
- Serve over rice or with plantains. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks delicious, Melanie! Perfect for entertaining, I think. Thanks for creating and sharing.
Good morning Melanie! I could use some tropical spirit and steel drums in the middle of the very cold winter. Especially as Winter Storm Pax is bearing down on us. It looks like it will get up your way tomorrow but it will hit us this evening. Your pix of your Roasted Pineapple Rum Chicken are marvelous! I can’t wait to try this!
Perfect recipe to change-out my very tired chicken recipes and bring the much needed tropics to the table. Got my fingers crossed that we’ll get more rain than snow in SE Mass/Cape. Our driveway is still a mess from the last storm.
I’m dying here! This looks SO good! I can’t wait to try it, thanks so much for sharing!
I made this and my husband said it was the best meal he’d had in a long time! 😉 Thanks!
This looks fabulous!
Looks awesome and I bought all the ingredients to make tomorrow. Just to clarify – This is all baked uncovered? Thanks!
do you drizzle the 2 tbsp of sauce over the finished chix when it comes from oven?
Cooking this as we speak .. It smells sooooooo good , I didn’t have any Captain Morgan’s rum so I used Bacardi pineapple rum
Can i use boneless chicken breasts for this recipe? ?
You can but you won’t get that nice crispy glaze from the rum interacting with the skin. The skin adds a ton of flavor and texture to this dish.
This is a delicious dish, made it tonight for the first time and it will not be the last. I used coconut oil instead of butter and crushed red pepper instead of jalapeño. Thank you for sharing this wonderful dish.
Cooked this tonight. Couldn’t take the snow anymore, dreaming of Key West, this btought me a little closer
I hear you. I’ve just about had enough of winter. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Made this and it was simply amazing! Thank you
Made this last night and OH MY GOD. It was absolutely heavenly. This is definitely on my list of best recipies ever. Although I made a few changes, I didn’t have the white rum and couldn’t find any so I used spiced rum, added a few chunks of mango and 2 cloves of garlic. Seriously, bravo on a truly delicious meal. This is definitely one I’ll be pulling out when I want to cook to impress!
I never ever use cornstarch. Any suggestions as to what else I could use, or could I just skip the sweet stuff altogether?
I intend to make this scrumptious looking dish this weekend. Thank you.
You can take a bit of the broth and mix it together with a couple tablespoons of flour and pour it back into the dish. Same idea!
Hi! Just wanted to tell you that I made the Pineapple rum chicken last night! My husband who is really picky Loved it! Thanks for sharing it!
I am so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!!
Do you think it would be a good crock pot dinner? I know it won’t get crispy. But I thought after it cooks, I could throw it on the grill for a few minutes. What do you think?
Sure! That sounds like a good idea. The chicken might fall from the bone but it sure will be tender!