These Hawaiian Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa are absolutely delicious. The chicken is swimming in a sticky teriyaki inspired sauce. The pineapple salsa adds so much freshness and a little heat.
These Hawaiian chicken tacos were actually inspired by my Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa Recipe. I love the combination of the savory protein with the fruit based salsa.
So I created a new version with chicken and pineapple salsa. The sauce is based on my Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken sauce.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy - The most time consuming part of this recipe is just preparing the sauce and salsa. The chicken only takes about 10 minutes to cook.
- No marinating needed - The chicken does not require any marinating but I promise it is still full of flavor.
- No grilling - This recipe can be made completely indoors. Instead of grilling the chicken, it is seared on the stove.
- Sweet - The brown sugar adds much needed sweetness to the sauce.
- Sticky - The brown sugar in the sauce helps it thicken and makes the chicken super sticky.
- Tangy - The vinegar and pineapple juice helps balance the sweetness by adding acidity.
- Spicy - These tacos are not too spicy depending how much jalapeño you use but the little bit of heat pairs well with the sweetness.
- Great for summer - Fresh salsas with sweet fruit just remind me of warmer weather.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Be sure to use toasted sesame oil instead of regular. It has a darker color and much more flavor.
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Hawaiian Chicken Tacos & Pineapple Salsa
Quick Overview
- Make the salsa.
- Make the pineapple brown sugar soy sauce.
- Sauté the chicken.
- Thicken the sauce & assemble the tacos.
Step by Step Instructions
Be sure the chicken is well coated in the spices.
Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, toss the pineapple, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt until well combined. Chill in the refrigerator.
Step 2: In a large liquid measuring cup or mixing bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large skillet, toss the avocado oil, chicken, paprika, ginger, garlic, and salt.
Cook the sauce until it has thickened. If it seems thin, keep cooking. If it over cooked and is too thick, add a splash of water.
Step 4: Arrange the chicken in an even layer and turn the heat to medium high. Sear both sides and sauté until almost cooked through.
Step 5: Turn the heat to medium. Deglaze the pan with the sauce, scraping any bits off the bottom.
Step 6: Simmer until the sauce has thickened and is glossy.
Step 7: Assemble the tacos with the chicken and pineapple salsa.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Aside from the pineapple salsa, I like to top these tacos with some green onions, sesame seeds, and extra lime wedges for squeezing.
You can also turn these tacos into a bowl. Serve the rice and chicken over my Steamed Instant Pot Basmati Rice.
Serve the tacos with my Cheesy Mexican Potatoes.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Use canned pineapple. Fresh pineapple has a delicious flavor but I find for these tacos canned tastes just as good and is much easier. The pineapple is packed in juice that you will use in the sauce.
- Sear the chicken. Be sure to use high enough heat to develop a dark brown color on the exterior of the chicken. This adds tons of flavor.
- Heat the tortillas. I like to char them a bit over the flame on my gas stove. Be careful because they can easily burn. You can also heat them in a large skillet.
Recipe FAQs
Hawaiian chicken is a cross between, teriyaki, sweet & sour, and brown sugar chicken. It is made with pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sriracha. It is sometimes called Huli Huli chicken, but this recipe is by no means authentic.
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Hawaiian Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients:
Pineapple Salsa
- 2 cups diced pineapple, fresh or canned
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- 1-2 jalapeños, seeds & membrane removed, finely diced
- ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves & stems
- 2 limes, juiced
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
Sauce
- ⅓ cup canned pineapple juice
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water or chicken broth
- 2 ½ Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil*
- 1 Tablespoon sriracha
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Chicken
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 ½ - 2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
Instructions:
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss the pineapple, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt until well combined. Chill in the refrigerator.
- In a large liquid measuring cup or mixing bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, toss the avocado oil, chicken, paprika, ginger, garlic, and salt.
- Arrange the chicken in an even layer and turn the heat to medium high. Sear both sides and sauté until almost cooked through.
- Turn the heat to medium. Deglaze the pan with the sauce, scraping any bits off the bottom.
- Simmer until the sauce has thickened and is glossy.
- Assemble the tacos with the chicken and pineapple salsa.
Notes:
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Be sure to use toasted sesame oil instead of regular. It has a darker color and much more flavor.
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Use canned pineapple. Fresh pineapple has a delicious flavor but I find for these tacos canned tastes just as good and is much easier. The pineapple is packed in juice that you will use in the sauce.
- Sear the chicken. Be sure to use high enough heat to develop a dark brown color on the exterior of the chicken. This adds tons of flavor.
- Heat the tortillas. I like to char them a bit over the flame on my gas stove. Be careful because they can easily burn. You can also heat them in a large skillet.
WOW! These were INCREDIBLE! I'm already planning on making them again. Thanks for the recipe.
Katie xoxo
I never had pineapple on my tacos, and you made a believer out of me. So much flavor and tastes absolutely amazing.
Thank you for the creation.
We really enjoyed these. My hubs is a picky eater too, also from Hawaii so this was perfect for us. Thanks!
These tacos are completely perfect! The flavors of the pineapple with the jalapeños and onion go perfect. And the sauce! Next time I’m making more!
We loved these tacos and so did the kids (even with the jalapenos). So deliciously addictive and moreish!