Tasty Hawaiian Chicken and Rice Casserole

I didn’t grow up eating a lot of Hawaiian food in Portland, but once I discovered how well pineapple works in savory dishes, I was hooked. There’s something about that sweet and salty combo that just makes sense—especially when you throw in some soy sauce and a little brown sugar.

This casserole is one of those recipes that sounds fancy but really isn’t. You’re basically tossing everything into one dish and letting the oven do the work. The chicken cooks right in with the rice, the pineapple juice keeps everything moist, and those little bacon bits on top? They’re not required, but trust me, you want them. It’s the kind of dinner that feels like a treat but doesn’t leave you stuck in the kitchen all evening.

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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this casserole, thin-sliced chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins both work great since they cook quickly and evenly in the oven. If you can only find regular chicken breasts at the store, no problem – just slice them horizontally to make them thinner, or cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces so they cook through at the same rate as the rice. Fresh or frozen chicken will both work fine here, just make sure frozen chicken is completely thawed before you dice it up. The key is keeping your pieces relatively uniform in size so everything finishes cooking at the same time.

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Options for Substitutions

This casserole is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Instant white rice: You can use regular long-grain white rice instead, but you’ll need to increase the chicken broth to 1 ½ cups and bake for about 10-15 minutes longer until the rice is tender. Instant rice is really the easiest option here though.
• Chicken breasts or tenderloins: Boneless chicken thighs work great and actually stay a bit more moist during baking. You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken – just add it in the last 15 minutes of baking so it doesn’t dry out.
• Pineapple tidbits: Pineapple chunks work just fine, or you can use crushed pineapple if that’s what you have. Just make sure to use the juice-packed version, not syrup, and don’t drain it.
• Red bell pepper: Any color bell pepper works here – green, yellow, or orange. You could also throw in some diced carrots or snap peas for extra veggies.
• Brown sugar: In a pinch, regular white sugar or honey will work. If using honey, start with 1/3 cup and adjust to taste.
• Low sodium soy sauce: Regular soy sauce is fine, but you might want to cut back to 1/3 cup since it’s saltier. Coconut aminos work too for a gluten-free option.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making this casserole is using regular long-grain rice instead of instant rice, which will leave you with crunchy, undercooked grains since the baking time is designed specifically for instant rice that cooks quickly.

Another common error is draining the pineapple juice, but that liquid is actually essential for cooking the rice properly and adding flavor to the dish, so make sure to pour everything from the can into your casserole.

Don’t skip covering the dish tightly with foil during the first 50 minutes of baking – if steam escapes, your rice won’t cook through and you’ll end up with a dry casserole.

Finally, resist the urge to peek and stir during the covered baking time, as opening the oven releases the steam needed to cook the rice evenly and can add several minutes to your cooking time.

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What to Serve With Hawaiian Chicken and Rice Casserole?

This casserole is already pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with a simple side salad to balance out the sweet and savory flavors. A crisp cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing or a basic mixed greens salad with a light sesame dressing works perfectly. If you want to add more veggies to the meal, steamed broccoli or snap peas are great options that won’t compete with the pineapple and bell peppers already in the dish. For a fun appetizer before digging in, some crispy egg rolls or potstickers make it feel like a complete takeout-style dinner at home.

Storage Instructions

Store: This casserole keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better the next day as everything has time to soak in together. It’s one of those dishes that makes for great leftovers throughout the week.

Freeze: You can freeze this casserole for up to 2 months, though the rice texture might be a bit softer when you reheat it. Let it cool completely first, then store in a freezer-safe container or divide into individual portions for easy grab-and-go meals.

Reheat: Warm it up in the microwave with a splash of chicken broth to keep it from drying out, or reheat in the oven at 350°F covered with foil until heated through. If you froze it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating for best results.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1650-1850
• Protein: 65-75 g
• Fat: 8-12 g
• Carbohydrates: 325-350 g

Ingredients

For the rice and chicken:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups white rice
• 1/2 cup red onion (chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced into 1/2-inch chunks)
• 20 oz pineapple chunks with juice
• 1.25 lb chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes)

For the toppings:

• 1/4 cup cilantro (freshly chopped)
• 1/3 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (drizzled before serving)

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Build the Sauce Base

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1.25 lb chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup cilantro

Preheat your oven to 425°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or similar casserole dish.

While the oven heats, mince your garlic, chop the cilantro and set aside, and cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, ground ginger, and chicken broth until the sugar dissolves completely.

This flavorful liquid will become your cooking medium, so make sure it’s well combined.

Step 2: Combine All Casserole Components

• 1 1/2 cups white rice
• 1/2 cup red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 20 oz pineapple chunks with juice
• sauce mixture from Step 1

In your prepared baking dish, combine the white rice, chopped red onion, diced red bell pepper, cubed chicken, and pineapple chunks with their juice.

Pour the sauce mixture from Step 1 over everything and stir well to distribute all ingredients evenly.

The rice should be mostly submerged—this ensures even cooking and allows the rice to absorb all the beautiful Hawaiian-inspired flavors.

I like to give it one more good stir to make sure nothing is clumped at the bottom of the dish.

Step 3: First Bake Covered to Cook Rice and Chicken Through

Cover your baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the preheated 425°F oven.

Bake for 50 minutes without disturbing.

The foil traps steam, which helps the rice cook evenly and keeps the chicken moist while everything absorbs the soy-ginger sauce.

The chicken will cook through and the rice will become tender as it absorbs the liquid.

Step 4: Uncover and Finish Cooking

Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and lift off the foil—watch out for the escaping steam!

Give the casserole a good stir to prevent any sticking on the bottom and to ensure even cooking.

Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

This final uncovered baking allows any excess moisture to evaporate and helps develop a slightly more concentrated flavor.

Step 5: Rest and Finish with Garnishes

• 1/3 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I find this resting period helps the rice finish absorbing any remaining liquid and allows everything to set slightly, making serving cleaner.

Just before serving, drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the top, then sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and fresh cilantro for brightness and texture.

Tasty Hawaiian Chicken and Rice Casserole

Delicious Tasty Hawaiian Chicken and Rice Casserole recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 22 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1750 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the rice and chicken

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups white rice
• 1/2 cup red onion (chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced into 1/2-inch chunks)
• 20 oz pineapple chunks with juice
• 1.25 lb chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes)

For the toppings

• 1/4 cup cilantro (freshly chopped)
• 1/3 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (drizzled before serving)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 425°F and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or similar casserole dish. While the oven heats, mince your garlic, chop the cilantro and set aside, and cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, ground ginger, and chicken broth until the sugar dissolves completely. This flavorful liquid will become your cooking medium, so make sure it's well combined.
• In your prepared baking dish, combine the white rice, chopped red onion, diced red bell pepper, cubed chicken, and pineapple chunks with their juice. Pour the sauce mixture from Step 1 over everything and stir well to distribute all ingredients evenly. The rice should be mostly submerged—this ensures even cooking and allows the rice to absorb all the beautiful Hawaiian-inspired flavors. I like to give it one more good stir to make sure nothing is clumped at the bottom of the dish.
• Cover your baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the preheated 425°F oven. Bake for 50 minutes without disturbing. The foil traps steam, which helps the rice cook evenly and keeps the chicken moist while everything absorbs the soy-ginger sauce. The chicken will cook through and the rice will become tender as it absorbs the liquid.
• Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and lift off the foil—watch out for the escaping steam! Give the casserole a good stir to prevent any sticking on the bottom and to ensure even cooking. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. This final uncovered baking allows any excess moisture to evaporate and helps develop a slightly more concentrated flavor.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. I find this resting period helps the rice finish absorbing any remaining liquid and allows everything to set slightly, making serving cleaner. Just before serving, drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the top, then sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and fresh cilantro for brightness and texture.