This baked Sticky Chicken recipe is sure to become your new favorite dinner! Tender chunks of chicken baked in a sweet and tangy pineapple glaze. A crowd-pleasing, kid-friendly favorite that is perfect for any occasion.
This blog post is full of tips and details for how to make this long-time family favorite. Be sure to check out the video for a full tutorial!
If you’re looking for another tried-and-true dinner recipe try this Beef Stir-Fry Recipe!
An AWARD-WINNING Recipe!
What is sticky chicken? It’s a crowd-pleasing dish of tender chunks of chicken baked in a sweet and tangy pineapple glaze. This recipe has been a long-time family favorite. It actually won an award for the best recipe in a local newspaper 20 years ago! My kids are always excited when this is what’s for dinner.
You also might like this gluten-free teriyaki sauce.
Ingredients for Baked Sticky Chicken
The secret for this recipe is in the sauce. It’s so flavorful and is made with easy-to-find pantry staples.
- Pineapple juice
- Sugar
- Ketchup
- Soy sauce (I use tamari to keep this gluten-free!)
- Vinegar
- Ginger
- Garlic powder
- Red pepper flakes
Ever wonder how restaurants get that special coating on the outside of their chicken? It’s actually really simple! You’ll need some more pantry staples for cooking up the chicken.
- Chicken
- Egg
- Cornstarch
- Salt & pepper
- Green pepper/onion
Step by step instructions
- Start by mixing together the sauce. You can set it aside so it’s ready to go once you cook the chicken.
- Once the chicken is cut up into cubes you’ll want to set up your dredging station. This is how you get that restaurant-like coating on the outside of each chicken piece! Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. (This is key to be sure it’s flavorful.) Then dip each piece into cornstarch followed by egg.
- Shake off the excess cornstarch and cook the chicken in some hot oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the outside is golden brown. You’ll have to do this in 2 batches.
- Add the onion/green pepper to the now-empty pan. Cook until softened.
- Place the chicken and vegetables in a 9×13 pan.
- Cover with the sauce and bake!
Tip: Season the chicken with salt and pepper BEFORE dredging it in the egg/cornstarch so each piece is flavorful.
A Few Notes
- Cut the chicken evenly. Try to cut the chicken into the same size pieces as much as you can so it bakes evenly.
- Shake off the excess cornstarch after dredging. A light coating of cornstarch is what you’re going for!
- This chicken is supposed to be sticky, not necessarily crispy. Don’t be alarmed when the chicken coating is sticky after it’s baked in the sauce. The chicken isn’t deep-fried like you would for crispy chicken – so it’s supposed to be this way.
- Serve this is over jasmine rice. I like to make rice in my instant pot! I usually rinse 2 cups of rice the add it to the instant pot with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes then natural release for 10 minutes and you’ll have perfect fluffy rice.
Add this baked sticky chicken recipe to your dinner line-up and it will be sure to make it into the regular rotation! If you try this recipe be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
More Chicken Recipes:
Easy Chicken Fajitas the marinade is SO flavorful
Gluten-Free Chicken Recipe one we come back to over and over
Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice easy comfort food
Baked Sticky Chicken
Video
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- Juice of 1 8oz can Pineapple Chunks (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
- 3 tablespoon organic ketchup
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the chicken:
- coconut oil for cooking (or oil of choice)
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts cut into chunks
- salt & pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1/2 of a green pepper diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. In a glass measuring cup, mix together the ingredients for the sauce.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of coconut oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Using tongs if desired, dip each piece of chicken in the cornstarch then the egg. Place in the hot oil and cook for about 30 seconds on each side until golden. Transfer cooked chicken to a 9x13 baking dish. Repeat with all the remaining chicken. (You may have to lower the heat occasionally and add more coconut oil if needed.)
- Add the onion and green pepper to the now empty skillet. Cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle over top the chicken.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce is bubbly. Serve over steamed rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper BEFORE dredging it in the egg/cornstarch so each piece is flavorful.
- Cut the chicken evenly. Try to cut the chicken into the same size pieces as much as you can so it bakes evenly.
- Shake off the excess cornstarch after dredging. A light coating of cornstarch is what you’re going for!
- This chicken is supposed to be sticky, not necessarily crispy. Don’t be alarmed when the chicken coating is sticky after it’s baked in the sauce. The chicken isn't deep-fried like you would for crispy chicken - so it’s supposed to be this way.
- Serve this is over jasmine rice. I like to make rice in my instant pot! I usually rinse 2 cups of rice the add it to the instant pot with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes then natural release for 10 minutes and you’ll have perfect fluffy rice.
Terrific flavor! Nice hint of coconut from the oil . I used a red pepper that I had on hand. I did not have fresh ginger, so I used powdered ginger – it worked. I think i used too much pineapple juice so the sauce was a bit runny – but that was my fault for not measuring. Next time I will thicken the sauce with a bit of cornstarch.
I served this with white rice and cold pineapple chunks.
This recipe is excellent – I will make it again.
Made this tonight for my family and everyone loved it. My kids are SUPER picky, and even they ate it up! Thank you!
I’m so happy they liked it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
This was delicious and so easy. I cut it way back because my husband didn’t want any. I probably should have doubled the amount of sauce though because with one chicken breast my conception of how much was needed was a little low. Delicious nonetheless. I didn’t have a green bell pepper but I used a red one instead. And that worked well enough to make it again with that change. The red pepper sort of caramelized, which was yummy. Thank you for a great recipe!
I made your Baked Sticky Chicken recipe last night & it is so delicious! The flavor is yummy & I will be making this alot. Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe!
Do you think this would work with orange juice instead of pineapple juice? I am allergic to pineapple.
I wondering the same thing! My daughter is also allergic to pineapple. Did you try it?
So tasty! I served this with steamed broccoli. I’ll be making this again.
I’m so glad you like the recipe! 🙂
We love this easy meal. Every time we make it, it’s delicious, easy to make, and flavorful!
This recipe was spot on! Everything was exactly like in your blog and it came out excellent!
I added a 2 teaspoons of sriracha (we like spicy)
Also we added fresh spring onions on top!
And i used normal cooking oil but it was just fine also!
Great recipe thanks
I’ve made this for dinner a few times now and it’s a HIT! Even my picky 3-year-old had seconds. Thank you!
Would it work with another starch instead of corn? Arrowroot or tapioca?
I think that might work actually! I would try arrowroot. Let me know how it turns out if you do 🙂
This one is soooooooooo good!!!