Aloha Pineapple Chicken Rice Casserole

This Aloha Pineapple Chicken and Rice Casserole is a sweet and savory dinner with tender chicken, pineapple, red bell pepper, and rice baked together in one dish. The pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic create a flavorful sauce that soaks right into the rice as it cooks.

There’s no need to cook the rice or chicken first. Add everything to the casserole dish, cover, and let the oven do the cooking.

Aloha Pineapple Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe - Served in a white casserole dish

Ingredient Notes

Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins work well. Cut the chicken into small, evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
Instant white rice: Use uncooked instant white rice for this recipe. Other types of rice require different amounts of liquid and cooking times.
Pineapple tidbits: Use pineapple packed in juice and don’t drain the can. The pineapple juice is an important part of the liquid in the casserole.
Red bell pepper: Adds color and a little sweetness.
Red onion: Diced red onion cooks right along with the rice and chicken.
Brown sugar: Gives the sauce its sweet flavor.
Low-sodium soy sauce: Adds the savory side of the sweet and salty sauce. Using low-sodium soy sauce helps keep the salt level in check.
Chicken broth: Provides additional liquid for cooking the rice.
Garlic: Adds flavor to the pineapple and soy sauce mixture.
Cilantro and bacon: Optional toppings for serving.

Can I use regular rice instead of instant rice?

Yes, and plenty of readers prefer it that way. Regular long grain white rice, jasmine and basmati all work here, but they drink more liquid and take longer than instant rice does. Add a little extra chicken broth and keep the dish covered longer before you pull the foil, then check that the rice is tender before the final uncovered bake.

Why did my rice turn out mushy?

Instant rice is already cooked and dried, so it goes soft quickly once it hits all that pineapple juice. The fix is switching to regular long grain or jasmine rice rather than shortening the bake, because the chicken still needs the full time in the oven. Readers who made that one swap got exactly the texture they were after.

Why is there so much liquid left in the dish?

Almost always because the last uncovered bake got skipped or cut short. That step is where the sauce reduces and the rice finishes drinking it up, and the standing time afterward does the same thing. If yours still looks wet, give it a few more minutes uncovered and let it rest longer before you serve.

Use instant white rice. This recipe was developed using instant rice. Regular white rice, brown rice, and other varieties cook differently and may need changes to both the liquid and baking time.
Don’t drain the pineapple. Add the tidbits along with all of the juice from the can.
Cover the casserole tightly. The foil holds in the steam that helps cook the rice. If your baking dish doesn’t seal well with one piece of foil, use a second piece.
Cut the chicken into similar-sized pieces. Smaller, evenly cut pieces will cook more consistently throughout the casserole.
Check the rice before the final uncovered baking time. If it’s still very firm after the covered portion of the baking time, cover the dish again and give it a little longer before finishing uncovered.
Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. This gives the rice a chance to absorb any remaining sauce before serving.