This dump-and-bake aloha chicken and rice is a complete, one-dish dinner that’s ready for the oven in just 10 minutes. The sweet-and-savory blend of chicken, bacon, pineapple, and rice bakes up perfectly with almost no cleanup.
If you love easy one-pan meals, try this alongside favorites like baked teriyaki chicken, sheet pan Hawaiian chicken, or sweet and sour chicken.
Table of Contents
Like a tropical twist on chicken and rice casserole, this dish brings comfort food and sunshine together in one pan.
Before You Get Started
Before you pull out your baking dish, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Cover tightly: Trapping steam is key for perfectly tender rice. Use two layers of foil if your pan doesn’t seal well.
- Don’t drain the pineapple juice: The liquid helps flavor and tenderize the rice, and contributes to the sweet glaze.
- Bake at 425°F: The higher temperature ensures even cooking and helps the bacon crisp at the end. A metal baking dish cooks fastest (so it may be done 5-10 minutes sooner).
- Rice type matters: Use uncooked long-grain white rice only. Brown or instant rice require different cook times and liquid ratios.
How to Make Aloha Chicken and Rice
This meal is truly dump-and-bake; no pre-cooking required as long as you use rotisserie chicken and cooked bacon.
Step 1: Mix the Sauce
In your baking dish (or a large bowl), whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and chicken broth until the sugar dissolves.
** Pro Tip: Use a whisk to fully combine; undissolved sugar can lead to uneven browning later.
Step 2: Add the Base Ingredients
Stir in the uncooked rice, onion, bell pepper, and pineapple with juice. Mix well so the rice is evenly coated.
Cover the dish tightly with foil.
** Shortcut Tip: I often use frozen diced onions to save time. No tears, no mess, and it works just as well as fresh in this recipe.
Step 3: Bake (First Stage)
Bake at 425°F for 45–50 minutes.
At this point, the rice should be mostly tender but still slightly firm in the center. If it’s still hard, recover and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
** Timing Note: My rice is usually good to go after just 45 minutes. Remember — you don’t want it completely tender and done at this point, since it’s going right back in the oven to finish.
Step 4: Add Chicken and Bacon
Remove the dish from the oven. Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in the cooked chicken. Sprinkle the bacon evenly over top.
Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake another 5-10 minutes, just until the chicken is warmed through and the bacon is crisp.
** Tip: Don’t stir the bacon into the rice. Leaving it on top keeps it crisp instead of soggy.
Step 5: Garnish and Serve
Garnish with sliced green onions or fresh herbs for color and brightness.
** Quick Note: For a version starting with raw chicken, add the diced, uncooked meat in step 2 so it bakes along with the rice (full 55–60 minutes total). Check that chicken reaches 165°F internally before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This one-dish meal includes your protein, starch, and veggies all in one pan, but if you’d like to round out the meal, try serving it with:
Variations
Make this aloha chicken your own with a few simple tweaks:
- Less sweet: reduce the brown sugar to ¼ cup.
- Extra flavor: add a splash of sesame oil, a pinch of ground ginger, or crushed red pepper for mild heat.
- Veggie boost: stir in peas or corn near the end of baking, or bake with broccoli florets or green beans from the start.
- Topping ideas: finish with chopped nuts or sesame seeds for crunch.
- Smaller batch: halve all ingredients and bake in an 8-inch square dish.
- Extra flavor: Add grated gingerroot or ground ginger, sesame oil, or paprika. Make it spicy with crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cut of chicken works best?
This is really a matter of personal preference. Boneless, skinless thighs are flavorful, but leaner breasts work too. Since you’re adding the cooked meat into the dish at the end, you don’t need to worry about it drying out.
Can I start with raw chicken?
Yes! Add raw chicken pieces at the beginning so they cook with the rice. Bake for 55-60 minutes total, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?
Yes, use about 2 cups diced fresh pineapple. Just be sure to add about ½ cup of pineapple juice or broth so the rice has enough liquid to cook. If using broth instead of juice, you might need a little bit more sugar, too.
Why did my rice get mushy?
It usually means the dish baked too long. Stick with long-grain rice and check it after 45 minutes.
Is Aloha Chicken the same as Hawaiian Chicken or Huli Huli Chicken?
They share similar sweet-and-savory flavors, but this baked casserole version is milder and family-friendly (no grill or long marinating needed).
We try sooooo many recipes from the internet and are frequently disappointed. This one is a keeper! Might reduce the brown sugar next time, but otherwise perfect as written!
– Lori
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Not recommended. Rice can be mushy when thawed.
- Reheat: Cover and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes.
** Pro Tip: If reheating in the oven, drizzle a tablespoon of broth or pineapple juice over the top to keep it moist.
Related Recipes
If you love this aloha chicken, try these next:
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Teriyaki Ground Beef
- Dump and Bake Italian Chicken and Rice
Check out my other “Dump and Bake” dinner recipes (I have lots).
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Aloha Chicken
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar (or decrease to ¼ cup of brown sugar for a less-sweet dish)
- ½ cup less-sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ cups less-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1 cup diced onion (I use frozen diced onion for a shortcut)
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits in juice, not drained
- 2 cups cooked, shredded or diced chicken (such as the meat from a rotisserie chicken)
- 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped or crumbled
- Optional garnish: sliced green onions, chives, or other fresh herbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In the prepared dish (or in a separate bowl), whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and chicken broth.
- Add the uncooked rice, onion, bell pepper, and pineapple (with its juice). Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Uncover the dish and use a fork to stir the rice. At this point, the rice should be almost tender (but not quite done). If the rice is still very firm, cover and return it to the oven for 5-10 more minutes, or until the rice is just about done.
- Stir in the cooked chicken. Sprinkle the cooked, chopped bacon on top.
- Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken is warmed through, the rice is completely tender, and the bacon is crispy. Garnish with chopped green onions, chives, or herbs, if desired.
Notes
- Rice type: Use uncooked long-grain white rice only. Other types need different liquid ratios and cook times.
- Pan choice: Metal pans cook fastest (reduce baking time if needed); glass or ceramic may need 5-10 extra minutes for tender rice.
- Chicken temp: Ensure chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
- Cover tightly: Trapping steam is crucial; don’t skip the foil.
- Check at 45 minutes: Taste rice for doneness; if firm, re-cover and bake longer.
- Sweetness level: For a less-sweet dish, reduce brown sugar to ¼ cup.
- Starting with raw chicken? Add it in step 2 so it bakes fully with the rice.
- Storage: Keeps 3–4 days refrigerated. Avoid freezing for best texture.
Nutrition
Turned out perfect!! I used raw cut up chicken and cooked it in the bacon grease after cooking the bacon. Added chicken at the end like instructed. Rice was cooked perfectly. Thank you for a new family favorite.
– Rachel
Originally published in June, 2017, this post was updated in October, 2025.
Can I double this?
Yes, ma’am! You’ll either need a very large, very deep casserole dish, or I would just bake it in two separate 13 x 9-inch pans. If you bake it in one very large dish, you’ll likely need to increase the baking time.
I rarely comment on blogs, but this was my first recipe from your site and was a complete hit in my house! I did make some adjustments for what I had on hand. Used bone-in chicken thighs and cooked them on top of the rice, following the recipe as written until the chicken was cooked through and rice was tender. Folded bacon & peas in at the end. We also added a small splash of Sriracha into the rice mix too to balance the heat. This was a true winner!
Sounds perfect! Thank you!
Turned out perfect!! I used raw cut up chicken and cooked it in the bacon grease after cooking the bacon. Added chicken at the end like instructed. Rice was cooked perfectly. Thank you for a new family favorite.
Awesome, Rachel! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this for dinner tonight. I used fresh, chopped chicken that cooked in the pan. I also used fresh, diced pineapple, so I added an extra 1/2 cup chicken broth to make up for the pineapple juice. The flavor was really tasty, but the texture of the rice was not fluffy but soft and there was no bite to the rice. It was rather disappointing. I’m not sure if there was too much liquid, if I overcooked it (50 minutes), or if the rice was not right (I used jasmine rice). I will have to make some adjustments to this before trying again.
Hi Laura,
We’re sorry this did not turn out for you. Jasmine rice should work just fine. We do recommend using canned pineapple if you can, and make sure to cover the dish very tightly so that none of the steam escapes!
This was delicious. I used thawed frozen pineapple from Trader Joe’s (1 1/2 bags), and pancetta instead of the bacon because I didn’t have any. Instead of using foil, I cooked the rice mixture in a Dutch oven with lid. Came out perfect in the same amount of time. I had no leftovers. It was gobbled up by all. Thank you for a fantastic recipe!
Sounds perfect! Thanks for letting us know, Kim!
I made this for my family last night and WOW- so good!! I used 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and topped with turkey bacon instead of pork. My kids (3.5 and 16 months) both had 3 servings, and my husband went back for seconds. Everyone wants me to make this again and I am already excited for my leftovers today!!
Amazing! We’re so glad it was a hit, Melissa!
My store does not sell pineapple tidbits. If I cut up pineapple chunks, about how big should the pieces be? I assume you don’t mean crushed pineapple?
Just bite-sized! As big or as small as you like should be just fine.
Thanks!
Easy & delicious
Thank you, Crystal!
We try sooooo many recipes from the internet and are frequently disappointed. This one is a keeper! Might reduce the brown sugar next time, but otherwise perfect as written!
Thank you, Lori! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
WAY too much liquid! Came out like soup, although the flavor was good. I would add more rice.
We’re sorry to hear this but appreciate the feedback, Loretto!
Blair, this was absolutely delicious. My very picky husband loved it! I’m always nervous with a new recipe, but I’m glad I did ☺️
Thank you, Kathleen! We’re so glad it was a hit.
Too much liquid ratio to rice, just gluggy. Flavour great.
We’re sorry to hear this, but appreciate your feedback, Charlotte. We hope you continue to enjoy other recipes on our site!
I used Basmati rice and I didn’t seal the casserole dish well with alfoil so possibly was a contributing factor. But your recipes in general are very inventive Thank you