Cut chicken thighs or breasts into patties roughly 3/4-inch thick, then place them in a shallow dish or ziplock bag. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are submerged, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor). While the chicken marinates, slice the tomatoes and red onion, separate and wash the butter lettuce leaves, and divide the mayonnaise into small portions for easy spreading. I find that marinating for at least 2 hours gives you great flavor without requiring overnight prep, so you have flexibility with timing.

Drain the canned pineapple, reserving the juice, and set the slices aside on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the reserved pineapple juice with the honey and freshly grated ginger, stirring until the honey dissolves completely. This ginger-enhanced glaze will add brightness and depth to both the chicken and pineapple as they cook.

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 375-400°F). Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit for 5 minutes. Place chicken patties on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes per side until cooked through and nicely charred, basting with the ginger-honey glaze during the final 2 minutes of cooking on each side. In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, top each patty with a slice of swiss cheese to melt. Simultaneously, grill the pineapple slices for 2-3 minutes per side until they develop light char marks and caramelize slightly. Remove everything from the grill and set aside.

Place the burger buns cut-side down on the grill for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted and golden. Spread mayonnaise on the bottom half of each bun, then layer with butter lettuce, a tomato slice, red onion slices, the cheese-topped grilled chicken patty from Step 3, and a grilled pineapple slice. Top with the upper bun half. I like to layer the lettuce first as a barrier—it keeps the bun from getting soggy while the warm chicken melts the cheese and pineapple caramelizes beautifully.