Pineapple Chicken
This pineapple chicken recipe has juicy chicken, pineapples, bell peppers, and onions tossed in a glossy, flavorful sauce. It's an easy way to replicate classic takeout and pairs perfectly with rice.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 338kcal
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Salt/pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil can sub avocado or olive oil
Stir Fry
- 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks juices reserved
- ½ yellow onion cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 green onions sliced
Sauce
- ¾ cup pineapple juice
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Reserve ¾ cup pineapple juice from the can and drain the rest.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup and set aside. (Make sure the ingredients are at room temp so the cornstarch isn’t activated.)
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and pat completely dry. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cornstarch and use kitchen tongs to toss and coat until you no longer see white.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches, leaving room around each to ensure the edges get crispy. Flip once the bottom of the chicken is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Make small adjustments to the heat (up or down) throughout cooking as needed. Remove and set aside.
- Add the drained pineapple and let it sit undisturbed from 2 minutes, then toss to coat and sauté for an additional minute or so. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
- Add a little additional oil if needed, then add the onions and peppers. Sauté for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the sauce and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer once thickened. Add the chicken and pineapple back and stir to combine. Simmer for 3 minutes or so, allowing the pineapple to flavor up the sauce a little more.
- Remove from heat. Garnish with green onions and serve over rice.
Notes
Pro Tips:
Making Perfectly Cooked Rice: I love serving this with 3 cups of white long grain rice. Here is how I make it:
Storage:
- Apple cider vinegar can be used instead of rice vinegar if needed, just note that it’s sweeter.
- A pinch of Red Pepper Flakes and/or 2 teaspoons of hot sauce can be added to the sauce as well for an additional kick.
- For similar flavors with chicken that's breaded and fried instead of seared, be sure to try my Sweet and Sour Chicken. And find all of my Takeout Recipes here!
- This recipe is great with a side of vegetable fried rice! See below for instructions for how I make perfectly cooked white rice as well.
Making Perfectly Cooked Rice: I love serving this with 3 cups of white long grain rice. Here is how I make it:
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. (I add 2 chicken bouillon cubes to the water for enhanced flavor.)
- Add 1 cup of white long grain rice and let the liquid come back up to a boil.
- Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let it stand in the pot for 10 minutes with the lid on, any rice stuck to the bottom will release.
- This yields 3 cups of flavorful, perfectly cooked rice. I use a Dutch oven for this which conducts heat well.
- Note that other varieties of rice may require different liquid measurements and/or cooking times.
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 831mg | Potassium: 701mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 790IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg