Pineapple Chicken Recipe – A Quick, Easy & Delicious Meal Made In Minutes!

There is no need to head to your favorite take-out restaurant to order Pineapple Chicken when you can make your own recipe that’s bursting with flavor and ridiculously easy to make. With just a few simple ingredients you will have a dish full of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors with tender pieces of chicken and caramelized pineapple chunks.

Then serve it over cooked white, Jasmine, or Basmati rice and you have a delicious meal that will keep your feeling full and satisfied. Best of all, you will have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.

However if you do a little prep work ahead of time, you can actually have dinner ready to eat in just 15 minutes! And who couldn’t use a recipe like that on a busy weeknight?

What You Will Need To Make Pineapple Chicken

1. CHICKEN 

This recipe calls for 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast. However, for those that prefer exact measurements, use a chicken breast that weighs 6-8 ounces.

You can also substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. Chicken thighs will give you more flavor but have a higher fat content than chicken breasts.

No matter if you use chicken breast or chicken thighs, be sure to cut the meat in small, bite size pieces.

2. CORNSTARCH

Cornstarch serves a dual purpose in this recipe. The chicken is coated in cornstarch before it goes into the skillet so that develops a nice crispy exterior coating.

However the cornstarch will also help to thicken the sauce once the chicken is added back into the pan.

3. PINEAPPLE

You will need half of a 15 ounce can of pineapple chunks packed in pineapple juice. Once you drain the liquid, but be sure to save the juice because you will use some of it to make the sauce.

Use the remaining pineapple tidbits to make Sweet and Sour Pork, Ambrosia Salad, or Fruit Salad.

4. VEGETABLES

Classic Pineapple Chicken typically includes chunks or slices of bell peppers and onions. You can use red, yellow or green sliced peppers, the choice is up to you. I prefer red bell pepper as it adds another layer of sweetness to this dish.

As for the onion, use whatever you have on hand. I have used white, yellow, sweet and even red onion in this recipe and they all work well.

You can use other vegetables as well. Mushrooms and broccoli are some common choices when making stir fry and can be used in this recipe. Just be sure to chop the broccoli in small pieces so that they can become tender quickly.

5. GARLIC & GINGER

No stir fry recipe would be complete without garlic and ginger. It is always it is best to use fresh garlic cloves and fresh ginger root whenever possible.

However if you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute garlic powder and ground ginger.

• 1 garlic clove = 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger root = 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

6. PINEAPPLE CHICKEN SAUCE

The star of this recipe is actually the sauce. It requires only 4 basic ingredients and comes together in a matter of seconds.

• Pineapple juice (from the can of pineapple tidbits)
• Brown Sugar
• Soy Sauce
• Tomato Paste

STEPS TO MAKE PINEAPPLE CHICKEN

• Prepare The Ingredients: This recipe comes together very quickly so it is important that you prep your ingredients and have everything close by before you start cooking. Start by dicing the chicken in bite size pieces and toss the pieces with cornstarch.

Then chop the bell pepper and onions into chunks and mix your sauce ingredients in a bowl. If you are using fresh garlic and fresh ginger be sure to have a garlic press and microplaner available as well.

• Brown The Chicken: Heat your wok or pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Once hot, toss in the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. The chicken does not have to be cooked all the way through at this point.

• Add The Veggies: Add the bell pepper and onion chunks to the pan and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until softened and slightly crisp-tender.

• Add The Pineapple Tidbits: Now it is time to add the pineapple tidbits to the pan. Heating the pineapple will bring out the sweetness of the fruit as it caramelizes in the pan.

• Stir In The Sauce: Once the pineapple begins to heat up pour the sauce in the pan and coat the chicken and vegetables! Continue to stir until the sauce slightly thickens.

Serve your pineapple chicken over rice, noodles, or your favorite side. Garnish with chopped green onions or cilantro for an extra pop of freshness.

Common Recipe Variations

• Spice it Up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or Sriracha sauce to the sauce to give it an extra kick.
• Adjust the Level of Sweetness: Increase or decrease the amount of sugar in the recipe to your liking. Or you can use a different sweetener such as honey, agave nectar or even ketchup for a different flavor profile.
• Add More Veggies: Add other vegetables like broccoli, muschrooms, carrots, or snap peas for extra nutrients, color and texture.
• Vegetarian: Skip the chicken all together or substitute tofu to make a Vegetarian Pineapple dish.

Pineapple Chicken Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large chicken breast, cut in bite size pieces
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 7.5 oz can of pineapple tidbits in pineapple juice
• 1 tbsp packed light brown sugar
• 1 1⁄2 Tbsp soy sauce, low-sodium
• 1⁄2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1⁄2 onion – peeled and chopped into wedges
• 1⁄2 red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 tsp minced ginger

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the chicken breast pieces in a bowl and sprinkle on the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Mix until the cornstarch covers the chicken pieces. Set aside.

Make the stir-fry sauce by combining the pineapple juice from the can of pineapple with the brown sugar, soy sauce, and tomato paste in a small bowl. Then whisk the ingredients together and put it aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add in the chicken. Cook until the chicken is golden brown on all sides, approximately 5-6 minutes.

Add the onions and peppers to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the pineapple tidbits into the skillet and cook for another 2 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Then whisk the stir-fry sauce one more time then add it to the skillet.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, allowing enough time for the sauce to reduce down and thicken. Once thick, turn off the heat and serve over cooked white or brown rice.

Garnish with diced green onion and serve warm.

Enjoy! Mary

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