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Pineapple Chicken is a delicious dish filled with savory chicken breasts, broccoli, red bell pepper, fresh pineapple chunks, and sliced green onions to garnish. It’s tossed with a homemade sauce and served over white rice. This stir fry dinner is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love.

Pineapple Chicken

This easy pineapple chicken recipe is the best meal for busy weeknights when you need to get dinner on the table without hassle. It’s easily adaptable to match your family’s preferences and is the perfect combination of juicy pineapple, fresh vegetables, and tender chicken.

The savory sauce ingredients include low sodium soy sauce, pineapple juice, sesame oil, honey, minced garlic, ground ginger, and cornstarch. These are whisked together to make an incredible sauce that gives this dish a boost of flavor.  

Gather and prep all ingredients.

 

Add a tablespoon of avocado oil to a large skillet on medium heat.

Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the cubed chicken to the hot pan.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and cook for about 4-5 minutes.

Add broccoli, chopped red bell pepper and pineapple to the pan.

Stir and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

While chicken and vegetables are cooking, prepare the sauce.

Add soy sauce, pineapple juice, sesame oil, honey, minced garlic, ground ginger and cornstarch to a small bowl.

Whisk to combine.

Pour the sauce into a small saucepan on medium heat.

Allow the liquid to come to a simmer.

Whisk and continue cooking for about 3-4 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.

Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken and vegetables.

Toss to combine.

Serve pineapple chicken over rice if desired.

Garnish sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Expert Tips 

Here are some tips and tricks that will help you make the best chicken dinner. 

• Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce until all the lumps are dissolved.
• Allow the sauce to simmer for a couple of minutes to let the cornstarch slurry thicken and coat the chicken and vegetables.
• Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds or fresh cilantro.
• Add red pepper flakes to make the dish spicy.
• The chicken’s internal temperature should reach 165°F. You can check this using a digital thermometer and poking the center of a piece of chicken.
• Make a little extra marinade sauce and divide it in half. Allow the chicken to sit in the sauce for 30 minutes before cooking to make the meat even more tender.
• If you enjoy Pineapple as much as we do, you won’t want to miss this delicious Pineapple Salsa Recipe!

Variations 

This sticky pineapple chicken stir fry can be changed to fit your personal tastes. Here are some ideas that will help you make the best flavor.

• Swap out the chicken with shrimp or pork. 
• Add other vegetables like red onion, green or orange bell peppers, mushrooms, snap peas, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, or fresh garlic.
• Make your own savory sauce with ingredients like red wine vinegar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, kosher salt, fish sauce, oyster sauce, teriyaki sauce, or plum sauce. 

How to Serve 

Serve this tasty pineapple chicken over a bed of rice and with Asian side dishes.

Try using different kinds of rice, like cauliflower rice, brown rice, or coconut rice.

Some delicious side dishes to choose from include Asian Zucchini Noodles or Asian Pasta Salad. 

How to Store 

Refrigerate: Store leftover pineapple chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Reheat: Heat leftovers in the microwave in 30-second increments until warm all the way through.

Freeze: Make an extra batch and freeze this dish for later. This is a great way to have meals prepped and ready to eat when you’re short on time or don’t feel like cooking.

FAQs

Can I use chicken thighs to make pineapple chicken?

You can use chicken thighs instead of boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Can I make pineapple chicken in the instant pot?

Yes, you can cook this dish in the instant pot instead of on the stovetop.

Can I use canned pineapple to make pineapple chicken?

If pineapples aren’t in season or you can’t get one from the local grocery store, you can use canned pineapples instead.