Pineapple Chicken: the best recipe for a delicious stir-fry
For a quick dinner you can whip up in a little over half an hour, this flavorful pineapple chicken is the busy cook's dream. It's made with tender, juicy chicken and sweet-tart pineapple chunks cooked in a sweet, savory, slightly tangy pineapple sauce. This easy-to-make pineapple chicken is so much tastier than anything you can order from a restaurant.
It's a fast and easy stir-fry dish that everyone will love, especially if your family enjoys other classic takeaway dishes like orange chicken. You can even make it a day or two in advance and reheat it for total convenience. Serve your pineapple chicken with rice, quinoa, or noodles, preferably sides like spring rolls, potstickers, and other tasty dim sum dishes.
Pineapple Chicken Ingredients
Boneless, skinless chicken breast is the ideal cut of chicken for this recipe.
To season the chicken, you'll need some garlic powder and salt.
You'll also add some cornstarch to the chicken which helps the chicken to crisp up while staying juicy.
For the sauce, you'll need pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, and white vinegar, plus some cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
Finally, fresh or canned pineapple chunks give this dish extra texture and a bright, sweet-tart flavor.
How to Make Pineapple Chicken
This fast, delicious homemade version of pineapple chicken only takes about half an hour to make. Here's everything you need to know on how to make pineapple chicken.
Preparing the Chicken
Start by chopping the chicken into 1-inch thick strips, then combining the chicken, garlic powder, salt, and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix it well to coat the chicken, then sauté it in oil over medium-high heat. Cook it for several minutes until the chicken has browned and is almost cooked.
Making the Pineapple Sauce
While the chicken is cooking, combine the brown sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch in a bowl, whisking until smooth. Stir the sauce in with the chicken. The natural enzymes of the pineapple juice will help make the chicken ultra-tender and moist, as well as infuse it with flavor.
Simmering the Pineapple Chicken
Next, add the pineapple chunks to the skillet, then stir the mixture well so that both the pineapple chunks and chicken are coated in the pineapple sauce. Lower and cook the pineapple chicken for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through. Serve over a bed of rice or noodles, garnish with chopped green onions, and sesame seeds, then enjoy!
Tips for Making Easy Pineapple Chicken
You can make your pineapple chicken healthier by reducing the sugar used to make the sauce. Either reduce it, leave it out, or substitute the sugar for your preferred sweeteners, such as monkfruit or stevia.
Add extra veggies to your pineapple chicken to make the dish more nutritious. Red or green bell peppers, broccoli, diced carrot, snap peas, and mushrooms would all be fantastic in this recipe.
What to Serve with Pineapple Chicken
Serve your pineapple chicken over rice, quinoa, or noodles. For the complete home takeout-fakeout experience, enjoy this amazing stir-fry with potstickers, spring rolls, egg drop soup, stir-fried lettuce, or salt and pepper wings.
How to Store Pineapple Chicken
Let the pineapple chicken cool down slightly, then transfer it to an airtight container. It'll last up to 4 days in the fridge. Frozen pineapple chicken will last up to 3 months.
To reheat, pop the chicken in the microwave until piping hot.
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Instructions
Chop the chicken breasts into 1-inch strips.
Chop the chicken breasts into 1-inch strips.
Add chicken, garlic powder, salt, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
Add chicken, garlic powder, salt, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping occasionally until the chicken has browned and almost completely cooked through.
Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping occasionally until the chicken has browned and almost completely cooked through.
In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar.
In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar.
Mix in cornstarch until smooth.
Mix in cornstarch until smooth.
Stir the pineapple chunks in with the chicken. Toss to coat.
Stir the pineapple chunks in with the chicken. Toss to coat.
Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken has cooked through.
Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken has cooked through.
Garnish with green onions.
Garnish with green onions.
Sprinkle some sesame seeds over.
Sprinkle some sesame seeds over.
Serve pineapple chicken and enjoy!
Serve pineapple chicken and enjoy!
