Pineapple chicken is a delicious stir-fry recipe that combines pineapple, chicken thighs, and veggies in a sweet & savory sauce! It only takes about 30 minutes to prepare and can be served as-is or over rice! So ditch the takeout and try this boldly flavorful tropical stir fry recipe at home today!
Best Pineapple Chicken Recipe
This pineapple chicken stir fry is a delicious fusion of tropical and Asian flavors! It's sweet, savory, salty, and fruity all in one!
It's almost hard to believe something so flavorful can be whipped up in just 30 minutes. With plenty of juicy chicken, tender veggies, and a finger-licking-good sauce, you'll be waving goodbye to takeout!
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🥘 Pineapple Chicken Ingredients
If you do a lot of Asian or Asian-inspired cooking, you likely keep many of these ingredients on hand. Otherwise, everything is easy to find at the grocery store!
Sauce
- Pineapple Juice - 8 ounces of pineapple juice.
- Soy Sauce - ¼ cup of soy sauce (I recommend low-sodium) or a soy sauce substitute.
- Hoisin Sauce - ¼ cup of hoisin sauce.
- Honey - 2 tablespoons of honey, brown sugar, or granulated sugar.
- Cornstarch - 2 teaspoons of cornstarch or a cornstarch substitute to thicken the sauce.
Pineapple Chicken
- Cooking Oil - 2 teaspoons of coconut oil (or your preferred cooking oil).
- Chicken Thighs - 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch chunks.
- Salt & Pepper - ¼ teaspoon each of salt & pepper.
- Paprika - ½ teaspoon of paprika or a paprika substitute.
- Red Bell Pepper - 1 red bell pepper de-seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks.
- Pineapple Chunks - 1 cup of fresh or canned pineapple chunks.
- Ginger - 1 teaspoon of minced or grated ginger or 1 frozen ginger cube (or a ginger substitute).
- Garlic - 1 teaspoon of minced garlic (about 1 clove).
- Green Onions - 1 tablespoon of sliced green onions.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Pineapple Chicken
I love this recipe because the sauce comes together in no time at all, and everything else cooks up in less than 20 minutes! You'll need a knife, your measuring utensils, a wok or skillet, and a spatula to get started.
One batch of this pineapple chicken makes 4 hearty servings! It can go even further if served with rice or noodles!
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together 8 ounces of pineapple juice, ¼ cup of soy sauce, ¼ cup of hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Set Aside.
- Season the chicken. Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, season 1 pound chicken thighs cut into chunks with ¼ teaspoon of both salt & pepper and ½ teaspoon of paprika.
- Cook the chicken. Once the pan is hot, add the seasoned chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink and cooked through (about 6-8 minutes).
- Stir fry the veggies. Add 1 diced red bell pepper and 1 cup of pineapple chunks and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the bell pepper is tender. Then, add 1 teaspoon of ginger and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more or until fragrant.
- Thicken the sauce. Pour your prepared sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens to your liking.
- Garnish and serve. Remove from heat, garnish with 1 tablespoon of green onions, and serve.
I like to serve my pineapple chicken over a heaping mound of jasmine rice. Or, you could try coconut rice for an even more tropical flavor! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Any of your favorite stir-fry vegetables can be added to this recipe with the bell pepper. Toss in some sugar snap peas, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, or whatever you like!
- You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in place of chicken thighs. The meat won't be as tender and juicy, but it's still delicious!
- To add a spicy element to your pineapple chicken, try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Once your pineapple chicken has cooled off, you can place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing Pineapple Chicken
Put the fully-cooled pineapple chicken in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Flash freeze it on a baking sheet for easy storage, and enjoy it within 3 months.
Reheating Pineapple Chicken
Thaw frozen pineapple chicken in the fridge before reheating. Then, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
No, there's nothing spicy in pineapple chicken. It's a perfect balance of salty, sweet, savory, and umami flavors! If you'd like a little spice, add some sambal oelek or red pepper flakes to the sauce!
Rice is the most popular side dish for pineapple chicken. You could also try steamed vegetables, noodles, or zucchini noodles!
Yes! Pineapple chicken can be frozen once it has cooled off. Just put it in a freezer bag and squeeze out the air. Freeze for up to 3 months and defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
🍍 More Tasty Pineapple Recipes
- Dehydrated Pineapple - Snack on a burst of tropical flavor anytime, anywhere with these naturally sweet dehydrated pineapple slices!
- Fresh Pineapple Salsa - Elevate your next summer fiesta with this zesty and refreshing pineapple salsa!
- Pineapple Pie Bars - Satisfy your sweet tooth with these heavenly pineapple pie bars!
- Pineapple Upside-Down Bundt Cake - Show off your baking skills with a beautiful and irresistibly moist pineapple upside-down bundt cake!
- Pineapple Martini - Add a tropical twist to your happy hour with a refreshing pineapple martini!
- Pineapple Dump Cake - Just dump, bake, and enjoy the deliciously sweet and fruity flavors of this super easy cake!
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📖 Recipe Card
Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
Sauce
- 8 oz pineapple juice
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon honey (or brown sugar, or granulated sugar)
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
Pineapple Chicken
- 2 teaspoon coconut oil (or preferred cooking oil)
- 1 lb chicken thighs (boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch chunks)
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 red bell pepper (de-seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (minced, grated, or 1 frozen cube)
- 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon green onions (sliced)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together 8 oz pineapple juice, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoon honey, and 2 teaspoon cornstarch. Set Aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoon coconut oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, season 1 lb chicken thighs cut into chunks with ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepperand ½ teaspoon paprika.
- Once the pan is hot, add the seasoned chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink and cooked through (about 6-8 minutes).
- Add 1 red bell pepper and 1 cup pineapple chunks and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the bell pepper is tender. Then, add 1 teaspoon ginger and 1 teaspoon garlic and cook for 30 seconds more or until fragrant.
- Pour your prepared sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens to your liking.
- Remove from heat, garnish with 1 tablespoon green onions, and serve.
Notes
- Any of your favorite stir-fry vegetables can be added to this recipe with the bell pepper. Toss in some sugar snap peas, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, or whatever you like!
- You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in place of chicken thighs. The meat won't be as tender and juicy, but it's still delicious!
- To add a spicy element to your pineapple chicken, try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce!
- To store: Once your pineapple chicken has cooled off, you can place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- To freeze: Put the fully-cooled pineapple chicken in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Flash freeze it on a baking sheet for easy storage, and enjoy it within 3 months.
- To reheat: Thaw frozen pineapple chicken in the fridge before reheating. Then, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Cindy says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
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