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pineapple chicken on rice in a beige bowl
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5 from 19 votes

Pineapple Chicken (Asian Style)

This pineapple chicken stir fry recipe has a deliciously sweet and tangy sauce that perfectly coats the tender chicken, pineapple, and veggies and costs less than takeout!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian American
Keyword: pineapple chicken recipe
Servings: 4
Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2 (8 fluid ounce) cans pineapple tidbits or chunks drained (but reserve 3/4 cup juice for the sauce)
  • 1/2 red bell pepper cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 medium onion sliced or cut into bite-size pieces

Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple)
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

  • Add the sauce ingredients to a small bowl. If you don't have quite enough pineapple juice to make 3/4 cup, just top the rest up with water. Whisk until smooth.
  • Prep your veggies.
  • Cut the chicken into 1" pieces and add them to a bowl. Toss them with the garlic powder and some pepper. Add the cornstarch and toss until coated.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes. Cook the chicken in two batches (don't crowd the pan). Cook the chicken for 4 minutes and then flip (I use tongs to do this quickly) and cook for another 3-4 minutes or so. Chicken should be browned and cooked through (165F). For the second batch, I add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Transfer each batch of the chicken to a plate when it's done.
  • If the pan is dry, add a small splash of olive oil (a teaspoon or so), and then add the pineapple. Let it cook without stirring it for about a minute.
  • Stir in the peppers and onions and cook for another 3 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Veggies will be tender-crisp. You can cook for a little longer if you wish.
  • Add the chicken back to the pan and then stir in the sauce. Let it bubble until it's thickened (about 1-2 minutes), then take the pan off the heat and serve immediately over rice or noodles.

Notes

  • I buy the canned pineapple that's unsweetened (packed in its own juice). 
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 639mg | Potassium: 655mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg