This tasty Pineapple Chicken combines crispy fried chicken pieces with pineapple, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and green onions in a sweet ginger pineapple sauce. Serve over white rice, brown rice, or ramen noodles. In a little over 30 minutes you too can have a better than takeout meal on the table.
This quick and easy Pineapple Chicken is always a huge hit with family and friends. From its crisp chicken to its fresh pineapple flavor and ease in cooking this is one of my favorite chicken dishes.
How to make Pineapple Chicken
First whisk the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set it aside for a few minutes. Then combine the cornstarch, salt, and black pepper in a bag. Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag shaking off the excess cornstarch mixture. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through. Work in batches moving the chicken to paper towels to drain. Carefully wipe out the skillet or wash it.
Then heat a little more oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes stirring several times. Add the bell peppers and pineapple to the skillet cooking for 2-3 minutes stirring frequently. Plate the vegetables and the pineapple.
Now heat a very small amount of vegetable oil or olive oil in the skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and ginger cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Whisk in the sauce ingredients from the bowl that you set aside cooking until it is thickened. Add the chicken, vegetables, and pineapple back to the skillet to warm. Sprinkle with green onions and for best results serve promptly.
Recipe notes
- Don’t cover the chicken or vegetables and pineapple after plating them. The chicken and vegetables stay crispier if not covered. They will warm back up when you add them back to the skillet with the sauce.
- Ginger paste works just as well as fresh ginger and once opened it lasts about 1 month stored in the fridge.
- Fresh pineapple works best for this recipe just because of its amazing flavor however canned will work in a pinch.
- For a change of taste add some toasted sesame seeds. Here is more on how to toast sesame seeds.
- Use any colored bell peppers you like. Green peppers, red peppers, orange peppers, and yellow peppers all work well with great flavor and texture.
- You do not have to bread the chicken. Simply cook the chicken in a little oil and follow the rest of recipe as directed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days however it is advised to separate the chicken from the pineapple if using fresh pineapple. See more below about the enzyme bromelain.
- I do not recommend freezing this dish.
If using fresh pineapple be aware that it contains the enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein. Hence this recipe makes an awesome first meal but it is not great for leftovers unless you plan accordingly and separate the pineapple from the chicken. Or simply make a half recipe.
More chicken recipes to try!
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Pineapple Chicken
A quick and easy Pineapple Chicken Recipe with fresh pineapple, orange and red bell peppers, onions, and garlic all in a lightly sweetened pineapple sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: main meal chicken
- Method: stir fry
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¾ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in bite size pieces
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3–4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Whisk the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set it aside for a few minutes.
- Combine the cornstarch, salt, and black pepper in a bag. Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat. Work in batches.
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag shaking off the excess cornstarch. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through. Work in batches moving the chicken to paper towels to drain. Carefully wipe out the skillet or wash it.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes stirring several times. Add the bell peppers and pineapple to the skillet cooking for 2-3 minutes stirring frequently. Plate the vegetables and the pineapple.
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in the skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and ginger cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Whisk in the sauce ingredients that you set aside. Cook until it is thickened whisking frequently. Add the chicken, vegetables, and pineapple back to the skillet to warm. Sprinkle with green onions and for best results serve promptly.
Keywords: chicken with pineapple, pineapple chicken Chinese, recipe of pineapple chicken
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