Sweet and Savory Pineapple Chicken
Serve this sweet and savory chicken stir-fry over steamed rice for a meal that’s better than takeout.
Serves4
Prep20 minutes
Cook25 minutes to 33 minutes
Succulent chicken thighs and sweet pineapple in a rich and savory sauce make this easy dinner a necessary addition to your weekly rotation. Plus, it’s made in just one pan!
This dish comes together fairly fast, so before you start cooking, make sure you have all of your chopping, dicing, and seasoning ready. Stir-frying should be hot and quick, so having everything ready makes the process a lot faster and leaves you with the tastiest results.
What Is Pineapple Chicken Made Of?
The key components are simple: Chicken, pineapple, ginger, garlic, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. The rest you can adjust based on what you have on hand. No white onion? Swap it with red or yellow onion, or even scallions cut into large batons. Colorful orange or yellow bell pepper is a great sweet addition but a green will give it a lovely vegetal flavor to balance the sweet and salty.
Does Pineapple Juice Tenderize Chicken?
While pineapple juice can help tenderize chicken if it’s marinated in it, here the juice is reserved for the sweet and savory sauce. Instead, the chicken is marinated in a splash of Shaoxing wine and cornstarch, both of which help tenderize the meat and season it as you get all the chopping done before you start stir-frying.
How to Serve Pineapple Chicken
Serve this stir-fry over rice and pair it with steamed vegetables like broccoli and carrots.
If you’re not a fan of chicken thighs, don’t worry — you can make this with chicken breast, pork chops, or thinly sliced steak as well.
Pineapple Chicken Recipe
Serve this sweet and savory chicken stir-fry over steamed rice for a meal that’s better than takeout.
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes to 33 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 pound
boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons
cornstarch
- 1 (20-ounce) can
pineapple chunks in juice
- 1
medium yellow bell pepper
- 1
medium white onion
- 3 tablespoons
vegetable oil, divided
- 1 (1-inch) piece
ginger
- 3 cloves
garlic
- 1
medium jalapeño pepper
- 1/4 cup
soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons
hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon
packed dark brown sugar
Instructions
Cut 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large bowl, add 1 1/2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, and toss to combine. Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch and toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the juice from 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks. Drain off the remaining juice. Pat the pineapple chunks dry with paper towels. Trim and dice 1 medium bell pepper and 1 medium white onion.
Prepare the following, adding each to the same medium bowl as you complete it: Mince a 1-inch piece fresh ginger, 3 garlic cloves, and 1 medium jalapeño pepper. Add the reserved pineapple juice, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, and 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar, and stir to combine.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pineapple and cook, tossing occasionally, until browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the same pan and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if needed, add the chicken in a single layer and cook until golden-brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to the plate of pineapple.
Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook until fragrant and the onion starts to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken, pineapple and any accumulated juices, and soy sauce mixture. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken and the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.