Sweet, savory, and weeknight easy.
It’s not very often that as I am sitting here typing up a blog post I also happen to be EATING that exact same dish…
But that’s the case today with this simple Pineapple Chicken recipe!
You might call it a fluke, but considering I have made this dish AT LEAST 5 times since first creating the recipe, it’s really not a huge shocker.
Everyone can appreciate easy weeknight meals, and this will become one of your favorite recipes. The pineapple flavor in the sweet and sour sauce along with the chicken tenders and veggies is the perfect balance.
And the general consensus – the whole family absolutely LOVES this quick and easy 30-minute pineapple chicken recipe!
Not only is this dish ready in under 30 minutes, but it is also made in ONE pan. Perfect for busy weeknights.
So yes, your dinner is ready-to-eat and is piping hot when you are!
Want a few other easy pineapple recipes? You might also enjoy this Piña Colada Recipe, Grilled Pineapple Chicken, Slow Cooker Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos and this Pineapple Pico de Gallo.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Pineapple Marinade. A sweet and tangy marinade is made to coat the chicken and vegetables.
- Pineapple. The recipe uses canned, juicy pineapple with no added sugar. However, you can also use fresh pineapple chunks if that is what you happen to have. (Learn how to cut a pineapple if you don’t already know!)
- Chicken. Look for lean, natural skinless chicken breasts if possible, since they are the easiest to work with. Chicken thighs will work, but get a boneless, skinless kind.
- Vegetables. Bell peppers and onions are used to boost the nutritional value of this recipe. Read below to see a few other ideas you might like to try!
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Make the pineapple marinade.
Most of the flavor in this dish comes from the marinade, which also doubles as the sauce. Blended pineapple, pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce or Tamari, lime juice, coconut sugar, and salt create the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavor. Blend until smooth, then use ½ cup to marinate the chicken and reserve the rest for the sauce.
Prep the chicken.
Tenderize chicken by pounding it to 1-inch thick and then cutting it into 1-inch cubes.*
Combine chicken and ½ cup pineapple marinade in a big Ziplock bag or large bowl. Marinate for 15-30 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Pro Tip: If doing this inside, simply place a piece of wax or parchment paper over the top to prevent chicken juice from splattering all over your kitchen.
Sauté the veggies.
Dice the onion and bell peppers into bite-sized pieces. Sauté in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium to medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until nearly tender, then season with ½ teaspoon salt.
You can also swap in vegetables like carrots, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, or snap peas.
Cook the chicken.
Remove veggies from the skillet and add marinated chicken cubes. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until chicken is almost cooked through.
Add the remaining sauce, vegetables, and pineapple chunks, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
FAQs
You should be cautious about marinating chicken in pineapple juice overnight. While marinating is an excellent way to add flavor to chicken, pineapple juice is acidic, which can break down the meat if left too long. The beauty of this easy recipe is that you can marinate it for just 30 minutes and end up with tender chicken.
Yes! You can chop the vegetables up to 3 days ahead of time and store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator. The pineapple sauce and chicken can also be prepared in advance, but wait to combine them until 2 to 3 hours before cooking so the acidic marinade doesn’t make the chicken mushy.
Store leftover pineapple chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. To freeze, let the dish cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. For the best texture, reheat the chicken in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.
What to serve with it?
There are numerous ways to serve this pineapple chicken stir-fry to make it a complete meal. A bed of simple Instant Pot White Rice or coconut milk rice sops up all of that deliciously sticky pineapple sauce.
However, if you are limiting grains or carbs you can always opt to serve it over Cauliflower Rice, by itself, or in lettuce wraps.
A sprinkle of chopped green onions and sesame seeds adds to the flavor and presentation, as well.
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Easy Pineapple Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 15-ounce can pineapple chunks divided
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Tamari sauce or gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 lime juice
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 2 bell peppers cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red onion cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- Green onions optional
- Sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Pound chicken to 1-inch thick and cut into 1-inch cubes.1 ¼ pounds chicken breasts
- In a high-speed blender or food processor add ¾ cup pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, ketchup, Tamari sauce, lime juice, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend for 20-30 seconds, or until smooth.¼ cup pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Tamari sauce, 1 lime, 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- Add cubed chicken and ½ cup of pineapple marinade to a large bowl or a ziplock bag. Toss until chicken is well coated. Reserve remaining marinade.
- Marinade chicken in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
- While chicken is marinading, add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet over medium heat with bell peppers and onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until veggies are almost tender. Add ½ teaspoon salt and stir until well combined.2 bell peppers, 1 red onion, 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- Remove veggies from skillet and add marinaded chicken cubes. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until chicken is almost cooked through.
- Add reserved marinade, veggies, and remaining pineapple that has been finely diced to the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.
- Serve Pineapple Chicken over rice or cauliflower rice with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!Green onions, Sesame seeds
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Video
Notes
- Nutrition: Nutrition facts are calculated without rice.
- Sugar: You can also substitute brown sugar or regular sugar for the coconut sugar.
- Chicken: Flattening the chicken tenderizes it and makes it cook more evenly.
- Marinade: The marinade is easy to make a day or two before you are ready to cook. But wait until just before cooking to combine with the chicken.
- Veggies: You can sub in your favorite veggies, or increase the amount to up the nutritional benefit.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Other Takeout Favorites
Takeout food is a guilty pleasure for so many. Thankfully, you can make many of these recipes at home and feel good about eating it.
Do you have any suggestions for making this plant based? It looks like it could work really well with tofu but I wouldn’t know how to sub tofu for the chicken. This recipe looks delicious.
We used tofu instead of chicken cause we are vegan. Delicious! Thanks for sharing
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jenn! I’m glad it worked out with tofu. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
My son said it was fantastic. Thanks for sharing.
Yay!! So happy it got the approval of your son, too. Thanks so much for the comment and rating! 🙂
Brown rice & less sodium would be healthier.
You can definitely use brown rice, and adjust the salt/sodium according to your taste or dietary preference!