The best and EASIEST Hawaiian Chicken.
After recently recreating and updating an old pressure cooker favorite (this Instant Pot Orange Chicken) I decided to get a little creative.
This time instead of using fresh orange juice and zest, pineapple would be the star of the show.
One bite of this pineapple chicken will quickly transport you to your favorite tropical destination! Don’t blame me if you feel like you should be lounging around on beautiful white sandy beaches with a Piña Colada in hand right now…
And it’s so quick and easy to make, too! You can pop all of your ingredients into your pressure cooker and have this meal ready in under 30 minutes! This simple Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken takes minimal effort and is a tasty dinner for busy weeknights.
Don’t have an Instant Pot? No problem! Check out this Easy Pineapple Chicken Recipe that’s made on the stovetop!
Try these Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs next!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Chicken. One pound of chicken breasts are tenderized and then cut into cubes.
- Starch. A starch coating gives the chicken a wonderfully crunchy exterior while keeping the inside incredibly juicy and tender. Cornstarch or tapioca starch can be used. All purpose flour or a gluten-free flour may be substituted if that’s what you have available.
- Vegetables. Red and green bell peppers are used along with a red onion to make this dish beautiful and brightly colored.
- Pineapple. Canned pineapple chunks in juice, not in syrup, are the best and healthiest type of fruit to use. If you happen to have some fresh pineapple, you can also use that instead. I would not recommend using frozen pineapple as it does not have nearly as much flavor as the canned or fresh kind.
- Soy Sauce. A gluten-free soy sauce, Tamari sauce, or even coconut liquid aminos can be used interchangeably and give the pineapple chicken a great salty taste.
- Lime. Fresh lime juice adds a bit of acidity to help balance out the sweetness. Lemon juice can be substituted but will be a little more tart.
- Rice vinegar. A little bit more Asian flavor and tang is added in with a bit of vinegar. You can also substitute with apple cider vinegar if you’re on a Paleo diet.
- Sriracha. Totally optional, but a little bit of this spicy sauce will take this dish from a 0 heat level to about a 3-4 out of 10.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Sauté the chicken.
Tenderize chicken breasts with a meat mallet, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss with starch or flour, salt, and pepper until coated. Heat oil in a 6-quart Instant Pot on sauté mode.
Once hot, add chicken in a single layer and cook for 2–3 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any stuck bits.
Pro Tip: Be sure the chicken is cut into similarly-sized pieces so they cook consistently.
Make the sauce.
For a silky smooth sauce, blend the ingredients in a Nutribullet for 20–30 seconds—it’s powerful and easy to clean. A Vitamix, food processor, or mini chopper also work.
Just combine the pineapple, juice, ketchup, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, Sriracha, and salt, then blend until smooth.
Combine everything in the Instant Pot.
Once you have your chicken prepared and the sauce made, it’s time to put it all together and cook it in your Instant Pot.
Pour the sauce over the chicken. Be sure to lift it off the bottom of the pan so it does not burn.
Place the chopped bell peppers and onion on top of the chicken and sauce. Do not stir or mix at this stage.
Cook the pineapple chicken.
Seal the Instant Pot lid and pressure valve, then cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Let it naturally release for 5 more minutes. Stir in the remaining pineapple, then serve over rice and top with green onions or extra Sriracha if you like it spicy.
FAQs
It’s super important that you place the chicken in a single layer on the bottom of the pot. This ensures the chicken gets a nice and crusty sear.
Forgetting to scrape the bottom of the pot after sautéing the chicken can result in the dreaded burn error. To avoid this, make sure you remove all of the bits and pieces of food before cooking.
Yes, you absolutely can! Since an 8-quart pressure cooker requires a minimum of 2 cups of liquid (versus 1 cup for a 6-quart) you will want to add an additional ¼-cup of pineapple juice to the sauce.
What to Serve with it?
When you’re ready to dig into this Hawaiian chicken, there are a few delicious side dish recipes you can whip up.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with rice. Try Coconut Rice, White Rice, Jasmine Rice, or Basmati Rice. Save time with Instant Pot White Rice.
Try some Spring Rolls or Cucumber Salad on the side.
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Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¼ cup cornstarch or tapioca flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt divided, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 15- oz can pineapple chunks in juice divided
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons sugar or coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce Tamari sauce, or coconut liquid aminos
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce optional
- 2 bell peppers cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red onion cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Green onions
- Rice
Instructions
- Sauté the Chicken: Combine chicken cubes, starch, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Toss to coat chicken completely. Add oil to the Instant Pot while it is set to the sauté function and wait until the oil begins to sizzle. Place chicken cubes in a single layer on the bottom of the Instant Pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes. After sautéing, scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure any bits are no longer stuck. (This step is HUGELY important. If you do not scrape the bottom of the pot you'll end up getting that dreaded BURN error.)1 pound chicken breasts, ¼ cup cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Make the Sauce: Add ¾ cup of pineapple chunks, ⅓ cup of pineapple juice, ketchup, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, crushed garlic, Sriracha sauce, and ¾ teaspoon of salt to a high-speed blender. Blend for 20-30 seconds or until the sauce is completely smooth.15- oz can pineapple chunks in juice, ¼ cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 lime, 2 cloves garlic crushed, 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- Combine Everything in the Pot: Pour sauce over chicken and be sure to lift it off the bottom of the pan so it does not burn. Add chopped bell pepper and onion on top of the chicken. Do not stir or mix them in.2 bell peppers, 1 red onion
- Cook and Release Pressure: Place lid on Instant Pot and close pressure valve. Using the manual pressure cook function turn to High Pressure and set the timer for 5 minutes. Keep the lid on and the valve closed for an additional 5 minutes after the timer goes off. (This is called a 5-minute natural pressure release, or NPR.)
- Serve the Pineapple Chicken: Turn the Instant Pot off, and open the pressure valve. Once the lid has unlocked, you can open the pot. Stir in the remaining pineapple chunks that have been finely chopped. Serve your Hawaiian chicken over cauliflower rice or regular rice and with a sprinkle of green onions. Enjoy!Green onions, Rice
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Notes
- Nutrition: The nutritional information for this recipe is calculated without any rice or cauliflower rice.
- Cutting: Be sure the chicken is cut into similarly-sized pieces so they cook consistently.
- Chicken: While breasts are best, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs if needed.
- Spice: Sprinkle some red pepper flakes for a little kick.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
When you need dinner in a pinch, the Instant Pot is the way to go. Any of these easy dinners and sides will become a family favorite on busy nights.
Quick, easy, and my kids loved it!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! That’s the best kind of praise. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
How do you make the sauce? I didn’t see directions for it
The instructions for the sauce can be found in Step 4 in the recipe card. 🙂
London,
I only have a regular stove top pressure cooker. What changes do I need to make to the Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken recipe?
Thank you,
Jean
Hi Jean! I haven’t personally experimented with a stove top pressure cooker so unfortunately I am unable to help with that conversion. Would love to know if you figure it out, though!