Pineapple Chicken
Pineapple Chicken is a quick and easy stir fry of tender chicken pieces, juicy pineapple and bell peppers for a 20-minute dinner that tastes amazing.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the stir fry:
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in ½ inch pieces (or sub breasts)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½ inch chunks
- 1 cup pineapple chunks (about ½ inch), from fresh or canned
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
For the sauce:
- ⅔ cup pineapple juice
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For serving (optional):
- Steamed white or brown rice
- Sliced green onions
- Chopped cashews
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until browned on both sides and nearly cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from the pan. (The chicken will finish cooking later.)
- Add the bell pepper to the skillet and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and add the pineapple chunks. Stir well to combine.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and stir to mix through.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients: pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch and red pepper flakes.
- Add the sauce to the pan and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened and everything is warmed through and cooked.
- Serve immediately over rice with desired garnishes.
Notes
Chicken: I love boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because they add some extra flavor. However, you could substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Or even try a different protein like pork.
Bell pepper: I prefer a red pepper for color, but you could substitute another pepper if you’d like.
Pineapple: Feel free to use either fresh pineapple if it’s available or canned pineapple that’s been well drained. Both work well.
Ginger: Fresh ginger is preferred, but you could also substitute ground ginger if needed (you’ll need about ¼ teaspoon).
Soy sauce: I use and recommend low-sodium soy sauce to be able to control the amount of sodium in this recipe. If you need to make this gluten-free, just sub some gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce.
Red pepper flakes: You can adjust the heat of this dish by adjusting how much red pepper flakes you use. As is, it’s a low-medium level of spicy so feel free to increase if you want a bit of a kick.
Other veggies: Feel free to swap out the bell pepper and/or add different veggies here. Snow peas, broccoli and shredded carrots would all work.
Leftovers: Leftovers can be stored, once cooled, in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or over medium low heat in a skillet, until warmed through.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 208mg | Sodium: 1145mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g
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