Pineapple Chicken (Asian Style)​

This pineapple chicken stir fry recipe has a deliciously sweet and tangy sauce that perfectly coats the tender chicken, pineapple, and veggies. It costs less than takeout!

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian American
Keyword: pineapple chicken recipe

Servings: 4

Ingredients​

• 2 chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 2 (8 ounce) cans pineapple tidbits or chunks drained (but reserve 3/4 cup juice for the sauce)
• 1/2 red bell pepper cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 medium onion sliced or cut into bite-size pieces

Sauce:​

• 3/4 cup pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple)
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions​

• Add the sauce ingredients to a small bowl. If you don't have quite enough pineapple juice to make 3/4 cup, just top the rest up with water. Whisk until smooth.
• Prep your veggies.
• Cut the chicken into 1" pieces and add them to a bowl. Toss them with the garlic powder and some pepper. Add the cornstarch and toss until coated.
• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes. Cook the chicken in two batches (don't crowd the pan). Cook the chicken for 4 minutes and then flip (I use tongs to do this quickly) and cook for another 3-4 minutes or so. Chicken should be browned and cooked through (165F). For the second batch, I add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Transfer each batch of the chicken to a plate when it's done.
• If the pan is dry, add a small splash of olive oil (a teaspoon or so), and then add the pineapple. Let it cook without stirring it for about a minute.
• Stir in the peppers and onions and cook for another 3 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Veggies will be tender-crisp. You can cook for a little longer if you wish.
• Add the chicken back to the pan and then stir in the sauce. Let it bubble until it's thickened (about 1-2 minutes), then take the pan off the heat and serve immediately over rice or noodles.

Notes​

• I buy the canned pineapple that's unsweetened (packed in its own juice).

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