This Pineapple Chicken recipe has stir-fried chicken, vegetables and pineapple in a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce. Serve it with rice to soak up the extra sauce.

If you love stir fries, try my Chicken Stir Fry, Sweet and Sour Chicken and Shrimp Stir Fry next.

Pineapple chicken in an enameled cast iron pot.

Pineapple Chicken

I can’t say enough good things about this pineapple chicken! It’s an easy dinner idea that’s packed with flavor, healthy veggies and lean protein.

The sauce for this pineapple chicken is a variation of my easy homemade Teriyaki Sauce, with pineapple juice added for additional sweetness and pineapple flavor. Using canned pineapple in this pineapple chicken recipe is a small shortcut that saves time. You’ll use the pineapple chunks in the stir fry and the juice from the can in the sauce.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for pineapple chicken recipe.
  • Teriyaki Sauce: For the sauce you’ll need soy sauce, pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple), brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and cornstarch. Use low sodium soy sauce for less salt in the finished dish.
  • Chicken: You can use either boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs. Both work well in this recipe. Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces so that it cooks quickly.
  • Avocado Oil or Olive Oil: For cooking the chicken and vegetables.
  • Red Onion: Its sweet, mild onion flavor works perfectly in this dish.
  • Red Bell Pepper: Or use your favorite color of bell pepper.
  • Broccoli: My favorite way to add more color and another healthy veggie to this meal! You’ll cook the broccoli until it’s just crisp-tender and it will soak up some of the sauce.
  • Canned Pineapple: Look for canned pineapple chunks in 100% juice and be sure to reserve the juice for the sauce.

How to Make Pineapple Chicken

Like all stir-fries, this pineapple chicken comes together quickly once you start adding ingredients to the hot pan. It’s best to chop and prep all of the ingredients before you start cooking.

Make the teriyaki sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients.

Teriyaki sauce ingredients whisked together in liquid measuring cup.

Cook the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and brown on the first side. Then toss and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a clean plate.

Browning chicken breast pieces in pan with wooden spoon.

Stir-fry the vegetables. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, followed by the red onion, bell pepper and broccoli. Cook the veggies, stirring often, until they’re almost crisp-tender.

Sautéing red onion, red bell pepper and broccoli.

Add the pineapple and sauce. Return the chicken to the pan and add the pineapple and teriyaki sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Chicken, pineapple and teriyaki sauce added to pan with vegetables.

Serve over cooked white rice or brown rice, with a sprinkle of chopped green onions.

Pineapple chicken served in a bowl with white rice and chopsticks.

Recipe Tips

  • Try not to overcook the vegetables. Pineapple chicken is best when the veggies are still somewhat crisp, not soggy.
  • Be sure to whisk the sauce again before adding it to the skillet to make sure the ingredients are well combined. The cornstarch tends to settle to the bottom of the bowl as the sauce sits.
  • You can adapt this recipe to use your favorite vegetables. Try snow peas or snap peas, thinly sliced carrots, zucchini or asparagus. Add vegetables that cook quickly, like zucchini, to the pan later than firmer veggies, like broccoli.
  • If you want to use fresh pineapple instead of canned, you’ll need 2 cups of diced pineapple. Use 1/3 cup of water in the sauce instead of the 1/2 cup of pineapple juice.

How to Store and Reheat

Leftover pineapple chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove over medium heat, until heated through.

Pineapple chicken in skillet with wooden spoon.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

You can never have enough easy chicken recipes for dinner! Here are a few more of our favorites.

Pineapple chicken in an enameled cast iron pot.
5 from 2 ratings

Pineapple Chicken

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Author: Kristine Roseblatt
You'll love this easy Pineapple Chicken with stir-fried chicken, vegetables and pineapple in a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce. Serve it with rice to soak up the extra sauce.
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Ingredients

Teriyaki Sauce

  • ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • ½ cup pineapple juice, from the canned pineapple (see ingredients below)
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey, or pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

Pineapple Chicken

  • 2 ½ tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil, divided
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 small red onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 cups broccoli florets, (½ pound), chopped into small bite-size pieces
  • 20 ounces canned pineapple chunks in 100% juice, reserve the juice for the sauce
  • cooked rice, optional, for serving
  • chopped green onions, optional, for serving

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, combine all of the teriyaki sauce ingredients. Whisk until well combined.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Let the chicken brown on the first side for a few minutes. Then toss and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. (This will take about 7-10 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Thighs take a bit longer to cook through than chicken breasts.) If the pan gets too hot, reduce the heat to medium. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
  • Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of the oil to the skillet, followed by the red onion, bell peppers and broccoli. Cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes, until the vegetables are almost crisp-tender.
  • Return the cooked chicken to the pan and add the pineapple. Whisk the teriyaki sauce again to make sure the ingredients are well combined and then stir the sauce into the skillet. Cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove the pan from the heat.
  • Serve the pineapple chicken over cooked rice, garnished with chopped green onions, or as desired.

Notes

  • To use fresh pineapple, use 2 cups of diced fresh pineapple. Substitute the 1/2 cup of pineapple juice in the sauce with 1/3 cup of water.
  • You can adapt this recipe to use your favorite vegetables. Try snow peas or snap peas, thinly sliced carrots, zucchini or asparagus. Add vegetables that cook quickly, like zucchini, to the pan later than firmer veggies, like broccoli.
Calories: 346kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 921mg, Potassium: 915mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 1082IU, Vitamin C: 94mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Asian
Course: Main Course
Author: Kristine Roseblatt
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