Description
Pineapple Chicken is a flavorful stir-fry dish featuring tender chicken pieces coated in a light cornstarch crust, combined with caramelized pineapple chunks, bell pepper, and a tangy, sweet-savory sauce. This quick and easy meal brings a delightful balance of sweet and savory flavors perfect for a weeknight dinner, served best with steamed rice.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken thighs (or breast), cut into 1” (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
Sauce
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Stir Fry
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 cup pineapple slices, cut into 1” (2.5 cm) chunks
- 1 bell pepper, cut into 1” (2.5 cm) pieces
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: In a medium bowl, combine chicken pieces, salt, and Shaoxing wine. Mix well and let it marinate while preparing the other ingredients.
- Prepare Sauce: In another medium bowl, mix pineapple juice, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Stir until the sugar and cornstarch are fully dissolved, then set aside.
- Coat Chicken: Add cornstarch to the marinated chicken and toss thoroughly to coat each piece evenly.
- Cook Chicken: Heat peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick or carbon steel skillet until hot. Shake off excess cornstarch from chicken and spread pieces in the pan without overlapping. Cook without stirring for about 2 minutes until the bottom is browned. Flip and cook the other side for another 2 minutes until browned. Remove chicken and place on a plate to cool.
- Cook Vegetables: Use paper towels to wipe excess oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon. If needed, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Heat skillet over high heat; add pineapple chunks and bell pepper pieces along with minced ginger on top. Allow them to cook undisturbed for 1-2 minutes to caramelize the pineapples and blister the peppers, stirring occasionally.
- Thicken Sauce: Stir the sauce again to dissolve any settled cornstarch and pour it into the pan. Cook until the sauce thickens completely, coating the vegetables well.
- Combine and Serve: Remove pan from heat and return the browned chicken to the skillet. Toss everything together to coat the chicken with the thickened sauce. Serve hot, ideally with steamed rice.
Notes
- Shaoxing wine can be substituted with dry sherry if unavailable.
- Pineapple juice and fresh pineapple chunks bring sweetness and acidity; canned pineapple chunks may alter texture.
- Use a nonstick or carbon steel skillet for even browning and easy cleanup.
- Adjust the amount of brown sugar in the sauce depending on your sweetness preference.
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
