Pineapple Chicken (Asian Style)

Pineapple Chicken (Asian Style)

from saltandlavender.com
35 min

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!

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)
  • 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

Directions

  1. 1

    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.

  2. 2

    Prep your veggies.

  3. 3

    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.

  4. 4

    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.

  5. 5

    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.

  6. 6

    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.

  7. 7

    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.