In the mood for something tropical for dinner? Try some pineapple chicken with sauteed chicken thighs, chunks of fresh pineapple and crisp red bell peppers. Add some sides and appetizers like veggie fried rice, Asian slaw or cream cheese wontons for a memorable meal. I’m constantly searching for easy chicken dinners that my whole family will love, and I’m happy to say that this quick and easy pineapple chicken is always a huge hit! It’s essentially a chicken stir fry with the addition of juicy pineapple, and the sauce is also infused with pineapple flavor. You’ll feel like you’re on a tropical vacation when you serve this dish for dinner.
Pineapple Chicken Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need vegetable oil, chicken thighs, red bell pepper, pineapple, garlic, ginger, pineapple juice, soy sauce, chicken broth, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, corn starch, sesame seeds, green onions, salt and black pepper.
How Do You make pineapple chicken?
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan. Cook the chicken until it is golden brown. Add the bell peppers and pinapple to the pan, and cook until tender. Next, add ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Place the sauce ingredients in a bowl, and whisk to combine. Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer. Whisk together the corn starch with cold water, and pour it into the pan. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce is thick. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can use either fresh or canned pineapple here, but I wouldn’t recommend frozen pineapple. If you use a can of pineapple, be sure to reserve the juice to use in the sauce. I use a red bell pepper because it adds flavor and crunch, but you could use a different colored pepper if you prefer. A yellow or orange pepper tastes the same as a red pepper if you’ve got one of those on hand. Green bell peppers are not as sweet as red, orange and yellow peppers. Hoisin sauce is an Asian condiment that can be purchased in the international foods aisle of most grocery stores.
Flavor Variations
Pineapple chicken is delicious as-is, but you can easily customize the flavors to suit your taste.
Protein: Swap out the chicken thighs for pork tenderloin, thinly sliced flank steak, ground chicken or even shrimp. Vegetables: Feel free to add extra vegetables to this recipe. Some great options include onions, mushrooms, broccoli or carrots. Flavorings: Amp up the flavor of the sauce with additions such as sriracha, toasted sesame oil or orange zest.
While serving this meal inside a pineapple is clearly optional, it’s also super impressive and not a lot of work to pull off. It’s a great one to serve to company, or just to make a weeknight dinner feel a little more special.
