Description
Whip up Pineapple Chicken and Rice for a speedy weeknight meal that’ll have your family asking for seconds. Tender chicken, sweet pineapple chunks, and fluffy rice come together in one pan for a delicious dinner that saves you time and satisfies hungry appetites.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Rice & Vegetables:
- 1.5 cups cooked brown or jasmine rice
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 0.5 red bell pepper
- 0.5 green bell pepper
- 0.5 cup peas or snap peas
- 2 green onions
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Seasonings & Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Your pan needs to be hot and ready.
- Season the 2 diced chicken breasts completely with ½ teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Coat every piece evenly.
- Cook chicken pieces for exactly 6 minutes, stirring twice, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a clean plate.
- Combine 1 cup pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, and 2 minced garlic cloves in a mixing bowl.
- Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water, then blend into the sauce until completely smooth.
- Toss ½ red bell pepper and ½ green bell pepper into the skillet. Sauté for precisely 3 minutes at medium heat.
- Add ½ cup peas and 1 cup pineapple chunks. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Return chicken to the skillet and pour entire sauce mixture over ingredients. Simmer for 2 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Fold in 1 ½ cups cooked rice, stirring to coat every grain with sauce.
- Garnish with 2 sliced green onions and optional sesame seeds. Serve immediately at 160°F.
Notes
- Make sure to dice chicken into uniform pieces for even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
- Drain pineapple chunks well before adding to prevent excess liquid from making the sauce too thin.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to control salt levels and allow your own seasoning preferences to shine through.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce with tamari and use cornstarch as a thickener instead of flour-based options.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-16 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 455 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 760 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg