Description
This Sticky Pineapple Chicken recipe is a flavorful stir-fry dish combining juicy chicken chunks with sweet pineapple, savory soy sauce, and caramelized vegetables. Perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight meal, it offers a wonderful balance of sweet and savory flavors with a touch of ginger and garlic for depth. Serve it over boiled rice and garnish with fresh coriander, adding sriracha for those who prefer a spicy kick.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 3 chicken breasts (approx 525 g/1.1 lbs) chopped into bite-size chunks
- 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch in USA)
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Cooking and Stir-fry Sauce
- 3 tbsp oil
- 435 g (15 oz) can of chopped pineapple in juice
- 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste for US)
- 1 onion peeled and chopped into wedges
- 1 red bell pepper chopped into chunks
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
To Serve
- Fresh coriander (cilantro)
- Boiled rice
- Sriracha (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Place the chicken chunks in a bowl. Sprinkle the cornflour, salt, and pepper over the chicken and mix thoroughly with your hands until all pieces are coated with the cornflour mixture.
- Heat the oil: Warm the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat until it is hot but not smoking.
- Cook the chicken: Add the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil. Stir occasionally with a spatula to cook evenly, allowing the chicken to turn a golden color on all sides, which should take about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Make the stir-fry sauce: While the chicken cooks, combine the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple with the brown sugar, dark soy sauce, and tomato puree in a bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves and set aside.
- Add onions and peppers: Introduce the chopped onions and red bell pepper chunks into the wok with the chicken. Stir-fry together for about 2 minutes to soften slightly while retaining crunch.
- Add pineapple chunks: Add the drained pineapple chunks from the tin to the wok and cook for another 2 minutes, mixing well with the chicken and vegetables.
- Incorporate aromatics: Stir in the minced garlic and ginger. Continue cooking for 1 more minute to release their flavors thoroughly.
- Add the stir-fry sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetables in the wok.
- Simmer and caramelize: Cook the mixture on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, allowing the sauce to bubble and reduce. This process should take about 5 to 6 minutes, during which the sauce thickens and caramelizes, coating the chicken and creating a glossy sticky finish.
- Serve: Once the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, turn off the heat. Serve the sticky pineapple chicken immediately over boiled rice, garnished with fresh coriander. Add sriracha to taste for a spicy accent if desired.
Notes
- Make ahead tips: This dish is best enjoyed fresh but can be made ahead. Cool completely and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to one day. Reheat by warming 1 tbsp of oil in a wok over medium heat, add the chicken, and stir frequently until heated through (about 10 minutes). Add a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much while reheating.
- Freezing: Not recommended as the onions and peppers can become soggy and lose texture.
- Scaling the recipe: You can double or halve the ingredients. For larger quantities, add an additional 5-7 minutes of cooking time to ensure everything is cooked properly.
Keywords: Sticky Pineapple Chicken, Sweet and Savory Chicken, Pineapple Chicken Stir-fry, Easy Chicken Dinner, Asian Chicken Recipe