Pineapple Chicken A Sweet And Savory Tropical Dish

Discover the tantalizing flavors of Pineapple Chicken – succulent chicken, tangy pineapple, fresh lemon juice, aromatic garlic, and zesty ginger in every bite. Bursting with a perfect balance of sweetness and savory goodness, this recipe features juicy chicken coated in a light crispy texture. Create a restaurant-worthy dish right in your own kitchen!

Ingredients in Pineapple Chicken

Chicken – use boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts. Thighs will yield a more tender chicken. Cornstarch – mixed with a little salt and pepper, the cornstarch is the coating that gives this pineapple chicken a light crispy texture. It is also used to thicken the sauce. Vegetable Oil – this is the best oil for frying because it has a neutral flavor Water Canned Pineapple – you can use canned or fresh, but make sure to save the juice from whichever one you use. Fresh Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest Rice Vinegar Soy Sauce Brown Sugar Garlic Ginger Green Onion Optional – stir-fry some veggies like red bell peppers or snap peas to stir in to the cooked chicken and sauce. Or, add some cashews for extra crunch. For a healthy twist, serve over cauliflower rice.

Alternative Cooking Methods

If you are looking for a healthier alternative, then instead of frying, heat a little oil in a large skillet and cook chicken on each side for 5-7 minutes or until cooked through and THEN add the sauce. You can also just fry until the chicken is cooked on the outside and then place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through (165 degrees F). You will still get a little bit of a crispy texture and still have all the flavor!

Air Fryer Method

To fry your chicken in the air fryer, you just need to make sure you are coating your chicken with cooking spray before it cooks. All air fryers are different so check the correct temperatures and times for chicken pieces. We cook ours at 350 for about 10-12 minutes on each side, spraying any parts of the chicken with dry cornstarch with cooking spray while turning. Just make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F before serving.

Gluten Free Pineapple Chicken

Because we use a cornstarch coating for this recipe instead of flour, it is REALLY close to being gluten free. However, as you can see in the recipe below, we use soy sauce in the pineapple sauce, which contains gluten. The good news is, GF soy sauce is easy to find. Just replace regular soy sauce with a gluten-free brand and you should be good to go. As always, check labels on everything to make sure you’re working with gluten free ingredients.