Hawaiian Chicken Stir Fry
One pan, no marinating, and dinner on the table in just 25 minutes, this Hawaiian Chicken Stir Fry is perfect for sports nights. Served over rice, it has a tangy but sweet flavor and is packed with veggies and juicy pineapple.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 25 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 4
- 🍽 Calories: 372 kcals
- 📋Main Ingredients: Chicken, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, bell peppers, seasonings, and pineapple chunks.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free and can be made gluten-free.
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Deliciously sweet and tangy, this pineapple and chicken dinner is ready in minmal time for busy nights.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
It tastes like takeout but saves me money; that’s how tasty this pineapple chicken dinner is. And since all of my kids love the sweet pineapple flavor, it’s one of my go-to easy dinners right alongside these dinners on the go.
For the longest time, my kids groaned when I used the words “stir fry,” but the addition of pineapple literally changed the deal. So, if you have picky eaters on your hands, give this one a go (these air fryer pineapple chicken skewers work too for that reason!).
Jump to:
- A Quick Look At The Recipe
- What Makes This Recipe Different💭
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flavors To Try
- How To Make Hawaiian Chicken Stir Fry
- Helpful Hints
- Serving it
- Hawaiian Chicken Stir Fry FAQs
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- Hawaiian Chicken Stir Fry
What Makes This Recipe Different💭
Not a shortcut sauce: Now, I love a good pre-made sauce and use a ton; these air fryer teriyaki chicken thighs are proof. But the homemade sauce on this recipe whips up quickly and tastes SO much better.
Sweet and tangy, not sugary: The sriracha and rice vinegar keep it from tasting like a plain sweet pineapple glaze.
One pan, 25 minutes: Chicken, vegetables, and sauce all cook in the same pan. No marinating overnight, no separate steps.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken: Breasts or thighs both work, but chicken thighs will give off extra liquid as they cook.
- Pineapple: Fresh or frozen (thawed) is preferred here. Canned pineapple in juice works too and makes for a sweeter stir fry; just drain the juice first, or save it and swap it in for the water in the sauce if you want it sweeter still, kind of like using a shortcut canned ingredient the way I do in my apple pie muffins with pie filling.
- Soy Sauce: Swap in tamari if you need this gluten-free; the rest of the recipe already is.
- Sriracha: This is dependent on your family; you can totally omit it if your kids “don’t like spice”. Mine went through this phase too; I get it.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavors To Try
A few ways to change this one up, straight from testing this recipe.
- Fruit: Though pineapple is obviously the star, you can make this chicken and pineapple over rice with other fruits too. We’ve done fresh peaches in the summer and loved it.
- Teriyaki-Style Sauce: Increase the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons and the water to 4 tablespoons, and leave out the sriracha for a milder, more classic teriyaki flavor.
How To Make Hawaiian Chicken Stir Fry
Step 1: Cube the chicken and toss it with salt and garlic powder, prep the veggies too by cutting the onion and peppers.
Step 2: Sear the chicken until browned and then add the bell peppers and onion. Cook them until soft. Add the pineapple.
Step 3: Stir the sauce ingredients together and then pour it into the pan and cook until it thickens and the chicken is cooked through.
Step 4: Serve the Hawaiian stir fry garnished with green onion and sesame seeds, and over rice.
Note
Get the pan very hot before the chicken goes in. That’s what gives you a quick sear instead of chicken that steams and turns rubbery.
Helpful Hints
Pro tip: Cut To Size
Cut everything the same size: keeping the chicken, pineapple, and vegetables cubed to roughly the same size means everything cooks evenly in the same few minutes.
- Don’t crowd the pan: cook the chicken in a single layer so it sears instead of steams. Use a bigger pan or work in batches if you need to.
- Have the sauce ready before you start: this one moves fast once the chicken hits the pan, so mix the sauce ahead of time.
- Store leftover stir fry separately from any rice you cooked. Let it cool and store the mix in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat leftovers in a skillet or the microwave, stirring frequently until warmed through. You may need a splash of liquid to get it going.
If I know it’s a leftovers night, I’ll make a double batch on purpose so dinner’s already handled, the same way I plan ahead with my [date oat bars] for grab-and-go weeks.
Serving it
This Hawaiian chicken stir fry recipe is a full meal on its own over rice, but a few things round it out.
- Plain white or jasmine rice, the simplest base for soaking up the sauce, but chow mein noodles work too.
- Serve it over Whole30 cauliflower rice (homemade or frozen!) if you want a low-carb option and more veggies.
- Enjoy it followed with my chocolate pecan pie bars for dessert.
Hawaiian Chicken Stir Fry FAQs
More Easy Dinner Recipes
If you tried this Easy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Hawaiian Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
For the stir fry
- 1 lb chicken cubed, breasts or thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 large onion cubed
- 2 large bell peppers cubed
- 2 cups pineapple chunks fresh or thawed frozen preferred
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce tamari for gluten free
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced or grated
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1-2 teaspoons sriracha depending on desired heat
To serve
- Green onions
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Cooked rice
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with salt and garlic powder.
- Cut the onion and bell peppers into 1 inch pieces. Slice the green onions and mince or grate the garlic and ginger.
- In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water into a slurry, then stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and sriracha. Set the sauce aside.
- Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once very hot, add the chicken and cook until just browned, 1-2 minutes per side.
- Add the onion and sear for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium, add the bell pepper and pineapple, and cook for 2 minutes until just softening at the edges.
- Add the sauce and cook, stirring regularly, until it thickens and the chicken is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve over rice.
Notes
Nutrition
I love how sweet and juicy this comes out and my kids love the bright pineapple flavor.