Name: Sweet and Savory Pineapple Chicken and Rice Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces; 1 ½ cups pineapple chunks (fresh or canned in juice); ½ cup pineapple juice (reserved from the can or fresh); ⅓ cup soy sauce; 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 2 tablespoons water (for slurry); 1 tablespoon oil (for cooking); 4 cups cooked white or brown rice; 2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Description

This Sweet and Savory Pineapple Chicken and Rice recipe features tender chicken pieces simmered in a flavorful pineapple and soy sauce glaze, served over fluffy rice and garnished with fresh green onions. It’s a quick, delicious meal balancing sweet and savory flavors perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Sauce

1 ½ pounds chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 ½ cups pineapple chunks (fresh or canned in juice)
½ cup pineapple juice (reserved from the can or fresh)
⅓ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water (for slurry)
1 tablespoon oil (for cooking)

To Serve

4 cups cooked white or brown rice
2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)

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Instructions

Prepare and cook chicken: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until golden and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Sauté garlic and create sauce: Reduce the heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the same skillet and sauté until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds. Add soy sauce, pineapple juice, and brown sugar or honey to the skillet. Stir the mixture well to combine the flavors.
Thicken the sauce: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry. Pour this slurry into the sauce and stir continuously until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, which should take about 1-2 minutes.
Combine chicken and pineapple: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and add the pineapple chunks. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 2-3 minutes to heat the pineapple through and blend the flavors.
Serve: Serve the sweet and savory pineapple chicken hot over cooked rice. Garnish with chopped green onions for a fresh flavor and enjoy your meal.

Notes

Using fresh pineapple enhances the flavor but canned pineapple in juice works well too.
Adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of brown sugar or substituting honey as preferred.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
Cook the rice ahead of time or use leftover rice to save time.
Use chicken thighs for juicier meat or breasts for leaner protein.