Sticky Pineapple Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken pieces coated in a sweet and tangy pineapple glaze with colorful vegetables.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1/2 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
04 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
→ Sauce
05 - 1 cup pineapple juice
06 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
07 - 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
08 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
09 - 2 tbsp ketchup
10 - 2 cloves garlic minced
11 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
12 - 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water for slurry
→ Vegetables & Garnishes
13 - 1 cup fresh pineapple cut into chunks
14 - 1 red bell pepper diced
15 - 2 green onions sliced
16 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
→ For Cooking
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
# Directions:
01 - Season chicken pieces thoroughly with salt and pepper. Toss with 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a bowl until evenly coated on all sides.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and repeat with remaining oil and chicken. Set cooked chicken aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and grated ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
04 - Pour in pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and ketchup. Stir well to combine and dissolve sugar. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Stir in diced red bell pepper and pineapple chunks. Let simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until peppers begin to soften and pineapple is heated through.
06 - Return cooked chicken to the pan. Whisk cornstarch slurry again and stir into sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and coats chicken evenly.
07 - Remove from heat immediately. Sprinkle sliced green onions and sesame seeds over the top. Serve hot over steamed jasmine rice or with stir-fried vegetables.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce achieves this perfect balance where the pineapples natural sweetness meets the salty depth of soy sauce, creating something infinitely more interesting than takeout.
- Everything comes together in under 45 minutes, but your dinner guests will swear you spent all day simmering that sauce.
02 -
- Crowding the pan while searing the chicken will cause the temperature to drop and youll end up steaming instead of browning, so work in two batches even though it takes longer.
- The sauce will continue thickening after you remove it from heat, so pull it a minute before it looks perfect or youll end up with chicken candy instead of glazed chicken.
03 -
- Pat the chicken completely dry before coating it in cornstarch, any surface moisture will cause the coating to steam off instead of creating that golden crust.
- Room temperature pineapple chunks release more of their juice into the sauce, creating even better flavor integration.