Name: Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts (cubed); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 2 tsp ginger powder; 2 tsp garlic powder; 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch; 1/4 cup olive oil (for frying); 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice (from the can or jar); 1/4 cup chicken broth; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp ginger powder; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp honey; 2 tsp brown sugar; 1/2 cup soy sauce (reduced-sodium)

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My Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken is inspired by a dish served at a local Vietnamese restaurant in my town. I used to always order their pineapple fried rice from their “originals” menu. This is my homemade version that is super easy and only takes 25 minutes! The sauce makes this dish sweet and tangy and is way healthier than take-out( also, a fraction of the price!). It is best served with fresh rice, noodles, or even on its own! This is a recipe your whole family will love!

This Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken is an easy recipe for your next weeknight dinner and is a healthier version of your typical takeout meal from a restaurant!

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Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken over a bed of white rice

Ingredients for Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

Jarred or Canned Pineapple: The star of the recipe! You will find the pineapple juice itself is actually not that sweet, hence why I have added brown sugar and honey to this recipe as well. You can adjust how many actual pineapple chunks you want in your dish (if in season in your area, use fresh pineapple).
Chicken Breast: Or you can use chicken thighs!
Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce: Or try coconut aminos! I love using reduced-sodium soy sauce because it helps me control the salt amount in this recipe.
Chicken Stock: I added chicken stock to create a larger amount of sauce so the chicken would be evenly coated.
Corn Starch: Coating the chicken pieces in corn starch helps them get extra crispy when frying! You could also use flour too.
Garlic and Ginger Powder: Garlic is good in everything! I also added a bit of ginger to create a perfect balance of flavor between the sweet pineapple and the “sour” ginger and soy sauce. You can use fresh ginger too, just increase the amount to 1 tablespoon.
Olive Oil: I love using olive oil for frying but if you want to use canola oil for a more neutral taste, go for it!
Honey and Brown Sugar: You can always adjust the amount of sugar but adding brown sugar helps give this sauce a deep brown color and the honey creates the sticky texture needed to help the sauce stick to the chicken!

Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken with white rice

How to make Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken

First, combine the chicken with cornstarch, salt, pepper, ginger and garlic powder. Mix and let sit while you heat your oil in a deep skillet or wok.

Next, make the sweet and sour sauce. The sauce ingredients are pineapple juice, brown sugar, honey, chicken stock, ginger powder, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Whisk together in a large bowl and set aside.

Once oil is heated, cook your chicken on medium high heat until golden and crispy.

While chicken is cooking, heat the sauce in a small saucepan. First on high heat, then let it simmer for up to 8 minutes. If sauce is not thickened by then, whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch to help speed up the process.

Now add the sauce to the deep skillet with your cooked chicken. Stir until fully coated. Add in the pineapple chunks and let cook for 4-5 minutes on low heat.

Once everything is thickened to your liking, remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve over a bed of white or brown rice of noodles!

Customize your Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chicken

This recipe can be customized in many ways. Swap the pineapple juice with orange juice for more of an orange chicken recipe. You can add sweet bell peppers and onions for more flavor. Replace the sugar completely with just honey. You can use water instead of broth (but add more seasonings). If you use cornstarch and gluten-free soy sauce, you can make this recipe gluten-free! You can use canola oil, vegetable oil, or even sesame oil to fry your chicken in.

Make sure to taste your sauce before serving. Not sweet enough? Add another spoonful of brown sugar or honey. Is it not tangy enough? Add a tablespoon of soy sauce. The beauty of this recipe is that you can control how sweet or sour you want your sauce to be! Have fun with this one and as always, poftă bună!