This easy Spicy Pineapple Chicken will have you craving for more! It’s sweet and spicy, full of flavour, and so easy to make! You can make this in one pan if you’d like or speed things up and use two pans! It’s the perfect weeknight dinner and meal prep!
It’s sweet, it’s sticky, it’s spicy, and it’s SO good. This pineapple chicken recipe is one of those recipes that I need rice for so it can soak up ALL the sauce. I am obsessed.
This pineapple chicken recipe was originally published November 21, 2017. This post has been updated on May 6, 2021 with new photos and tips. You can see the original photos down at the end of the post!
Since updating, I tweaked the sauce a bit, added some hoisin sauce, and swapped the flour for cornstarch as a thickener. I also changed up the chicken by not coating it in flour before pan searing.
Originally, this was a one-pan pineapple chicken where I used the same non-stick pan to simmer the sauce, set it aside, and it cooked the chicken in the same pan. While you can still do that, I now use a saucepan to simmer the sauce at the same time I cook my chicken to save time. You are welcomed to use either method, I just found that I prefer using two pans over the years. You do you :)
Ingredients You’ll Need
- pineapple juice
- sriracha — I would not recommend swapping the sriracha for another hot sauce. This gives the perfect balance of sweet and spicy as I find hot sauces like Tabasco and Frank’s to be too hot. Skip the sriracha entirely if you don’t want it to be spicy.
- soy sauce — I always suggest using low sodium sauce.
- hoisin sauce — hoisin sauce is sweet, salty, and has a strong unami flavour.
- brown sugar
- cornstarch
- garlic
- chicken breasts — I use boneless skinless chicken breasts but you can swap for thighs.
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- olive oil
- pineapple chunks
- cashews — I like to use lightly roasted cashews. No need for super salted cashews as the sauce is already salty. Got extra? Try this Spicy Cashew Chicken and Vegetables.
How to Make Pineapple Chicken
- In a saucepan, combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and garlic. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken to your liking. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- At the same time, season the chicken cubes with salt, pepper, and garlic.
- In a large pan over medium heat, add in the olive oil and the chicken. Leave the chicken undisturbed for around 2 minutes or until a golden crust has formed before flipping it.
- Once the chicken as been cooked through and golden, add in the pineapple and cashews. Stir to combine.
- Add in the sauce and stir to combine before serving.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- You can taste the sauce as it simmers — spicy food doesn’t really bother me but if you find that the kick at the end is too strong, put in more pineapple juice or brown sugar to balance it out.
- As mentioned earlier, you can cook the sauce in the skillet beforehand and then set it aside and cook the chicken in the same skillet to make this a one-pot recipe. Alternatively, you can cook the chicken, pineapple, and cashew first then set it aside, cook the sauce in the same skillet, and add the chicken back to the sauce.
- Add crushed red peppers to up the spicy factor.
- Don’t have pineapple juice? Sub in with orange juice for that tangy sweetness.
- I like to garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds but it is optional!
- Switch the poultry with pork or shrimp.
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: store the cooked pineapple chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. I usually like to pack this with some jasmine rice! You can also serve it with some broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, or whatever vegetable you’re craving.
Spicy Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 3 tbsp sriracha, or more
- ¼ cup soy sauce, low sodium
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 cup cashews
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and garlic. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken to your liking. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- At the same time, season the chicken cubes with salt, pepper, and garlic.
- In a large pan over medium heat, add in the olive oil and the chicken. Leave the chicken undisturbed for around 2 minutes or until a golden crust has formed before flipping it.
- Once the chicken as been cooked through and golden, add in the pineapple and cashews. Stir to combine.
- Add in the sauce and stir to combine before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken with Veggies
- Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs and Vegetables
- Spicy Chicken Cashew and Vegetables
- Sesame Chicken with Broccoli and Edamame
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The photos from 2017!
GiGi Eats
ONE PAN for the win!! I am really starting to research DIFFERENT recipes for my husband as he has been eating more at home these days thanks to “bulking up”…. And even though he could probably eat the same thing every day, I don’t want him to get “bored”.
Abbey Sharp
Mmm I love anything with pineapple! This looks awesome
Jessica Levinson
This is so much healthier than take-out! An easy one pan dinner the whole family will love!
Angela @marathonsandmotivation.com
This looks so amazing! I LOVE one pan dishes, so quick & easy…YUM!!!
Chrissy @ Snacking in Sneakers
Yum! One pot meals are the best – less dirty dishes. :) My fav takeout item is probably pad thai.
Kalee
This sounds so yummy. I think I could eat pineapple every day, and this is such a good change from what I cook this time of the year.
GiGi Eats
Looks like such a great alternative to take out!!