Are you struggling to come up with new meal ideas based on what you have in your pantry? So many people are, and I thought I’d share one of my favorite Chinese dishes to cheer you up. My pineapple chicken recipe is something you can make with things you probably have in your kitchen right now. You just might not realize those things go together. If you like sweet and sour chicken from your local Chinese takeout, this will completely satisfy that craving. My version of pineapple chicken makes it healthier with less sugar thanks to the abundant aromatics. The recipe will teach you how to create crispy chicken with less oil and no deep-frying. So you can indulge in these sweet and savory flavors without guilt!
Pineapple chicken ingredients
My pineapple chicken recipe calls for chicken thighs, though chicken breast can work in a pinch for this. Make sure you thaw it out first! Frozen peppers can be used as-is without thawing, and that can of pineapple you have in the back of the pantry has just been waiting for a moment like this to truly shine. When you’re ready to cook, your table should have these ingredients:
Chopped pepper and pineapple Marinated chicken Mixed sauce Minced ginger
NOTE: What adds that extra zing to the sauce is the addition of grated fresh ginger. I know it is a bit extra work compared to using ginger powder. But when you have time, you can grate it and freeze it for later use so it makes prepping faster. You can find all my tips for freezing ginger right here!
How to cook pineapple chicken
Cooking pineapple chicken is so easy.
TIPS
Afterthought
So, you have chicken, veggies, and fruit together in one dish. It’s bright and cheerful in appearance and tastes absolutely amazing with steamed white rice. This pineapple chicken dish is so simple and flavorful, and with such easy ingredients, you’ll want to make it again and again! Want to learn more about Chinese Cooking? Sign up my newsletter to receive the 5-Day Chinese Cooking Crash Course and recipe update!
More easy Chinese takeout recipes
Chicken Fried Rice Chinese Chili Garlic Shrimp Ginger Chicken Stir Fry Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry Moo Shu Chicken Salt and Pepper Shrimp
Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
