Skip the takeout and whip up a fast, fresh and easy recipe for Sticky Pineapple Chicken in 30 minutes or less.
There’s just something about a meal served inside a pineapple that transports me to somewhere beyond my kitchen table. Hawaii, Bora Bora, Fiji, you name the tropical local, and this Sticky Pineapple Chicken will take your taste buds there.
It’s everything you want a takeout-fakeout dish to be—tender chicken tossed in a sweet, tangy, sticky sauce. So saucy that you’ll be tempted to ditch the fork for a spoon so you can scoop up every. last. drop.
My husband played a critical role in the development of this recipe. It began with chicken breasts, a sweeter sauce and a lack of crunch. But with a few tweaks, he took this Sticky Pineapple Chicken from a so-so dish to a real dinner winner.
Chicken thighs are much more moist and tender than chicken breasts (although you can check out the recipe notes for how to swap them in!). And when it comes to added flavor, a handful of roasted, salted cashews works wonders to balance out the tangy sweetness of the fresh pineapple, while also lending a bit of crunch to every bite.
The real show-stopping element is a hollowed out pineapple that serves as the perfect semi-edible bowl for a big scoop of rice and an even bigger scoop of sticky chicken. Of course the pineapple is totally optional, but if you’re taking this dish from a casual weeknight dinner to a lively weekend dinner party, pineapple boats are a must!
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup diced pineapple
- 1/2 cup roasted, salted cashews (optional)
- Rice, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, chicken stock, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, garlic and cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the mixture has reduced to about 1 cup and is the consistency of thick syrup. Set the sauce aside.
- Add the olive oil to a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and season it with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken, stirring, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off any liquids then add the sauce to the pan and stir until combined. Add the pineapple and cashews and cook, stirring, for an additional 1 minute.
- Serve the chicken atop a bed of rice.
Kelly’s Note:
- For a bit more flair to your presentation, serve the chicken and rice inside a hollowed out pineapple.
- If you can't find chicken thighs, you can use 4 medium chicken breasts, however the meat won't be as tender.
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Tried this tonight with the family. Was a hit and 2.5 yrs old approved as well! Plus it comes together quickly. Had a tough time coring and chopping the pineapple while keeping the skin intact to make the bowl presentation. (Next time you make it, can you do a video or add more pics?) Told the hubs to enjoy it now, that’s the last time I will do the pineapple presentation-lol.
Had to add 1.5 tsp more of the cornstarch to gain the thickness.
Will cook this one again!! Thanks
Yes, will add more photos, but I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Danielle!
I have made this a few times, and everyone in my family loves it! I think canned pineapple and canned pineapple juice has an awful metallic taste, so I use fresh. I cut up and set aside 1 cup of diced pieces to stir in at the end like the recipe calls for, and I put the rest in a sealable bag and beat it to a pulp with a rolling pin. That’s what I use for the juice in the sauce. I love that the recipe makes a good quantity of sauce, and the cashews bring a nice crunch. Thanks for posting the recipe!
You are so welcome, LisaMarie! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying it!
The sauce just did not thicken up at all. Followed the recipe to the letter. It didn’t reduce to anything close to a thick syrup after 40 minutes on a steady boil. Added 1.5 tablespoons of additional cornstarch to the 2 teaspoons from the recipe and got some thickening, but as soon as I added it to the drained chicken, we resumed watery consistency. Not completely sure where the sauce went wrong, but there wasn’t a whole lot of pineapple flavor that came through, probably because of the thinness. Chicken was on par, but 8 thighs made so much for 2 of us, definitely more than 4 servings, so it’ll be nice to have some freezer meals. Any ideas on why the sauce didn’t come together?
Hi Sue! Did you bring it to a rolling boil? The cornstarch will thicken it in minutes but it has to be at a rolling boil.
Perfection! Didn’t have to change a thing. Is honestly one of the best meals I’ve ever had.
I’m so happy to read this, Sarah!
Delicious per recipe. I have made this a few times and have used a whole can of crushed pineapple instead of pineapple juice. Have also used pork with beef broth.
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Amy!
Entire family loves it. From my 4 year old to my 12 year old. I substituted Fish Sauce for Hosin sauce. I did not have a pineapple to serve it in can’t can’t wait to try it!
I’m thrilled your family enjoyed the recipe, Christina!
sorry – found recipe after commenting… looks delicious…
No worries, Lori! I hope you enjoy the recipe!