Easy Aloha Pineapple Chicken Recipe (2024)

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Aloha pineapple chicken recipe is an easy chicken dinner the whole family will love. Juicy pineapple chunks and chicken covered in a mouthwatering pineapple sauce served over warm rice, this is a perfect easy weeknight dinner. Plus, it’s gluten-free and naturally dairy-free too.

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Easy Family Dinner Recipe

I’m always on the lookout for quick and easy family dinners, especially when they’re naturally gluten and dairy-free and bursting with flavor.

Note: If you and your family do NOT need any diet modifications, you can easily use regular all-purpose flour for this aloha pineapple dinner. This chicken dish only needs that simple flour tweak to make it a gluten-free recipe.

Easy Aloha Pineapple Chicken Recipe (2)

I love that aloha chicken is similar to good stir fry because it is so easy and simple to make, but it’s completely different in its own delicious way.

The true test of this meal was when all my kids gobbled it up and asked for more. It was then that I knew this aloha pineapple chicken recipe was truly a winner!

If you have picky kids like mine can be, you understand how wonderful it is to have a meal the whole family loves.

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Pineapple Chicken Recipe Ingredients Needed

Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full recipe details, please see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

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How To Make Aloha Pineapple Chicken

This recipe is a breeze, and it’s ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights! Here’s how to make it.

Step 1

Cook your chicken. You can cook in a large skillet with oil over medium heat for a few minutes on each side until cooked through.

Or, for faster, no-standing-over-the-stove required cooking, use anInstant Pot!

Step 2

Next, shred it or cut it into pieces.

Put the flour into a gallon-sized zippered bag, add the chicken, seal, and toss to coat.

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Step 3

Then, drain the pineapple and set aside some of the juice. Mix the cornstarch and some of the juice in a small bowl until it’s smooth.

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Step 4

Then, add to the warm pan. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, and pepper and cook and stir over medium-high heat until it boils.

Step 5

Next, cook and stir your aloha pineapple sauce, letting it simmer until it thickens. Add the pineapple chunks and chicken and stir well.

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Step 6

Heat your aloha pineapple chicken until everything is hot.

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Pineapple Chicken Recipe Tips And Tricks

Here are a couple of things you can do to help make this recipe easy peasy.

  • Are you in a hurry? Save time by cooking your chicken in anInstant Pot, following the directions. I select the poultry feature for 8-10 minutes (depending on how much chicken I use.) While you’re here, don’t forget to check out19surprising things to cook in your Instant Pot.
  • Also, while the chicken is cooking, go ahead and cook some rice. I love using myInstant Potfor fast and no-maintenance rice cooking. Cooking is so much quicker and simpler with my Instant Pot. If you’ve debated getting one, do it! Truly, they’re amazing and 110% worth the investment.
  • If you don’t have honey on hand, you could use agave nectar or brown sugar to add a touch of sweetness.
  • To add a little variety to this recipe, you can include some chopped red bell peppers or cashews for a little crunch. Plus, you can also add various garnishes, such asgreen onions or red pepper flakes.
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Easy Pineapple Chicken Recipe FAQs

Here are some questions that I frequently see readers ask about making aloha pineapple chicken. If you don’t see your question answered below, please leave it in the comments!

Can I use chicken thighs in this recipe?

Yes, you can. Chicken thighs are dark meat, so they have more fat. We prefer using white meat (chicken breasts) because its leaner is chock full of protein.

Can I freeze Aloha Pineapple Chicken?

Yes, you can freeze this dish (without the rice) in a freezer-safe container if you want to make it ahead of time. To thaw when you’re ready to enjoy it, you can place it in the fridge overnight. Then heat it up in the microwave or a skillet, cook the rice, and you have an easy weeknight meal ready to go!

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If you have leftovers, you can definitely freeze those too. Follow the same process I just outlined.

Can I use fresh pineapple in this recipe?

I recommend using canned pineapple chunks because it’s packed in the juice that you can use to make this dish.

What should I serve with this pineapple chicken recipe?

We serve this delicious dinner over warm brown or white rice.

Since this dish includes fruit, protein, and carbs when you serve it that way, all you really need to add are some vegetables (like broccoli) to make a complete meal. Try serving this dish with myRoasted Buffalo Cauliflower BitesorStrawberry Spinach Salad.

I hope you enjoy this quick meal!

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More Delicious Chicken Recipes

  • Tasty Chicken And Rice Casserole (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
  • Curried Chicken Shepherd’s Pie
  • Crispy, Baked Chicken Nuggets
  • Unbelievably Easy Crockpot Chicken Tacos
  • Waldorf Chicken Salad
Easy Aloha Pineapple Chicken Recipe (12)

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Aloha Pineapple Chicken Dinner

Easy Aloha Pineapple Chicken Recipe (13)

Print Recipe
★★★★★4.5 from 4 reviews

With juicy pineapple chunks and chicken covered in a mouthwatering pineapple sauce served over warm rice, Aloha Pineapple Chicken is a perfect easy weeknight dinner.

  • Author: Erika Bragdon
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: main meal
  • Method: cooking
  • Cuisine: american

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

Follow cooking instructions for your rice to prepare while you are making the chicken. I use my Instant Pot.

Cut the chicken into strips. Put the flour into a gallon bag and add the chicken. Shake to coat.

Brown the chicken with the oil over medium heat in a skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes each side or until cooked through and juices are clear. Set the chicken aside.

While the chicken is cooking, drain the pineapple juice and reserve 1/4 cup. (You can discard the remaining juice or drink it.)

Combine the cornstarch and 1/4 cup pineapple juice in a small bowl. Add to the skillet after you’ve removed the chicken. Add the honey, soy sauce, and pepper; stir well.

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook and stir. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for another 30-60 seconds or until the juice mixture is thickened.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the pineapple and chicken, heating through.

Serve over rice.

Keywords: easy dinner, chicken dinner, pineapple, gluten-free, rice, main meal, hawaiian

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Easy Aloha Pineapple Chicken Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Hawaiian chicken sauce made of? ›

To make this Hawaiian chicken recipe, simply whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, Asian sweet chili sauce, ginger and garlic, marinate then grill – that's it!

What is pineapple chicken made of? ›

Juicy pieces of chicken, fried up with peppers, onions and pineapple chunks in a simple, sweet and savoury stir-fry sauce. This is my go-to recipe when I've got a hankering for a sweet and sour style dinner, but I haven't got the time to coat and fry up chicken pieces.

Does pineapple juice tenderize chicken? ›

Raw pineapple juice contains an enzyme that degrades protein that in small amounts for a short period of time it will breakdown some of the proteins and tenderise the meat. In large amounts and/or a long enough time that enzyme will turn the meat into mush.

Does pineapple soften chicken? ›

Yes! Pineapples have an enzyme that's great for tenderizing meat. While you can use pineapple juice on chicken (an acquired taste), it would be better to go or tougher red meat like pork.

What does Hawaiian marinade taste like? ›

An enticing combination of pure honey, soy sauce and ginger blends with tangy pineapple, papaya and a touch of mango to unlock the flavor secrets of the island.

Why do you soak meat in pineapple? ›

However, what many people do not know is pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain that softens muscle fiber. This enzyme reacts with the protein in the meat to break it down and increases the meat's potential to absorb more moisture. This is the reason why pineapple is one of the most preferred tenderizers.

Does pineapple juice marinate meat? ›

Pineapple is a perennial favorite as a marinade ingredient because it contains an enzyme called bromelain, which works to soften muscle fibers and better enables the meat to absorb the flavors of the marinade.

What is the natural meat tenderizer in pineapple? ›

In the case of pineapples, the bromelain is actually a mixture of two enzymes classed as proteases that break down proteins. These proteases target the large protein molecules in meats (specifically the connective proteins called collagen), and break them down into shorter segments.

Can you marinate chicken too long in pineapple juice? ›

The bromelain enzyme in pineapple juice, for instance, is notorious for turning meat into mush very quickly, so much so that some cooks suggest marinating chicken breasts for only 15 minutes to prevent that from happening.

Can I use canned pineapple to tenderize meat? ›

Unfortunately, it won't. You need it to be fresh. You see, it's not the acids in the pineapple that does any of the tenderizing (or at least, not to much extent).

How do restaurants get their chicken so soft? ›

Typically there are a couple of different ways restaurants use to velvet their chicken most Chinese restaurants use baking soda and cornstarch for the best results. However, a couple of other methods include using: Chemical tenderisers. Egg whites.

How do Chinese get chicken so soft? ›

There are actually a few different ways to tenderise chicken the Chinese restaurant way: marinating in a cornstarch/cornflour sludge then deep frying or blanching in water before proceeding to cook in the stir fry.

What tenderizes chicken fast? ›

We recommend marinating your chicken in buttermilk or yogurt overnight, but if it's urgent, then an hour will do. However, the texture of the chicken won't be as even as chicken marinated overnight. The process is simple: you only have to immerse the chicken in a container with enough yogurt or buttermilk and seal it.

What is Hawaiian BBQ sauce made of? ›

What is Hawaiian BBQ Sauce? Hawaiian BBQ sauce is a sweet and sticky BBQ sauce that gives you a classic “taste of the islands.” It's made from a ketchup base with the addition of pineapple, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar. It's similar to a Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce with a distinctive Hawaiian twist.

What kind of sauce is Polynesian sauce? ›

Polynesian Sauce

A delicious sweet and sour sauce with a strong, tangy flavor.

Is Hawaiian sauce vegan? ›

This is a vegan recipe, that is made without refined sugar, however there are sugars and sweet carbohydrates found naturally in honey. This is also a soy-based recipe. I offer the option of coconut aminos to replace soy sauce for less-soy. However, hoisin sauce contains soy and is main ingredient.

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