Pineapple Chicken And Rice (Printable)
Tender chicken and pineapple with colorful veggies and jasmine rice in a sweet-savory soy glaze, ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Fruits & Vegetables
02 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced (canned in juice, drained, may be substituted)
03 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped
04 - 1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
05 - 3 green onions, sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
→ Rice
08 - 2 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice (day-old preferred)
→ Sauce
09 - 1/4 cup soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
10 - 2 tbsp pineapple juice
11 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
12 - 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
13 - 1 tsp sesame oil
14 - 1 tsp cornstarch
→ Cooking Oils & Seasonings
15 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How To Cook:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then add to the pan. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - Add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil to the same pan. Sauté the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the bell pepper and sugar snap peas, then stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender-crisp.
04 - Return the cooked chicken to the pan with the vegetables. Add the diced pineapple and green onions, tossing to combine.
05 - Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture. Toss everything to coat evenly. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens and clings to the ingredients.
06 - Add the cooked rice to the pan and toss gently to combine with the sauce and other ingredients. Heat through for about 2 minutes.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with extra sliced green onions or sesame seeds if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sauce thickens into a glossy glaze that coats every grain of rice and makes you want to lick the spatula clean.
- It comes together in forty minutes flat, which is faster than waiting for delivery and honestly tastes twice as good.
02 -
- If you add warm rice straight from the cooker, it will steam instead of fry and you will end up with something closer to a wet casserole than stir fry.
- The sauce looks thin at first but trust the cornstarch and give it a full three minutes of simmering before you panic and add more.
03 -
- Prep every single ingredient before you turn on the stove because once things start moving, they move fast and burnt garlic waits for nobody.
- Let the chicken sit untouched in the hot pan for a full two minutes before stirring because that golden sear is where all the flavor lives.