Pineapple chicken stir-fry with sweet bell peppers in a tart, sweet and spicy sauce. Wake up all your taste buds with this fast and easy recipe! You can substitute shrimp, pork or tofu for a vegetarian dish.

A plate of stir-fried chicken with pineapple and hot and sour sauce.

I recently got a request from one of my readers after they searched through my archive of boneless, skinless chicken thigh recipes for a quick weeknight dinner that was gluten-free and super-tasty.

This hot and sour pineapple chicken stir-fry is what I came up with after a few days of testing and tweaking flavors. I’m really happy with the way the recipe turned out, especially how the stir-fry sauce hits all the taste receptors in your mouth — sweet, sour, hot and salty. It wakes up all the taste buds!

Stir-fry pan with cooked hot and sour pineapple chicken sprinkled with cilantro and green onion.

Pineapple in savory recipes

The natural sugar in pineapple contrasts beautifully with strong flavors, creating a tasty balance. It actually makes your mouth water! Pineapple also contains enzymes that tenderize proteins.

I have to admit that I’m not crazy about mixing fresh fruit with savory ingredients. If you feel the same, hear me out. Pineapple is a classic partner in dishes that contain pork, shrimp and chicken.

The fruit often makes an appearance in certain sweet-and-sour takeout-style dishes, Southeast Asian or other cuisines that rely on a bold flavor base of spicy-salty ingredients.

If you don’t have fresh pineapple on hand, this recipe works perfectly with frozen pineapple chunks. We always seem to have those on hand for smoothies. Maybe you do too!

About the ingredients

This is a pantry-friendly recipe, so chances are you have most of the ingredients on hand.

  • Raw chicken strips with bowls of orange marmalade, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and cayenne pepper
  • Fresh produce for hot and sour chicken, with green onions, cilantro, pineapple, bell peppers and green chili.

Along with sliced boneless skinless chicken thighs (you can also substitute with breast meat if you prefer — or even use pork tenderloin, shrimp or extra-firm tofu instead). You’ll need:

  • Green onions (scallions)
  • Fresh pineapple or frozen pineapple chunks
  • Green chili, such as serrano or jalapeno
  • Sweet bell pepper — red, orange or yellow or a combo for a colorful dish
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Garlic and ginger root
  • Tamari sauce (or soy sauce if you’re not gluten-free)
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Orange marmalade, apricot jam or a half and half mixture of both if you have them on hand
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Low-sodium broth

More weeknight chicken recipes

A plate of stir-fried chicken with pineapple and hot and sour sauce.
5 from 8 ratings

Stir-Fried Hot and Sour Pineapple Chicken

Karen Tedesco
Pineapple chicken stir-fry with sweet bell peppers in a tart, sweet and spicy sauce. Wake up all your taste buds with this fast and easy recipe! You can substitute shrimp, pork or tofu for a vegetarian dish.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
 

Hot and Sour Sauce

  • ½ cup (160 g) orange marmalade or apricot jam
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water or low-sodium broth
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) tamari sauce, or soy sauce if gluten isn't a concern
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste

Stir-Fry

  • 1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper (or a mixture), sliced into strips
  • 1 ½ cups (315 g) chopped pineapple, fresh or frozen
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated or pressed
  • 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ pounds (675 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast, sliced into ¼-inch strips
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons neutral high-heat vegetable oil, such as avocado or canola
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 3 green onions, green and white parts chopped

Equipment

Instructions
 

To make the stir-fry sauce

  1. Stir together all ingredients in a bowl until combined. Set aside.

For the chicken

  1. Put the bell pepper, pineapple, ginger, garlic and serrano pepper in a medium bowl.
  2. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the salt. Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and immediately evaporates. Add the oil and the chicken. Cook 1 minute without disturbing, then stir the chicken and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
  3. Stir in the pineapple mixture and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the sauce and cook until the sauce is bubbling and thickened, about 2 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro and green onions. Serve hot over cooked rice or rice noodles.

Notes

Variations:
  • For a vegetarian option, stir-fry firm or extra firm tofu cubes until golden instead of the chicken.
  • Shrimp or thinly sliced pork is also delicious!
  • I don’t recommend canned pineapple in this recipe because it’s often very highly sweetened in syrup and has a tinny taste. 
  • Serve this savory dish over my coconut rice.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 418kcal Carbohydrates: 39g Protein: 35g Fat: 14g Sodium: 1003mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 32g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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