• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Nicky's Kitchen Sanctuary logo

  • > Start Here
  • The Recipes
    • Browse all categories
    • Asian
    • Dinner
    • Pasta
    • Roast Dinner
    • Curries
    • Sides
    • Soups
    • Big Batch
    • Quick Dinner Recipes
    • Skinny Recipes
    • Street Food
    • Lunch
    • Gluten Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Cakes & Treats
    • BBQ
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Drinks
    • Appetizers
    • Sauces and Dips
  • My New Book
  • Blogger Resources
    • Living The Blog
    • How to start a food blog
    • Income Reports
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Sign-Up
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • > Start Here
  • All Recipes
  • Never miss a recipe!
  • 20 Minute Meals
  • Appetizers & Party Food
  • Asian
  • Curries
  • Dinner
  • One Pot
  • Pasta
  • Roast Dinner
  • Sides
  • Slow Cooked
  • Soups
  • Street Food
  • Terms and Conditions
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home > Dinner

    Sticky Pineapple Chicken

    Published: May 15, 2023 by Nicky Corbishley

    Go to Recipe Go to Video Print Recipe
    Tender chicken breast, pineapple, onion and peppers, cooked in a sweet and salty sauce until deliciously caramelised.

    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.
    Everything gets added to the wok in stages so it's easy to prep as you go, without getting in a fluster.

    Tall overhead image of Sticky Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry in a pan. There is a wooden spoon sticking out of the pan.
    Jump to:
    • 📋 What do we need?
    • 📺 Watch how to make it
    • 🍽️ What to serve it with
    • 🍲 More fantastic Chicken Stir-Fry recipes
    • Sticky Pineapple Chicken
    • 💬 Reviews

    It's easy to get stuck in a rut with stir-fry type recipes. I most often go back to my simple chicken stir fry, because it's the one that comes into my head first, but there are so many ways you can jazz up a stir fry:

    • Add in heat with chilli flakes, chilli sauce or fresh chillies
    • Swap out vegetables - mange tout, sugarsnap peas, extra fine green beans, tenderstem broccoli, carrots chopped into matchsticks, fine asparagus and chopped mushrooms are all good options that can be stir-fried quickly.
    • Swap out the protein for pork tenderloin, thin strips of ribeye steak or go for vegetarian options such as quorn strips or marinated tofu.
    • Change the flavour profile by adding in Cajun spice, peanut butter or sesame oil (plus a sprinkling of sesame seeds). I'd recommend adding on one, not all three at once! Although I do wonder how that would taste 😁
    • Add fruit - such as chopped plums (see my chicken plum stir fry), strips of mango or like this recipe - chopped pineapple.

    Coming back to this recipe.....

    📋 What do we need?

    Ingredient for sticky pineapple chicken on a wooden board.

    📺 Watch how to make it

    Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.

    👩‍🍳PRO TIP You can use sliced boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. I find chicken breasts a little less fiddly to slice up, so it's quicker for me to use them in this recipe. The dusting of cornflour on the chicken breast pieces will help to ensure the chicken stays juicy and moist when frying.

    Close up of Sticky Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry in a pan, with a wooden spoon being used to stir the chicken.

    🍽️ What to serve it with

    • Boiled Rice
    • Egg Fried Rice
    • Cauliflower Fried Rice
    • Stir-fried noodles

    Overhead image of sticky pineapple chicken stir fry and boiled rice on a dark plate with a fork sticking out. The plate is on a blue-grey background, next to a blue-grey napkin. There is a further plate of stir fry and a bottle of sriracha sauce also in shot.

    ⬇️ The recipe card with full instructions is just below these extra recipe suggestions.


    🍲 More fantastic Chicken Stir-Fry recipes

    • Square overhead image of sticky cashew chicken with rice in a white bowl on a dark background. There are chopsticks sticking out of the bowl.
      Sticky Cashew Chicken
    • Szechuan chicken stir fry in a wok
      Szechuan Chicken
    • Chinese plum chicken stir fry and rice in a bowl. Whole plums and blue napkin next to bowl.
      Chinese Plum Chicken Stir Fry
    • Square image of kung pao chicken with rice
      Kung Pao Chicken
    • chicken stir fry in a bowl with rice
      Quick Chicken Stir Fry
    • Firecracker Chicken on a blue plate against a dark background
      Copycat Firecracker Chicken

    Stay updated with new recipes!
    Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).

    Overhead image of Sticky Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry in a pan. There is a wooden spoon sticking out of the pan.

    Sticky Pineapple Chicken

    By: Nicky Corbishley
    Sticky Pineapple Chicken - Juicy pieces of chicken, fried up with peppers, onions and pineapple chunks in a simple, sweet and savoury stir-fry sauce.
    5 from 13 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 377 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 3 chicken breasts - (approx 525g/1.1lbs altogether) chopped into bitesize chunks
    • 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch in USA)
    • pinch of salt and pepper
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 435 g (15oz) can of chopped pineapple in juice
    • 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
    • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
    • 1 tbsp tomato puree (paste in USA)
    • 1 onion - peeled and chopped into wedges
    • 1 red bell pepper - chopped into chunks
    • 2 cloves garlic - peeled and minced
    • 1 tsp minced ginger

    To Serve:

    • Coriander (cilantro)
    • Boiled Rice
    • Sriracha - (add some to give the dish a little kick of heat)

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Place the chicken breast chunks in a bowl and sprinkle on the cornflour and salt & pepper. Mix with your hands to cover the chicken in the cornflour.
      3 chicken breasts, 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch in USA), pinch of salt and pepper
    • Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat.
      3 tbsp oil
    • When the oil is hot, add in the chicken. Cook on a high heat, moving the chicken around occasionally with a spatula, until the chicken is golden on all sides (about 5-6 minutes).
    • While the chicken is cooking, make the stir fry sauce by combining the pineapple juice from the tin of pineapple with the brown sugar, soy sauce and the tomato puree in a bowl. Mix together and put to one side.
      435 g (15oz) can of chopped pineapple in juice, 2 tbsp soft brown sugar, 3 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp tomato puree (paste in USA)
    • Add in the onions and peppers to the wok, and fry with the chicken for 2 minutes.
      1 onion, 1 red bell pepper
    • Add the pineapple chunks, from the tinned pineapple, into the wok and cook for a further two minutes.
      435 g (15oz) can of chopped pineapple in juice
    • Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute.
      2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger
    • Add the stir fry sauce you made earlier to the wok.
    • Continue cooking on high, allowing the sauce to bubble and reduce down, whilst stirring occasionally. It should take about 5-6 minutes on a medium-high heat to reduce down and start making the chicken look darker and caramelized.
    • Once cooked, turn off the heat and serve over boiled rice. Sprinkle with coriander and serve.
      Coriander (cilantro), Boiled Rice, Sriracha

    Video

    ✎ Notes

    Can I make it ahead?
    This recipe tastes best when cooked and eaten right away. However, you can make it if it will help speed up dinner time.
    Make ahead, then cool and refrigerate in a sealed container (for up to a day).
    Reheat by heating a tablespoon of oil in a wok, over a medium heat, then adding the pineapple chicken to the wok. Move it around the pan often, using a spatula, until piping hot throughout. It will take about 10 minutes to heat through.
    You may need to add a splash of water to loosen it up a little when reheating.
    Can I freeze it?
    I don't recommend freezing this recipe as the peppers and onions are likely to go a little soggy.
    Ingredient swaps
    • Swap the chicken for chopped pork tenderloin pieces, or go vegetarian and swap for quorn pieces.
    • Add in extra vegetables - mange tout (snow peas), roughly chopped spring onion, mushrooms, asparagus and tenderstem broccoli pieces all work well and have a similar cooking time to the peppers.
    • Add 1 tsp chilli flakes or 1-2 chopped fresh chillies or 1-2 tsp sriracha for a spicy kick.
    • Add ready-cooked egg noodles at the end and cook for a further 2 minutes (until piping hot) for a pineapple chicken noodle stir fry. Saves having to cook rice to go with it!
    How to scale up and scale down this recipe
    You can double or halve this recipe, sticking to the same ingredient ratios. If doubling, it will take longer for the chicken, vegetables and sauce to cook (add approx 5-7 minutes to the cooking time altogether).
    Nutritional Information is per serving, not including serving suggestion of boiled rice, coriander and sriracha.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 377kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 31gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 914mgPotassium: 784mgFiber: 3gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 1046IUVitamin C: 53mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg
    Keywords easy dinner, Takeout
    Tried this recipe?Mention @KitchenSanctuary or tag #KitchenSanctuary on Instagram!

    This recipe was first posted July 2015. Updated May 2023 with new photos, video, extra detail in the instructions and a bit of housekeeping.

    Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

    Read More

    More Dinner Recipes

    • Overhead square image of chicken cacciatore in a large, shallow blue casserole dish. The dish is on a wooden table, next to some fresh herbs.
      Chicken Cacciatore
    • Overhead photo of creamy chicken dijon in a pan.
      Creamy Chicken Dijon
    • Square image of salt and pepper pork ribs on a black plate. The ribs are topped with chopped chillies and spring onions. The plate is on a dark background. There is a red chilli pepper and blue napkin at the top of the frame.
      Ultimate Salt and Pepper Ribs
    • Square image of pesto spaghetti on a light grey plate being swirled with a gold fork. The pasta is sprinkled with baby basil leaves, toasted pine nuts and parmesan. The plate is on a light grey surface.
      Pesto Pasta Recipe

    Other Recipes You Might Like:

    Bowl of sticky chicken stir fry on boiled white rice in green bowl.
    Sticky Chicken Stir Fry WITH VIDEO
    Stuck for recipes to make with Chicken? Check out these 20 tasty recipes!
    What can I make with Chicken? - 20 Delicious Chicken Recipes
    chicken stir fry in a bowl with rice
    Quick Chicken Stir Fry
    Bowl of Chinese Orange Chicken with rice
    Orange Chicken Recipe - Ready in 20 Minutes!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Rate the recipe




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Carol Channon says

      February 13, 2021 at 1:05 pm

      5 stars
      This is utterly scrumptious. Simple, quick, tasty and now I have my neighbours addicted too.. thank you!

      Reply
    2. Rosalind Walker says

      September 13, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      It was easy and quick to make and very tasty

      Reply
    3. Jess says

      December 15, 2019 at 5:32 pm

      5 stars
      Really yummy! And very easy to make. My kids loved it too. Better than takeaway.
      Thanks Nicky!

      Reply
    4. Andy Ross says

      July 10, 2019 at 5:02 pm

      5 stars
      Had some fresh pineapple and chicken breasts to use up and found this recipe online.
      As I had fresh Pineapple there wasn't much juice but the dish still turned out to be delicious, with lots of subtle flavours from the Ginger, Soy Sauce, Garlic and Pineapple
      Once the sauce was reduced down it gave a lovely sticky caramelised coating to the Chicken which remained lovely and tender.
      The fresh Coriander added at the end is a must in my opinion as it compliments the rest of the flavours in the dish, a nice alternative to Sweet and Sour Chicken and one I would definitely make again

      Reply
    5. Marwa Samy says

      June 09, 2019 at 12:22 pm

      I don't have any soy sauce but i need to make this recipe today badly... i have lots of pineapple that needs to be consumed 😊
      I have only fish sauce, worcestershire sauce and dates molasses.. any of these could replace the soy sauce? please help

      Reply
      • Chris Corbishley says

        June 13, 2019 at 8:33 am

        Hi Marwa,

        Sorry we haven't tried it without soy sauce and couldn't recommend those ingredients you suggested as a substitution for soy sauce.

        Our Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken uses a good amount of pineapple https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/healthier-baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken

        Thanks

        Chris & Nicky

        Reply
    6. MM says

      May 10, 2018 at 8:47 am

      5 stars
      I love how a lot of your recipes can be adapted for gluten free diet, this is another yummy one.

      Reply
    7. Amanda Mccammon says

      April 30, 2017 at 7:35 pm

      Just made this looks yummy

      Reply
    8. Trudy Shaw says

      February 19, 2017 at 5:36 pm

      OMG this is my fave recipe for a loooooooong time. So quick! So delicious! Thank you Nicky 🙂 x

      Reply
    9. Julie @ Cooks with Cocktails says

      June 17, 2016 at 10:59 pm

      Making this tonight! Ive been searching for an hour for the perfect dish to make with my chicken breast Ive got thawing in the fridge. I had a serious dinner block in my brain and this dish has sorted me out 🙂

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        June 27, 2016 at 5:41 am

        Excellent! I really hope you enjoyed it Julie 🙂

        Reply
    10. Jen says

      February 29, 2016 at 10:38 am

      Hi Nicky,

      Is this recipie healthy?

      thanks

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        March 02, 2016 at 10:17 pm

        Hi Jen, I probably wouldn't call it healthy - as it does have a reasonable amount of salt, sugar and fat in there. But I don't think it's too bad. You could always add in some extra veg to make it more healthy. Yummly gives a nutritional breakdown of the recipe here: http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Hawaiian-Sticky-Chicken-with-Pineapple-1208317?columns=5&position=8%2F56

        Reply
    11. Anna says

      November 28, 2015 at 1:42 pm

      This is a wonderful keeper. Like others, I dusted my chicken in corn starch before I started cooking it which definitely helped to thicken the sauce. I also chose to cut the sugar back by almost 1/2 which worked out perfect for us. As for the ginger, I added a little extra...I took my vegetable peeler and peeled fresh strips of ginger and added them directly to the pot. Everything else I kept the same. I served the chicken over rice with Chinese style sesame green beans on the side. Much less expensive the take-out and better tasting too. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        November 30, 2015 at 4:32 pm

        Sounds fab! Thanks for coming back and letting me know how it went. Your updates sound great too 🙂

        Reply
    12. Annie says

      July 10, 2015 at 9:56 pm

      This looks absolutely delightful! Beautiful recipe and sound like one my whole family would enjoy-thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        July 12, 2015 at 10:10 pm

        Thanks Annie 🙂

        Reply
    13. april says

      July 05, 2015 at 11:42 pm

      In America we call cornflour "cornstarch". Thankfully I didn't use cornflour/corn meal in my dish tonight because that would make it grainy, howerver that means i left out the corn starch and it wasn't glossy/sticky. Just making the language connection.

      Reply
      • pat says

        July 09, 2015 at 7:09 pm

        Thank you for figuring this out I was puzzeled.

        Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        July 12, 2015 at 10:00 pm

        Thanks for the heads-up April, I've updated the recipe to include the reference to cornstarch now 🙂

        Reply
    14. Pamela says

      July 04, 2015 at 4:57 am

      Your chicken dish looks yummy. Thanks for sharing. Your have a great weekend.

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        July 12, 2015 at 9:58 pm

        Thanks for stopping by Pamela 🙂

        Reply
    15. Jhuls says

      July 04, 2015 at 12:04 am

      I love chicken with pineapple... and caramelised? I love anything caramelised, too. 😀 This looks really mouth watering, Nicky. Have a lovely weekend. 🙂 xx

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        July 12, 2015 at 9:58 pm

        Thank you Jhuls - girl after my own heart 🙂

        Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

    Read More

    Recipes by category:

    • Popular Recipes
    • Asian
    • Curries
    • Quick Dinner Recipes
    • British Classic Recipes
    • BBQ
    • Roast Dinner
    • Street Food
    • Pasta
    Search For a Recipe

    Our Top Trending Recipes:

    • Crispy Sesame Chicken on a bed of rice in a stone bowl
      Crispy Sesame Chicken with a Sticky Asian Sauce
    • honey garlic chicken in a bowl on top of boiled rice
      Honey Garlic Chicken
    • Roast potatoes with salt and fresh thyme leaves
      The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes
    • Cheesy Pasta Bake With Chicken And Bacon - a family favourite (and it makes great leftovers too!).
      Cheesy Pasta Bake With Chicken And Bacon
    • Chicken curry in a white bowl with rice.
      Easy Chicken Curry
    • Satay sauce in a small copper pan topped with peanuts and coriander
      Easy Satay Sauce Recipe
    • Bowl of Korean fried chicken topped with sesame seeds and strips of spring onion.
      Korean Fried Chicken
    • Overhead image of tuna pasta bake in a white dish topped with finely chopped parsley.
      Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake

    FREE recipes direct to your inbox!

    Never miss a recipe and sign up for our completely FREE emails.

      Featured Recipes:

      • Hands holding bowl of Bowl of chilli con carne with rice
        Chilli Con Carne
      • Lancashire hotpot on wooden background
        Traditional Lancashire Hotpot
      • A dish of creamy chicken pie with puff pastry sat on a blue and white striped cloth.
        Creamy Chicken Pot Pie
      • Egg fried rice on a dark bowl on a white background.
        Egg Fried Rice
      • Bowl of Korean fried chicken topped with sesame seeds and strips of spring onion.
        Korean Fried Chicken
      • Firecracker Chicken on a blue plate against a dark background
        Copycat Firecracker Chicken
      • Square image of buffalo chicken pasta in a silver pan on a light grey background.
        Buffalo Chicken Pasta
      • A simple made-from-scratch curry, slow cooked to intensify the heat and flavour.
        Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken Curry
      As Featured On
      brit and co logo
      buzzfeed logo
      cheshire life logo
      country living logo
      beautiful home and life logo
      my fitness pal logo
      Neff logo
      The telegraph logo
      The Kitchn logo
      Vegetarian society logo

      Footer

      Nicky Corbishley is the recipe creator and photographer for Kitchen Sanctuary. Wife to Chris (chief techie and videographer) and mum to Lewis and Gracey. Read More…

      DMCA.com Protection Status

      Most Recent Recipes

      • Dal Makhani Recipe
      • Chicken Cacciatore
      • Slow Cooker Jam Sponge Pudding
      • Creamy Chicken Dijon
      • Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

      Copyright © 2023 LoveFoodCreative Ltd - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Terms & Conditions