Description
This healthy pineapple chicken stir fry is a vibrant and flavorful dish combining tender chicken breast, colorful bell peppers, broccoli, and sweet pineapple chunks. Cooked quickly in a large pan or wok, the recipe features a tangy sauce made from pineapple juice, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil, thickened with arrowroot powder for a gluten-free option. Perfect over a bed of steamed rice, this stir fry delivers a delicious balance of sweet, savory, and tangy notes in just 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
Vegetables
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
Fruits
- 1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks
Oils
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
Sauce
- ¼ cup pineapple juice (reserved from the can)
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- â…“ cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
Garnish
- Sesame seeds
Serving
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken breasts and cook until browned and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and drain any excess liquid to keep the stir fry from becoming soggy.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to the same pan. Add the diced red onion, red and yellow bell peppers, and broccoli florets. Stir-fry the vegetables until they become tender-crisp, maintaining their vibrant colors and slight crunch.
- Make Sauce: While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the pineapple juice reserved from the can, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, and arrowroot powder or cornstarch. This mixture will serve as the flavorful sauce and thickener for the stir fry.
- Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken to the pan and add the pineapple chunks along with the cooked vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over the mixture and stir well to combine. Continue cooking for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients evenly.
- Serve: Spoon the finished pineapple chicken stir fry over a serving of cooked rice. Garnish generously with sesame seeds for added texture and a nutty flavor. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with tamari and use arrowroot powder as the thickener instead of cornstarch.
- Use freshly diced chicken breast for the best texture, but leftover cooked chicken can work in a pinch.
- Adding pineapple chunks gives a lovely sweetness that balances the savory sauce perfectly.
- You can substitute avocado oil with any high smoke point oil like canola or vegetable oil.
- The dish pairs wonderfully with steamed jasmine or basmati rice.
- To make it vegetarian, replace the chicken with firm tofu or tempeh and use a vegetarian soy sauce alternative.
- Don’t overcook the vegetables to keep their crunch and vibrant colors intact.
