Skip the takeout menu tonight, because this healthy pineapple chicken stir fry is sweet, tangy, and packed with colorful veggies, all tossed in a simple sauce with no added sugar. If you loved my healthy cashew chicken or my healthy garlic shrimp stir fry, this one is about to become another weeknight staple!
Jump to:
- Easy Healthy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed To Make This Healthy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
- How to Make Healthy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
- Erin's Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing leftovers
- If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these…
- Healthy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
Easy Healthy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
This pineapple chicken stir fry gives you all the sweet and savory flavor of your favorite Chinese takeout, made right at home. Diced chicken breast is seared until golden, then tossed with red onion, bell peppers, broccoli, and juicy pineapple chunks in one big skillet or wok.
The sauce is where the magic happens! Pineapple juice from the can, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and a little sesame oil come together with arrowroot to make a glossy sauce that coats every bite. The pineapple brings the sweetness, so there's no need for any added sugar. If you're a stir fry fan, my ground chicken stir fry bowls are another quick favorite.
It makes 8 servings, so it's perfect for feeding a crowd or prepping lunches for the week. Just use tamari to keep it gluten-free! And if you need more takeout-style dinners like this one, you're going to LOVE my easy egg roll in a bowl or my easy chicken pad thai!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than takeout. All the sweet and tangy flavor you crave, made at home with simple ingredients.
- No added sugar. Pineapple and its juice naturally sweeten the sauce.
- Loaded with veggies. Peppers, broccoli, and red onion make it colorful and filling.
- High in protein. Each serving has about 22 grams of protein.
- Meal prep friendly. It makes 8 servings and keeps well for easy lunches.
- Easily gluten-free. Just swap in tamari for the soy sauce.
Ingredients Needed To Make This Healthy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
Here's a little bit about everything that goes into this pineapple chicken stir fry:
- Chicken breast: Dicing it into small pieces helps it cook quickly and evenly. Chicken thighs work too!
- Pineapple chunks: Canned pineapple is sweeter and more consistent than fresh. Drain it, but save the juice for the sauce.
- Bell peppers: One red and one yellow pepper add color, crunch, and a little sweetness.
- Broccoli: Small florets cook quickly and soak up the sauce.
- Red onion: Adds a savory bite that balances the sweet pineapple.
- Soy sauce or tamari: Gives the sauce its salty, savory flavor. Use tamari if you need it gluten-free.
- Rice wine vinegar: Brings the tang that makes this sauce so craveable.
How to Make Healthy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
This stir fry comes together in one large skillet or wok. The chicken gets cooked first and set aside, then the veggies go in until they start to soften. Everything goes back in the pan with the sauce and pineapple to simmer until thick and glossy.
Cooking the chicken and veggies separately is the secret to keeping everything from getting soggy. And don't skip the arrowroot powder or cornstarch, since that's what thickens the sauce so it clings to every bite!
- Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the diced chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes, until cooked through.
- Step 2: Remove the chicken from the pan and drain off any excess liquid.
- Step 3: Add the remaining tablespoon of avocado oil, then the red onion, peppers, and broccoli. Cook for 7-8 minutes, until the veggies start to soften.
- Step 4: In a small bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and arrowroot powder.
- Step 5: Return the chicken to the pan and add the sauce and pineapple chunks.
- Step 6: Simmer over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Erin's Expert Tips
From my kitchen to yours
- Use canned pineapple. It's sweeter and more consistent than fresh, and you'll need the juice for the sauce.
- Cook the chicken first. Cooking it separately from the veggies keeps everything from getting soggy.
- Drain the chicken. Pour off any excess liquid before adding the veggies so the sauce doesn't get watered down.
- Don't skip the arrowroot. It's what turns the sauce thick and glossy.
- Cut everything small. Dicing the chicken and veggies into small, even pieces helps them cook quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about this pineapple chicken stir fry.
Yes! Fresh pineapple works, but canned is sweeter and more consistent. If you use fresh, you'll need another source of pineapple juice for the sauce.
Yes, rice vinegar works great. In a pinch, another vinegar or a splash of white wine will work too.
It is when you use tamari instead of soy sauce and arrowroot powder or cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
Yes! Diced boneless, skinless chicken thighs work and stay extra juicy.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha to the sauce.
Serve it over white rice, brown rice, pasta or cauliflower rice. My easy veggie fried cauliflower rice is a great lower-carb option!
Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. This stir fry also freezes well. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a skillet until warmed through.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these…
Healthy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1.5 lb raw chicken breasts diced
- 1 small red onion diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 yellow pepper diced
- 1 small head broccoli chopped into small florets
- 20 oz can pineapple chunks
- Sesame seeds
- ¼ cup pineapple juice from can with chunks
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup soy sauce tamari if GF
- 1.5 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Add diced chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove from the pan and drain any excess liquid.
- In the same pan, add another tablespoon of avocado oil and onion, peppers, and broccoli. Let cook for another 7-8 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by whisking together all the sauce ingredients.
- When veggies are ready, add chicken back to the pan, along with sauce and pineapple chunks.
- Let cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds! Enjoy.
- Use canned pineapple chunks instead of fresh. Canned pineapple tends to be sweeter and more consistent than fresh, which means your sauce will hit that perfect sweet spot every time. Save the juice from the can — you'll need it for the sauce!
- Remove the chicken from the pan before cooking the veggies. Cook the chicken first, take it out and drain any excess liquid, then add the vegetables to the same pan. This keeps everything from getting soggy and ensures the veggies cook up nicely.
- Don't skip the arrowroot powder in the sauce. This is what gives the sauce its gorgeous thick, glossy consistency. Just whisk it in with the other sauce ingredients and let everything simmer together for 5-6 minutes until it thickens up beautifully.
Nutrition
Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.
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Rate This RecipeRecipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Sue via says
Can fresh pineapple be used for stir fry
Erin says
Hi Sue, yes, of course! Let me know how our stir fry comes out!
R says
I dunno. Mine tasted sour. What did I do wrong? I used fresh pineapple, otherwise followed the directions.
Erin says
Hi, I would try adding more honey next time! Your pineapple might not have been as sweet. 🙂
AnaLiesa says
I don't have rice wine vinegar. I do have rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, and white wine vinegar. Will either of those 3 work as a substitute for the rice wine?
Erin says
Hi AnaLiesa, rice vinegar is perfect! Let me know how your stir fry comes out!!
Andrea says
This recipe is DELICIOUS!!!!!!! First time trying to make a sir fry. Husband had 4 big helpings and I had 2.
I added 4 cups of broccoli, tofu, water chestnuts and doubled the sauce. Served over rice.
This recipe was seriously fabulous!!!! Highly recommend and for a first timer easy to make. This will be a weekly dinner for us
Thank you for sharing recipe.
Erin says
Hi Andrea, so happy you both loved it and made it your own!! 🙂
Sheila says
Such a HEALTHY recipe and delicious! It is very hard to find this type of dish without either added sugar or fish sauce.
You can enhance it with whatever heat level you desire and make it less sweet by increasing the vinegar a bit or dilute the pineapple juice with a little water. I did use fresh pineapple and juice. Toasting the sesame seeds first makes the sesame flavor more noticeable. I served it over Thai rice noodle linguine.
Erin says
Hi Sheila, so happy you loved it so much and made it your own!! 🙂
NannyV says
Loved making this recipe, so quick and easy. I did halve the quantities as there’s on the 2 of us, and we had enough over for lunch next day. Delicious 😋
Erin says
Hi Nanny, so happy you loved it! 🙂
KatieH says
Very yummy!
The pineapple makes it so juicy. It’s easy to make on a weeknight & makes great leftovers. I will be making this again!
Erin says
Hi Katie, so glad you enjoyed it!!
Jill says
Holy Vinegar. It's either supposed to taste semi sour or I put too much in. I still enjoyed it.
Erin says
Hi Jill, so happy you loved it! 🙂
Dennis Duffy says
Great recipe, thank you!
Only mods I made was to marinate and season the chicken, and just brown it in the pan...let it finish cooking through after reincorporating. Oh...and throw in 3 or 4 slices of jalapeño! Adds a little depth while still not being spicy!
Erin says
Hi Dennis, so happy you loved it and great idea! 🙂
Katie says
This is our family's favorite stir fry! Definitely a new staple in our dinner rotation. The sauce is perfection!
Erin says
Hi Katie, so happy everyone enjoys it!!
Patt says
Delicious. I only had fresh broccoli on hand so my dish had pineapple chicken and broccoli and it was a hit with the family. Thanks for sharing.
Erin says
Hi Patt, so happy you loved it and great idea!! 🙂
Donna says
This recipe looks delicious!
I have everything to make it except for the rice wine vinegar. Is there a substitute I can use?
Erin says
Hi Donna, thanks and yes, any other vinegar! Or splash of white wine works too! Let me know how yours comes out!
Steph says
Delicious, easy recipe! I was worried the pineapple flavor would be too sweet or overpowering, but it was just right. I did salt & pepper the chicken before cooking for extra flavor. Also added red pepper flakes for some heat.
Erin says
Hi Steph, so happy you loved it so much and made it your own! 🙂
Dawn says
This is my new favorite stir fry sauce. So simple and so delicious!!
Erin says
Hi Dawn, so glad you loved it!! 🙂
Nichole says
So easy to make! This was perfect for meal prep!
Erin says
Hi Nichole, so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Megan says
Delicious and easy!!!
Erin says
Hi Megan, so glad you loved it!
Rita says
This came out really good. I added fresh baby corn and sliced green onions. A little salt and chili oil on my plate made it pop!
Erin says
Hi Rita, so happy you loved it and made it your own!!