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Sticky Pineapple Chicken Recipe with Sweet Tangy Glaze

Juicy chicken pieces stir-fried with peppers, onions and pineapple chunks in a simple sweet-and-savory sauce. This is my quick version of a sweet-and-sour style dinner when I don’t have time to coat and deep-fry the chicken. Everything goes into the wok in stages, so it’s easy to prep as you go without getting flustered.

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

It’s easy to fall back on the same stir-fry recipe, but small changes bring variety. Try these ideas to refresh your stir-fries:

  • Add heat with chilli flakes, sriracha, or fresh chillies.
  • Swap vegetables – mange tout, sugar snap peas, fine beans, tenderstem broccoli, matchstick carrots, asparagus or mushrooms work well and cook quickly.
  • Swap the protein – pork tenderloin, thin ribeye strips, quorn or marinated tofu are good alternatives.
  • Change the flavour by adding Cajun spice, peanut butter or sesame oil with sesame seeds. One at a time works best.
  • Add fruit – mango strips, chopped plums or pineapple add freshness and sweetness.

Back to the recipe…

📋 What do we need?

Ingredient for sticky pineapple chicken on a wooden board.

PRO TIP: You can use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. Chicken breasts are quicker to slice for this recipe. A light dusting of cornflour helps keep the chicken juicy while 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 full recipe card with instructions is below. You’ll find timings, servings and notes to help you adapt the dish.

🍲 More fantastic Chicken Stir-Fry recipes

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Asian

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Asian

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📺 Watch how to make it

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

Sticky Pineapple Chicken

Juicy chicken pieces stir-fried with peppers, onions and pineapple in a sweet and savoury sauce.
Prep Time:10
Cook Time:20
Total Time:30
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken breasts (approx 525 g/1.1 lbs) chopped into bite-size chunks
  • 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch in USA)
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 435 g (15 oz) can chopped pineapple in juice
  • 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree (paste in US)
  • 1 onion, peeled and cut 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, to taste

Instructions

  • Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and sprinkle with cornflour, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands so the chicken is evenly coated.
  • Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat.
  • When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook on high, moving occasionally, until golden on all sides (about 5–6 minutes).
  • While the chicken cooks, make the sauce: combine the pineapple juice from the tin with the brown sugar, soy sauce and tomato puree in a bowl. Set aside.
  • Add the onion and pepper to the wok and stir-fry with the chicken for 2 minutes.
  • Add the pineapple chunks from the tin and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
  • Pour the sauce into the wok. Continue cooking on medium-high, allowing the sauce to bubble and reduce. This should take about 5–6 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken looks caramelized.
  • Turn off the heat and serve over boiled rice. Sprinkle with coriander and add sriracha if you like a bit of heat.

Notes

Can I make it ahead?

Best eaten fresh, but you can make it ahead to speed up dinner. Cool and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to a day. Reheat in a wok with a tablespoon of oil over medium heat, stirring often until piping hot (about 10 minutes). Add a splash of water if it needs loosening.

Can I freeze it?

Freezing is not recommended; peppers and onions can become soggy on thawing.

Ingredient swaps

  • Swap the chicken for pork tenderloin or a vegetarian alternative such as quorn.
  • Add extra vegetables like mange tout, spring onions, mushrooms, asparagus or tenderstem broccoli.
  • Add 1 tsp chilli flakes, 1–2 chopped fresh chillies or 1–2 tsp sriracha for spice.
  • Add ready-cooked egg noodles at the end and cook for 2 minutes for a pineapple chicken noodle stir-fry.

How to scale up or down

Double or halve the recipe using the same ratios. If doubling, allow an extra 5–7 minutes for everything to cook through.

Nutritional information is per serving and does not include the serving suggestions of rice, coriander or sriracha. Nutrition is an approximation.

Nutrition

Calories: 377 kcal | Carbohydrates: 32 g | Protein: 31 g | Fat: 14 g | Sugar: 24 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

This recipe was first posted July 2015 and updated May 2023 with new photos, video and clearer instructions.

Some links in the original post may have been affiliate links, which can earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Nutritional information is approximate.