Craving take-out but don’t want to spend the money? Try my Chinese Pineapple Chicken instead – it tastes amazing and is ready in 30 minutes or less!

My favorite Chinese food is General Tso Chicken. I love the stuff and luckily, I’ve got a great recipe for it so we don’t have to get takeout all the time.

It’s also my youngest daughter’s favorite, so we actually make it pretty often!

My oldest daughter loves Orange Chicken, it’s been her mainstay for years.

However, the last time we got Chinese take-out, she decided to step outside her comfort zone and try the Chinese Pineapple Chicken instead and I am so glad she did.

Homemade Chinese Pineapple Chicken

Since moving to Vermont, Chinese food has become our one salvation for take-out. There isn’t a lot of take-out restaurants where we live, but there is a great Chinese restaurant a few towns over.

It’s easy enough to get to when I’m just too lazy to make dinner and the food is still warm when I get home with it. However, it’s expensive, so we don’t get it often.

Instead of searching for places to get take-out, I’ve been trying to make some of our favorites at home. So, when my daughter asked me to make Chinese Pineapple Chicken, I was excited to give it a try.

I’m glad I did, too, because the stuff was amazing! It might even become my new favorite and I am so happy to have figured out how to make it.

Not that it was all that hard. I just used the recipe that I always use for Orange Chicken and used pineapple in place of the orange.

Easy-Peasy!

My Chinese Pineapple Chicken recipe tastes a bit like a combination of General Tso Chicken and Orange Chicken with a sweeter twist, it only requires chicken, a can of pineapple and a few simple pantry ingredients.

Plus it’s ready in 30 minutes or less!

So, the next time you’re looking for a new recipe that doesn’t take a lot of time to make, give it a go – you’ll be surprised at how much you’ll like it!

Just for fun, I added the time it takes to complete each step in the recipe, too!

Supplies Needed:

• Sharp Knife
• Gallon Zipper Bag
• Medium Stockpot
• Wok or Large Skillet
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Utensils

Continue to Content

Chinese Pineapple Chicken: Ready in 30 Minutes or Less!

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can pineapple, crushed
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice, reserved from can
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (I like Sriracha, but any hot sauce will do)
• 2 tablespoons flour

Instructions

1. 2 minutes - Cut the chicken breasts into small, bite-sized cubes and place into a gallon zipper bag.
2. 1 minutes - Scoop flour, salt and pepper into the bag with the chicken. Shake to cover.
3. 5 minutes - Pour 2 cups oil into a medium, stock pot and heat on medium-high temperature until a thermometer reaches 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. 10 minutes - Scoop half of the chicken into the pot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the second half of chicken. Set aside.
5. 2 minutes - Pour 2 tablespoons canola oil into a wok or large skillet. Add chopped garlic. Heat on medium temperature until the garlic is sizzling.
6. 2 minutes - Combine crushed pineapple, pineapple juice, sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce and cornstarch in a large mixing bowl.
7. 3 minutes - Pour pineapple sauce into the garlic oil. Whisk to combine. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.
8. 5 minutes - Add chicken to the sauce and stir to cover. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.

Total preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes

Notes

Serve Chinese Pineapple Chicken with steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes, or mixed vegetables and rice, for a complete meal.

Enjoy!

Have a Great Day!

~Vanessa

Vanessa Hamlin

Vanessa Hamlin is the owner and founder of Food Life Design and VLHamlinDesign. With her passion for frugal living and homesteading, Vanessa loves to write about easy recipes, making money, gardening, home remedies and everything else that a good life entails! When she’s not writing for Food Life Design or creating products for VLHamlinDesign, you’ll find Vanessa reading, drawing, gardening, cooking or spending time with her family.