Description
This Healthy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry is a vibrant, quick-cooking dish combining tender chicken, colorful vegetables, and sweet pineapple chunks in a tangy, flavorful sauce. Perfect for a nutritious weeknight meal, it offers a delightful balance of savory and sweet flavors, all stir-fried to a crisp-tender perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Oil
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 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
Fruit
- 1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks
Sauce
- ¼ cup pineapple juice (reserved from the can)
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
Garnish and Serving
- Sesame seeds
- 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 and cook until it is browned on all sides and cooked through. Once done, remove the chicken from the pan and drain any excess liquid.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the remaining 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 are tender-crisp, maintaining a slight crunch.
- Make Sauce: While the vegetables cook, whisk together the pineapple juice reserved from the can, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, and arrowroot powder or cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.
- Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken and pineapple chunks to the pan with the vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over everything and stir well to combine. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and coats all the ingredients evenly.
- Serve: Serve the pineapple chicken stir-fry hot over cooked rice. Garnish with sesame seeds for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option.
- Arrowroot powder and cornstarch can be used interchangeably to thicken the sauce.
- Adjust the amount of pineapple juice based on desired sauce consistency.
- For extra flavor, toast the sesame seeds before garnishing.
- Serve with steamed jasmine or brown rice for a complete meal.
