Pineapple Chicken Rice Skillet (Printable Version)

Tender chicken, pineapple, and bell peppers unite with rice for a colorful, savory-sweet skillet meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Rice

02 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Vegetables and Fruit

03 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
05 - 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, drained if canned
06 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish

→ Sauce

09 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
10 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice
11 - 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Other

15 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for sautéing
16 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
17 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, optional for thickening

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on all sides, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
02 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Sauté onion and garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add bell peppers and cook 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened.
03 - Stir in rice and toast for 1 minute. Return cooked chicken to the pan.
04 - Whisk together soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper in a bowl. Pour mixture over chicken and vegetables.
05 - Add chicken broth and pineapple chunks. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
06 - For thicker sauce consistency, stir in cornstarch slurry and cook 1 to 2 minutes until thickened.
07 - Remove from heat. Fluff rice gently with fork, garnish with sliced green onions, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time actually enjoying your meal with people you care about.
  • The sweet and savory sauce transforms simple ingredients into something that feels restaurant-quality without any fussing.
  • It's flexible enough to adapt to whatever vegetables you have on hand, yet consistent enough that it always turns out beautifully.
02 -
  • If your rice seems dry before it's tender, add a splash of broth and cover again rather than stirring—the steam will finish the job without creating starch that clouds the sauce.
  • The cornstarch slurry is optional but worth considering if you like a glossier, clingier sauce; it thickens in just a minute or two once added.
03 -
  • Cut your chicken into consistently sized pieces so everything finishes cooking at the same moment—uneven chunks leave you with some dry edges and some still-pink centers.
  • The pineapple juice in your sauce is doing heavy lifting; if using canned pineapple, don't discard that liquid, as it's sweeter and richer than bottled juice.
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