Description
Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken brings tropical sunshine right to your dinner table with juicy chicken chunks nestled in a sweet and tangy sauce. Packed with fresh pineapple and zesty flavors, this simple skillet meal turns weeknight cooking into a quick island-inspired feast.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Dry Coating and Seasoning:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Wet Ingredients and Produce:
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- Cooked white rice
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Mix ½ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon onion powder in a shallow dish.
- Pour beaten eggs into a separate shallow dish for dipping.
- Spread panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish.
- Dredge each chicken cube first in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Dip into eggs, then coat thoroughly with panko breadcrumbs.
- Heat ½ cup vegetable oil in a skillet to 350F. Ensure oil is hot enough for crispy coating.
- Carefully lower breaded chicken pieces into hot oil. Fry 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined rack to drain excess oil.
- Warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped green and red bell peppers with onion.
- Saute vegetables for 5-7 minutes until they become tender but still crisp.
- Pour entire 20-ounce can of pineapple chunks with juice into the skillet with vegetables.
- Whisk ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons vinegar, ½ teaspoon ginger, and optional red pepper flakes together.
- Pour sauce mixture into skillet. Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water to create a thickening slurry.
- Add cornstarch mixture to skillet. Stir constantly until sauce thickens within 1-2 minutes.
- Gently fold fried chicken into sauce, ensuring each piece gets evenly coated.
- Allow chicken to simmer in sauce for 2-3 minutes to absorb flavors.
- Serve hot over white rice. Sprinkle with optional green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer to ensure the oil stays consistently around 350F for perfectly crispy chicken.
- Pat chicken dry before coating to help the breading adhere more effectively and create a crunchier exterior.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with rice flour and use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers.
- Let the chicken rest on a wire rack after frying to maintain its crispiness and prevent soggy bottoms from trapped steam.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg