Description
Sizzling pineapple chicken rice brings tropical warmth straight to your dinner table with juicy chunks of chicken and sweet pineapple dancing through fluffy rice. Grab your skillet and dive into this easy weeknight meal that’ll transport your taste buds to a sunny paradise.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas or mixed vegetables
Seasoning and Liquid Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, salt, and pepper with chicken pieces. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, ensuring each piece gets coated evenly.
- Thoroughly rinse 1 cup rice under cold water until liquid runs clear. Soak rice in fresh water for 10 minutes to help achieve fluffy texture.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F. Sauté diced onion and minced garlic for 2-3 minutes until aromatic and translucent.
- Add marinated chicken pieces to skillet. Cook at 400°F for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken turns golden brown and loses pink color.
- Pour 1 ½ cups chicken broth into skillet. Stir in 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix ingredients thoroughly.
- Add 1 cup rice to skillet, ensuring grains are evenly distributed. Incorporate diced pineapple and red bell pepper.
- Bring mixture to a rolling boil at 425°F, then immediately reduce heat to low at 200°F. Cover skillet and simmer for 22 minutes without lifting lid.
- After cooking, remove lid and let rice rest for 5 minutes. Gently fluff rice with fork to separate grains.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro over top before serving.
Notes
- Marinate chicken ahead of time for deeper flavor penetration and more tender meat.
- Soaking rice helps remove excess starch, creating a fluffier, less sticky final dish.
- Choose fresh pineapple chunks for brighter taste, or use canned if fresh isn’t available.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.
- Prep Time: 25-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 326 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg