There are some weeknight dinners that just hit the spot every single time, and this Pineapple Chicken and Rice recipe is firmly at the top of my list. It’s a dish that balances sweet, savoury, and tangy notes in a way that feels both comforting and a little bit special. The chicken is wonderfully tender, coated in a glossy, sticky sauce, with juicy chunks of pineapple that provide bright little bursts of flavour. This is my go-to recipe when I need something that comes together without much fuss but still feels impressive.

What I adore about this one pan chicken and rice dish is how all the elements work together. The sauce isn’t just sweet; it has a deep umami flavour from the soy sauce and a gentle warmth from fresh ginger and garlic. It all bubbles away in the pan, reducing down to a perfect consistency that clings to every piece of chicken and seeps into the fluffy rice you serve it with. It’s a complete meal that looks fantastic on the plate.

This sweet and savory chicken recipe works beautifully for a family dinner during the week, but it’s also special enough to serve when you have friends over. It’s straightforward to make, and the aromas that fill your kitchen while it’s cooking are just divine. It’s one of those meals that has you counting down the minutes until you can sit down and eat.

Recipe Overview

This pineapple chicken recipe brings together tender chicken pieces and juicy pineapple in a rich, flavourful sauce, all served over fluffy rice. It’s a single-pan wonder where the sauce is the real star, thickening to a perfect glaze. I’ve found that a final sprinkle of fresh spring onions and sesame seeds just before serving adds a lovely freshness and texture that elevates the whole dish.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Pineapple Chicken and Rice Recipe

• Genuine Flavour: The sauce is the heart of this dish. It strikes a beautiful balance between the deep, salty flavour of soy sauce, the natural sweetness from pineapple juice and honey, and a warm, aromatic background from fresh ginger and garlic. It’s a truly satisfying combination.
• Ready in Under 40 Minutes: From chopping the chicken to serving it up, this meal comes together in about 35 minutes, making it ideal for those busy evenings when you want real food without a long wait.
• Flexible Recipe: This recipe is very adaptable. You can easily swap the chicken breast for thighs, which are even more forgiving. Feel free to add in some colourful veg like sliced red bell peppers or mangetout for extra crunch and nutrition.
• Great for Family Dinners: It’s a satisfying meal that brings everyone to the table. The flavours are accessible and enjoyable for a range of palates. If you need another family-friendly idea, my Cheeseburger Lasagna Recipe is always a hit.
• Family Tested: My husband, who’s usually picky, asked for seconds the first time I made this! It’s one of those recipes that always gets compliments and clean plates all around.

Pineapple Chicken and Rice Recipe

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 20 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For this recipe, using fresh ginger and garlic makes a world of difference to the final flavour. For the soy sauce, I always reach for a low-sodium version, like Kikkoman’s light soy sauce, as it allows me to control the saltiness of the final dish more effectively.

• For the Chicken:
• 600g skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2.5cm (1-inch) chunks
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
• For the Sauce:
• 120ml pineapple juice (from the can if using tinned pineapple)
• 80ml low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes (optional, for a little heat)
• For Assembly:
• 225g pineapple chunks (fresh or from a tin)
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• Cooked rice, to serve (approx. 300g uncooked weight)

Sara’s Tip: Don’t skip tossing the chicken in cornflour. It’s not just for thickening the sauce later; it creates a very light coating that helps the chicken brown beautifully and gives the sauce something to cling to. It makes a noticeable difference to the texture.

How to Make Pineapple Chicken and Rice Recipe

The process for this chicken rice recipe is very straightforward. We’ll build the flavours in one pan, creating the sauce and cooking the chicken together for a cohesive and delicious final dish.

1. Prepare the Chicken: In a medium bowl, add the chicken chunks. Sprinkle over the cornflour, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together until each piece of chicken is lightly coated.
2. Mix the Sauce: In a separate small bowl or measuring jug, whisk together all the sauce ingredients: pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red chilli flakes (if using). Set aside.
3. Cook the Chicken: Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the coated chicken pieces in a single layer. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Fry for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
4. Create the Sauce Base: Reduce the heat to medium. If the pan looks dry, you can add a tiny splash more oil. There should be some tasty browned bits left in the pan from the chicken – this is pure flavour!
5. Simmer the Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the hot pan. Bring it to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the sauce bubble away for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to thicken slightly.
6. Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken to the pan, along with the pineapple chunks. Stir everything together gently to coat the chicken and pineapple in the glossy sauce. Let it all simmer together for another 1-2 minutes until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened to a lovely syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon. What works best for me is watching for the bubbles to become slow and thick.
7. Serve: Spoon the pineapple chicken over hot, fluffy rice. Garnish with a generous sprinkle of sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving immediately.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control: When you add the sauce to the pan, make sure the heat isn’t too high. A fierce heat can cause the honey or sugar to burn before the sauce has a chance to thicken properly. A steady, medium simmer is what you’re aiming for.
• The Secret Step: I learned that giving the sauce a final stir with a cornflour slurry (1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tsp cold water) right at the end is a foolproof way to get that perfect, glossy thickness if it’s not quite there. For more on this technique, BBC Good Food has a great explanation.
• Make-Ahead: You can prepare the components in advance to make dinner time even faster. The sauce can be mixed and stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also chop the chicken and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
• Storage: Leftover pineapple chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan over a low heat with a splash of water, or in the microwave until piping hot.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large frying pan or wok
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Two mixing bowls (one for chicken, one for sauce)
• Wooden spoon or spatula

What to Serve With Pineapple Chicken and Rice

This dish is already a fantastic meal with rice, but a few simple sides can round it out beautifully. Here are a few of my favourite pairings:

• Steamed Green Vegetables: Steamed broccoli, asparagus, or green beans add a lovely freshness and a bit of crunch that cuts through the richness of the sauce.
• Simple Cucumber Salad: A quick salad of thinly sliced cucumber, a splash of rice vinegar, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds provides a cool, crisp contrast.
• A Light Drink: A crisp, cold lager or a glass of off-dry Riesling works wonderfully with the sweet and savoury notes of the dish.
• A Delicious Dessert: If you’re planning a full menu, my easy Biscoff Truffles are a delightful, no-fuss treat to finish the meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pineapple Chicken and Rice

A quick and flavorful weeknight dinner, this dish features tender chicken and sweet pineapple chunks coated in a savory, glossy sauce. Served over rice, it's a perfectly balanced sweet and tangy meal.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian-inspired

Calories: 595

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Chicken

• 600 g skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2.5cm (1-inch) chunks
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil

For the Sauce

• 120 ml pineapple juice from the can if using tinned pineapple
• 80 ml low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
• 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes optional, for a little heat

For Assembly

• 225 g pineapple chunks fresh or from a tin
• 2 spring onions thinly sliced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• Cooked rice to serve (approx. 300g uncooked weight)

Method

 

1. Prepare the Chicken: In a medium bowl, add the chicken chunks. Sprinkle over the cornflour, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together until each piece of chicken is lightly coated.
2. Mix the Sauce: In a separate small bowl or measuring jug, whisk together all the sauce ingredients: pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red chilli flakes (if using). Set aside.
3. Cook the Chicken: Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the coated chicken pieces in a single layer. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Fry for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown on all sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
4. Create the Sauce Base: Reduce the heat to medium. If the pan looks dry, you can add a tiny splash more oil. There should be some tasty browned bits left in the pan from the chicken – this is pure flavour!
5. Simmer the Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the hot pan. Bring it to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the sauce bubble away for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to thicken slightly.
6. Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken to the pan, along with the pineapple chunks. Stir everything together gently to coat the chicken and pineapple in the glossy sauce. Let it all simmer together for another 1-2 minutes until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened to a lovely syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon. What works best for me is watching for the bubbles to become slow and thick.
7. Serve: Spoon the pineapple chicken over hot, fluffy rice. Garnish with a generous sprinkle of sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving immediately.

Notes

For best results, serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I really hope you give this Pineapple Chicken and Rice recipe a try. It’s a staple in our house for a reason, and it’s a joy to cook and eat. If you enjoyed this sweet and savory chicken, you might also love my Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders for another flavour-packed meal. Let me know how you get on in the comments below – I love hearing from you!

Happy cooking,
Sara