Easy Hawaiian Chicken Dinner
Escape to the tropics with this incredibly simple and delicious Easy Hawaiian Chicken recipe. Featuring sweet and tangy pineapple flavors, tender chicken, and colorful bell peppers, it's a fast, easy, and crowd-pleasing meal perfect for busy weeknights. A little bit of paradise on your plate!
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Medium bowl
- Small bowl
Ingredients
Hawaiian Sauce
- 0.33 cup soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 0.5 cup pineapple juice fresh or canned
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or ½ tsp ground ginger
Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1”-2” pieces; thighs work too
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 red onion sliced into wedges
- 1.5 cups pineapple chunks fresh or canned, drained if canned
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper or to taste
Cornstarch Slurry (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Garnish (Optional)
- chopped parsley
- pineapple extra chunks
Instructions
- Whisk together the soy sauce (or tamari), pineapple juice, brown sugar (or honey), ketchup, rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), minced garlic, and grated ginger in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks (1-2 inches). Chop the bell peppers and slice the red onion into wedges. If you're using canned pineapple, make sure it's well-drained.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned on all sides and cooked through. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Add the chopped bell peppers and red onion to the same skillet (add a tiny bit more oil if needed). Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are slightly softened but still have a little bite to them (tender-crisp).
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the veggies. Give your reserved Hawaiian sauce a quick whisk and pour it over the chicken and veggies. Stir everything gently to coat.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering skillet while stirring. The sauce will thicken in about a minute or two. Let it simmer just until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Stir in the pineapple chunks and cook for just another minute or two, until they are heated through.
- Ladle the Hawaiian Chicken over rice, quinoa, or noodles. Garnish with chopped parsley and extra pineapple if you like. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips for Success:
- Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking chicken or veggies; cook in batches if necessary.
- Cut chicken and veggies into roughly the same size pieces (1-2 inches) for even cooking.
- Whisk sauce ingredients together before you start cooking.
- Prep Ahead: The sauce can be made up to 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. You can also chop veggies ahead of time (keep pineapple separate).
Substitutions & Additions:
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, shrimp, pork, tofu, or tempeh instead of chicken breasts.
- Add other veggies like broccoli florets, snap peas, carrots, or zucchini.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for spice.
- White vinegar can be substituted for rice or apple cider vinegar in a pinch.
- Serve over rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or noodles. Top with toasted sesame seeds or chopped green onions.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat gently in a skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of water or pineapple juice if the sauce is too thick.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking chicken or veggies; cook in batches if necessary.
- Cut chicken and veggies into roughly the same size pieces (1-2 inches) for even cooking.
- Whisk sauce ingredients together before you start cooking.
- Prep Ahead: The sauce can be made up to 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. You can also chop veggies ahead of time (keep pineapple separate).
Substitutions & Additions:
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, shrimp, pork, tofu, or tempeh instead of chicken breasts.
- Add other veggies like broccoli florets, snap peas, carrots, or zucchini.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for spice.
- White vinegar can be substituted for rice or apple cider vinegar in a pinch.
- Serve over rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or noodles. Top with toasted sesame seeds or chopped green onions.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat gently in a skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of water or pineapple juice if the sauce is too thick.