Juicy Pineapple Chicken with Broccoli

Here is my favorite pineapple chicken with broccoli recipe, with tender chicken, colorful peppers, crisp broccoli florets, and juicy pineapple chunks, all tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce.

This pineapple chicken is a weeknight staple at our house. It comes together in about 30 minutes, and my kids actually eat their broccoli without complaining. Plus, it tastes better than takeout and uses ingredients I usually have on hand.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this recipe, boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs both work great, so pick whichever you prefer or have on hand. Chicken thighs tend to stay a bit more moist and flavorful during cooking, while breasts are leaner and cook up a little faster. If you’re using chicken breasts, try not to overcook them or they can get dry – aim for an internal temperature of 165°F. Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces before cooking so everything cooks evenly and you get that nice sauce coating on each piece.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Avocado oil: Any neutral cooking oil works here – try vegetable oil, canola oil, or even regular olive oil if that’s what you’ve got in your pantry.
• Chicken: While chicken breast or thighs are ideal, you can use turkey breast or even pork tenderloin cut into bite-sized pieces. Just adjust cooking time slightly depending on the meat.
• Bell peppers: Don’t worry about having both red and yellow peppers. Use whatever color you have on hand, or mix in orange or green peppers. You can also swap in snap peas or snow peas for a different crunch.
• Arrowroot powder: Cornstarch is a perfect substitute here – use the same amount. If you’re using cornstarch, mix it with a bit of cold water before adding to prevent clumping.
• Rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar can step in, though they’re slightly more tart. Start with 3 tablespoons and taste before adding more.
• Sesame oil: This adds a nice nutty flavor, but if you don’t have it, you can skip it or add a tiny bit of peanut butter to the sauce for depth.
• Fresh pineapple chunks: Canned pineapple works great – just drain it and save that juice for the sauce instead of buying separate pineapple juice.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this stir-fry is crowding the pan with chicken, which causes it to steam instead of getting a nice sear – cook in batches if needed to maintain high heat and get that golden color.

Overcooking the broccoli is another common issue that leads to mushy vegetables, so aim for bright green florets that still have a bit of crunch after 7-8 minutes.

When mixing your sauce, make sure to whisk the arrowroot powder thoroughly with the liquids before adding it to the pan, otherwise you’ll end up with clumps instead of a smooth, glossy coating.

Finally, don’t skip draining the liquid after cooking the chicken – that excess moisture will water down your sauce and prevent it from thickening properly, leaving you with a runny dish instead of a nicely coated stir-fry.

What to Serve With Pineapple Chicken?

This pineapple chicken is perfect served over a big bowl of white or brown rice, which soaks up all that sweet and savory sauce. Fried rice is another great option if you want to make it feel more like takeout night at home. If you’re trying to keep things on the lighter side, cauliflower rice works really well too, or you could serve it over rice noodles for a different texture. Some people like to add a side of egg rolls or spring rolls to round out the meal and make it feel like a full dinner spread.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your pineapple chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get even better the next day as everything marinates together. I like to portion it out for easy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.

Freeze: This dish freezes pretty well for up to 2 months. Just let it cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers. The broccoli might get a bit softer after freezing, but the chicken and sauce hold up great.

Reheat: Warm it up in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or microwave it in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between. If you’re reheating from frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight first for best results.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1550
• Protein: 105-120 g
• Fat: 38-45 g
• Carbohydrates: 170-185 g

Ingredients

For the main dish:

• 2.5 tbsp avocado oil (I prefer Chosen Foods for its high smoke point)
• 1.75 lb chicken (cut into 1-inch bite-sized cubes)
• 1 red onion
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 large head broccoli (cut into small uniform florets)
• 20 oz pineapple chunks (I use Dole canned in 100% juice)
• sesame seeds

For the sauce:

• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (I always use Marukan for authentic tang)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1.5 tsp sesame oil
• 2.5 tbsp arrowroot powder (sifted to prevent sauce clumping)
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients and Make the Sauce

• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1.5 tsp sesame oil
• 2.5 tbsp arrowroot powder
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 red onion
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 large head broccoli

While prepping vegetables, combine the pineapple juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, and sifted arrowroot powder in a small bowl, whisking until the arrowroot is fully dissolved and there are no lumps.

This ensures the sauce will thicken smoothly later without clumping.

Dice the red onion into bite-sized pieces, cut the red and yellow peppers into 1-inch chunks, and cut the broccoli into small, uniform florets so everything cooks evenly.

Step 2: Sear the Chicken

• 2.5 tbsp avocado oil
• 1.75 lb chicken

Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until it shimmers.

Add the chicken cubes and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown on the outside and cooked through (165°F internal temperature).

I find this high-heat searing step develops a nice caramelized exterior that adds depth to the final dish.

Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and set aside.

Step 3: Cook the Vegetables

• 1 red onion
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 large head broccoli

Return the same skillet to medium-high heat and add the diced red onion first, stirring for about 1-2 minutes until it becomes fragrant and slightly softened.

Add the red pepper, yellow pepper, and broccoli florets, stirring frequently for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp and the broccoli turns bright green.

The vegetables should still have a slight bite to them, not be completely soft.

Step 4: Combine Everything and Build the Glaze

• 1.75 lb cooked chicken from Step 2
• vegetables from Step 3
• sauce mixture from Step 1
• 20 oz pineapple chunks

Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the vegetables.

Pour in the sauce mixture from Step 1 and gently fold in the pineapple chunks with their juice.

Stir everything together over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.

I like to let the mixture simmer gently rather than boiling hard—this keeps the chicken tender and prevents the arrowroot from becoming gummy.

You’ll know it’s ready when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Step 5: Plate and Garnish

• sesame seeds

Divide the pineapple chicken and broccoli mixture among serving plates or bowls, spooning extra sauce over top.

Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds for a nutty flavor and visual appeal.

Serve immediately over steamed rice or your choice of grain.

Juicy Pineapple Chicken with Broccoli

Delicious Juicy Pineapple Chicken with Broccoli recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1475 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the main dish::

• 2.5 tbsp avocado oil (I prefer Chosen Foods for its high smoke point)
• 1.75 lb chicken (cut into 1-inch bite-sized cubes)
• 1 red onion
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 large head broccoli (cut into small uniform florets)
• 20 oz pineapple chunks (I use Dole canned in 100% juice)
• sesame seeds

For the sauce::

• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (I always use Marukan for authentic tang)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1.5 tsp sesame oil
• 2.5 tbsp arrowroot powder (sifted to prevent sauce clumping)
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Instructions

 

• While prepping vegetables, combine the pineapple juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, and sifted arrowroot powder in a small bowl, whisking until the arrowroot is fully dissolved and there are no lumps. This ensures the sauce will thicken smoothly later without clumping. Dice the red onion into bite-sized pieces, cut the red and yellow peppers into 1-inch chunks, and cut the broccoli into small, uniform florets so everything cooks evenly.
• Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken cubes and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown on the outside and cooked through (165°F internal temperature). I find this high-heat searing step develops a nice caramelized exterior that adds depth to the final dish. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
• Return the same skillet to medium-high heat and add the diced red onion first, stirring for about 1-2 minutes until it becomes fragrant and slightly softened. Add the red pepper, yellow pepper, and broccoli florets, stirring frequently for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp and the broccoli turns bright green. The vegetables should still have a slight bite to them, not be completely soft.
• Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour in the sauce mixture from Step 1 and gently fold in the pineapple chunks with their juice. Stir everything together over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. I like to let the mixture simmer gently rather than boiling hard—this keeps the chicken tender and prevents the arrowroot from becoming gummy. You'll know it's ready when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
• Divide the pineapple chicken and broccoli mixture among serving plates or bowls, spooning extra sauce over top. Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds for a nutty flavor and visual appeal. Serve immediately over steamed rice or your choice of grain.