Pineapple Chicken Rice Skillet (Printable)

Tender chicken, pineapple, bell peppers, and fluffy rice come together in a vibrant one-pan skillet.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Rice

02 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Vegetables & Fruit

03 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
05 - 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, drained if canned
06 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish

→ Sauce

09 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
10 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice
11 - 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Other

15 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for sautéing
16 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
17 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, optional for thickening

# Method:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on all sides, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
02 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Sauté diced onion and minced garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add bell pepper strips and cook 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened.
03 - Stir in the rinsed rice and toast for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return the seared chicken to the pan.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper. Pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
05 - Add chicken broth and pineapple chunks. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
06 - If desired, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1 to 2 minutes until thickened to desired consistency.
07 - Remove from heat. Gently fluff the rice with a fork, garnish with sliced green onions, and serve immediately.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying dinner with the people you care about.
  • The sweet-savory sauce coats each grain of rice so perfectly that you'll find yourself going back for seconds without planning to.
  • It feels fancy enough to serve guests but honest enough to make on a tired Tuesday night without second-guessing yourself.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step for rice, or you'll end up with a starchy, sticky mess instead of fluffy individual grains that hold the sauce like they're meant to.
  • If your broth is salty, use less soy sauce, because oversalting a one-pan meal is the one mistake that's hard to fix once it's cooked.
03 -
  • Measuring your broth accurately is the difference between fluffy rice and mushy rice, so use a proper measuring cup instead of eyeballing it.
  • Don't lift the lid while the rice is cooking unless you're absolutely certain it's been at least fifteen minutes, because steam escapes and throws off your timing.
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