Skip the takeout line and whip up this Orange Pineapple Chicken at home in under 30 minutes! This easy dish features tender chicken and crisp vegetables in a bright, tangy sauce that’s bursting with sweet and savory flavors. Every bite has that perfect balance of citrusy orange and juicy pineapple that keeps you coming back for more.
Serve it over a bed of fluffy rice for a complete meal that’s both healthy and satisfying. It’s quick enough for busy weeknights yet tasty enough to feel like something special. Plus, you control the ingredients, so it’s fresher, lighter, and made just the way you like it.
If you love quick and flavorful dinners like this, you might also like my Lemon Chicken Chow Mein, a zesty noodle dish with tender chicken and crisp veggies, Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry, which delivers the perfect balance of sweet and savory, or my Panda Express Copycat Kung Pao Chicken, a bold and slightly spicy favorite that’s just as good as the restaurant version. Each one is simple, satisfying, and perfect for adding variety to your weekly meal plan.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Has all the elements of a fully-balanced meal.
- Comes together in under half an hour making it perfect for any night of the week.
- Packed with bright, fresh flavors that taste just as good (if not better) than restaurant takeout.
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Ingredient Photo
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breast, but thighs work too. They’re juicier and a little more flavorful.
- Pineapple: Canned pineapple chunks are perfect here because you’ll use the fruit and the juice.
- Bell Pepper: Red bell pepper adds a subtle sweetness, but if you’re watching your grocery budget, green bell peppers are usually much cheaper and still taste great in this dish.
- Sugar Snap Peas: These add crunch, you can swap in snow peas if that’s what you have, they’re equally crunchy and quick-cooking.
- Fresh Orange: The zest and juice of one orange bring brightness and depth, so fresh is best. But, you can use bottled juice and skip the zest if that’s what you have.
- Green Onion: We use the onion tops to finish the dish to add color and flavor. Totally optional but highly recommended.
- Sweet & Sour Stir Fry Sauce: This is a one-and-done ingredient that gives us that classic sweet-and-sour flavor without using a laundry list of ingredients.
- Soy Sauce: I use the low-sodium variety, but coconut aminos or liquid aminos work great if you’re keeping it paleo or gluten-free.
- Oil: I use canola oil for sautéing, but vegetable oil works too.
- Seasoning: Salt, black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes add just the right amount of heat and flavor to round things out.
- Rice: I use boil-in-bag brown rice for this because it’s so easy and fail-proof (it’s even easier than Minute Rice). But there are options. Stir fries ar great over white rice, jasmine rice, or even cauliflower rice if you’re going low-carb.
Step-By-Step Instructions (with photos)
Step 1: Toss the chicken pieces in corn starch.
Step 2: Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté chicken until brown.
Step 3: Add veggies and pineapple and cook 3-5 minutes.
Step 4: Add the ingredients for the sauce, mix a slurry of corn starch and water and add to the skillet, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can reheat it in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time until it’s heated through. We usually make this once and eat it twice—I just make fresh rice the second time around. While the rice cooks, I warm the orange pineapple chicken in a small skillet over low to medium heat.
Try These Delicious Chicken Dishes Next!
Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole
A one pan meal that is topped with melted cheese and smoky bacon.
Alfredo Chicken Pasta & Broccoli
Uses basic ingredients and can be on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes!
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Orange Pineapple Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the stir fry:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can pineapple chunks, 20 ounces ¼ cup juice reserved
- 1 cup red bell pepper
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
For the sauce:
- ½ cup sweet and sour stir fry sauce
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- zest of one orange
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon water
For serving:
- 2 bags boil-in-bag brown rice
- green onions for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Slice the bell pepper into short strips and cut the sugar snap peas in half. Zest and juice the orange. Drain the pineapple, reserving ¼ cup of the juice for the sauce. Chop the green onions, if using.
- Put a medium saucepan of water on to boil over high heat for the rice. Once the water boils, add the rice and cook for 10 minutes (or according to package directions).2 bags boil-in-bag brown rice
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch until coated.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, 2 tablespoons corn starch
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes.1 tablespoon canola oil
- Add the pineapple, bell pepper, and sugar snap peas to the skillet. Cook for 3–5 minutes, until the veggies start to soften.1 can pineapple chunks, 20 ounces, 1 cup red bell pepper, 1 cup sugar snap peas
- Stir in the sauce ingredients, including the reserved pineapple juice.½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ cup sweet and sour stir fry sauce, ¼ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup fresh orange juice, zest of one orange, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch to make a slurry, then stir it into the skillet. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 tablespoon water
- When the rice is done divide between 4 plates and top with stir fry and onions.green onions
Excellent recipe. We have leftover sweet & sour sauce whenever we get crab rangoons from a Chinese restaurant and I finally have a recipe to use the excess! I followed the recipe exactly as printed and it tasted great. For personal preference, when I make it again, I will increase the soy sauce and cut back on the orange zest because I like salty and dislike bitter foods. The crushed red pepper adds just enough heat to satisfy.
One note, you must have 4 hands to prep everything in 10 minutes. It took me closer to 30 minutes to get all the ingredients out, and measure, chop, zest, and juice them, but it was still ready to eat in under an hour, which is great. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thank you so much for the kind words—I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and found a tasty way to use up that extra sweet & sour sauce! My husband is always amazed at how quickly I can prep dinner (I’ve had lots of practice ), but I know not everyone chops and measures at lightning speed. I actually just updated the recipe card to 20 minutes prep time so it’s more realistic for most home cooks. I love your idea of adjusting the soy sauce and orange zest to suit your taste—that’s exactly what makes home cooking so fun. Thanks again for trying it and for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review!