Ingredients
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 c. canned pineapple juice
1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño, minced (seeded if desired)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 c. pineapple chunks
1/4 c. cashews
Thinly sliced scallions, for serving
Cooked white rice, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
Step 1In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and cook until just tender, 3 minutes more. Step 2Meanwhile, make sauce: in a small saucepan, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, garlic, and jalapeño and bring to a simmer. Step 3Make a slurry: In a small bowl whisk together 2 teaspoons water and cornstarch until smooth, then whisk into saucepan. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Step 4Pour sauce over chicken and let simmer 3 minutes. Stir in pineapple and cashews. Step 5Garnish with scallions and serve with rice and lime.
When it comes to using fresh versus canned pineapple, you really can’t go wrong. Canned pineapple provides convenience but lacks a fuller, brighter flavor. To perk it up a little, squeeze in a tablespoon of lemon juice. Fresh, ripe pineapple is often more fragrant, sweeter, and more flavorful, but will take a little longer to prep if you’re peeling and cubing a whole fruit. Whichever one you choose to use, serve it over perfectly cooked rice alongside a tender green like bok choy and you’ll have a totally delicious and easy meal on the table in under 30 minutes. Want to take it a step further? Why not try our chicken teriyaki pineapple bowls, served straight in a pineapple half? For more sweet and sour flavors on the dinner table, we’ve also got a vegetarian-friendly sweet and sour cashew stir-fry! If you tried your hand at making this salty-sweet stir fry, let us know how it came out in the comments below!
