Sweet Chili Chicken Pineapple (Printable Version)

Tender chicken, pineapple, vegetables, and sweet chili sauce come together in this vibrant dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
02 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
03 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Rice

05 - 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, preferably day-old

→ Vegetables & Fruit

06 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1/2 cup frozen peas
09 - 3 green onions, sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 small carrot, diced

→ Sauce

12 - 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce, optional
15 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

→ Cooking

16 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
17 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

→ Garnish

18 - 2 tablespoons roasted cashews or peanuts, optional
19 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - Lime wedges

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - In a medium bowl, toss diced chicken with soy sauce, cornstarch, and black pepper. Set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and stir-fry until cooked through, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - Add remaining oil to the pan. Add minced garlic, diced carrot, and diced bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender.
04 - Push vegetables to the side and pour in the beaten eggs. Let set for 30 seconds, then scramble and mix with the vegetables.
05 - Add cold cooked rice, breaking up any clumps. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until the rice is heated through.
06 - Return cooked chicken to the pan along with fresh pineapple, frozen peas, and sliced green onions.
07 - Mix together sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Pour over rice and toss everything to combine, ensuring the rice is evenly coated and heated through.
08 - Remove from heat. Garnish with roasted nuts, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The sweet chili sauce hits that perfect balance between tangy and spicy without needing a grocery list of specialty items.
  • Real pineapple chunks stay juicy instead of getting mushy, which honestly surprised me the first time I got it right.
  • It comes together faster than ordering delivery, and you'll have actual leftovers that taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • The moment your rice looks shiny and coated, stop stirring—if you keep going, you'll break down the rice grains and end up with mush instead of individual pieces.
  • Day-old rice is genuinely essential; I learned this the hard way by trying fresh rice and watching it turn into porridge, and no amount of technique can fix that mistake.
  • The pineapple releases liquid as it cooks, so if your fried rice seems too wet, just keep the heat on and let it evaporate for another 30 seconds instead of adding more rice.
03 -
  • Keep your wok or skillet hot enough that you hear immediate sizzle when ingredients hit the pan—that's your temperature check, and it prevents things from steaming instead of cooking.
  • Mix your sauce ingredients in a separate bowl before adding them so they distribute evenly instead of one component overpowering another.
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