Pineapple Chicken Rice Skillet (Printable)

Tender chicken with pineapple, bell peppers, and fluffy rice in a sweet-savory skillet dish.

# What You 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 and Fruit

03 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
05 - 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
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

# How To Make It:

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 onion and garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add bell peppers and cook 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.
03 - Stir in the rice and toast for 1 minute. Return the cooked chicken to the pan.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and black pepper. Pour over chicken and vegetables.
05 - Add chicken broth and pineapple chunks. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 18-20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
06 - If desired, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens.
07 - Remove from heat, fluff rice gently, garnish with sliced green onions, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, which means minimal cleanup and maximum flavor layering as the chicken, peppers, and rice all share the same sauce.
  • The sweet-savory balance tastes restaurant-quality but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • It's genuinely forgiving—if you like things spicier, sweeter, or loaded with extra vegetables, the base sauce adapts beautifully.
02 -
  • The liquid-to-rice ratio is critical—if you're using a smaller skillet than expected, the rice might cook too fast and not absorb enough sauce, so keep the lid on and resist peeking too often.
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice; it removes excess starch that would turn your final dish gummy rather than fluffy, and this single step makes the biggest textural difference.
  • The sauce balances entirely on the interplay between salty (soy), sweet (pineapple and honey), and acidic (vinegar)—if something tastes off, it's usually because one of these elements tipped the scales.
03 -
  • If your chicken pieces are uneven in size, pound them gently with the flat side of a knife so they cook at the same rate—this prevents some pieces from being dry while others are still slightly pink.
  • Don't walk away during those first 5 minutes of searing; the Maillard reaction that creates that beautiful golden crust happens quickly and is worth watching for.
  • The cornstarch slurry is optional, but if you do use it, mix it with cold water rather than room temperature water so it activates more smoothly without clumping.
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