Skip the delivery app and grab your air fryer instead! This air fryer pineapple chicken delivers all the sweet-tangy-savory goodness of your favorite takeout dish in less than 30 minutes. It is perfect for those nights when you’re staring into the fridge at 6 PM, wondering what on earth to make for dinner.
You will love how the high heat caramelizes the pineapple and chicken edges while keeping the inside tender and juicy. Combining pineapple, soy sauce, and brown sugar creates an irresistible glaze that turns ordinary chicken into something special.
I know some people worry that homemade Asian-inspired dishes take too many specialty ingredients. But this recipe uses mainly pantry staples, and the air fryer creates that restaurant-quality texture without standing over a hot wok.
Whether you’re dreaming of a tropical vacation or want to shake up your usual dinner routine, this easy pineapple chicken gives you a big flavor without any complicated steps. It pairs beautifully with simple rice for a complete meal that feels like a treat, not a compromise.
Let me show you exactly how to make it, share my favorite serving suggestions, and give you some helpful tips. You’ll have a delicious tropical-inspired meal with just a few minutes of prep time and some simple pantry ingredients.
Looking for more easy weeknight meals to make in your air fryer? Try air fryer chicken tacos, tofu poke bowl, or air fryer mahi mahi.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Chicken: You can use either chicken breast or thighs for this recipe.
- Cornstarch
- Pineapple: Either fresh pineapple or canned pineapple chunks work here.
- Pineapple juice
- Red Bell Pepper: While the recipe calls for red bell pepper, any color will work.
- Soy Sauce
- Brown sugar
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make Air Fryer Pineapple Chicken
- Start by preheating your air fryer to 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. While it’s heating, prep your ingredients by dicing the chicken, bell peppers, and pineapple. I like to do all my chopping at once to make the cooking smoother.
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken cubes with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, salt, and black pepper, making sure each piece is well-coated.
- Place the coated chicken and pepper strips in your air fryer basket. Cook at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes; flip the chicken, and cook for another 3-5 minutes. The chicken should be golden brown and cooked through. Always check that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. In a frying pan, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and minced garlic. Heat this mixture on low until the sugar dissolves and starts to bubble.
- Add the cornstarch-water mixture to the sauce. This will transform it from thin and watery to thick and glossy. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. When it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove it from the heat.
- Finally, combine everything in the frying pan—your crispy chicken, cooked peppers, and fresh pineapple chunks—and stir to coat everything in the sauce.
Serving Ideas
This pineapple chicken perfectly balances sweet, savory, and tangy flavors that my whole family loves. I like to serve it over a bed of fluffy white rice to soak up all that delicious sauce!
Want some other ideas? Here are some of my go-to serving suggestions:
- Serve it over brown rice for extra fiber and nutrients.
- Pair it with cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option.
- Add it to a bowl with quinoa and steamed broccoli for a healthy grain bowl.
- Serve it alongside some simple steamed vegetables like snap peas or carrots.
I like to garnish the dish with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. If you’re feeling fancy, serving it in a hollowed-out pineapple half makes for a fun presentation.
How to Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The sauce might thicken up a bit in the fridge, but that’s totally normal.
To reheat it, microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until warmed. If the sauce needs thinning, add a splash of water.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Pat the chicken dry before coating it with cornstarch. This helps the coating stick better and makes it crispier.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Give the chicken pieces breathing room to get nice and crispy instead of steaming.
- Try to make your chicken pieces about the same size—around 1-inch cubes work great. This ensures that everything cooks evenly.
- Either chicken thighs or breasts work in this recipe. Thighs tend to stay juicier than breasts.
- Add some red pepper flakes or sriracha to the sauce for a kick.
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Air Fryer Pineapple Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 pound chicken breast or chicken thighs cut into bite-size cubes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups pineapple cubed
- ½ red bell pepper sliced into strips
For the sauce:
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Set the air fryer to preheat to 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. Dice the chicken, bell peppers, and pineapple.
- Put the chicken in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (not the cornstarch mixed with water), salt and black pepper. Stir to coat the chicken thoroughly.1 pound chicken breast or chicken thighs, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Put the chicken in the air fryer basket along with the sliced red pepper strips. Air fry the chicken at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes, flip the chicken over and cook for another 3-5 minutes until the chicken is golden brown. Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165 °F½ red bell pepper
- The chicken cooks combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and garlic in a frying pan. Heat on low until the sugar dissolves and it just starts to boil.½ cup pineapple juice, ½ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup water, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 clove garlic
- Add the cornstarch and water mixture to the frying pan and stir to mix. Let it cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Take the sauce off the heat.2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- Add the chicken, red peppers, and pineapple chunks to the frying pan. Mix and serve over rice.2 cups pineapple
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry before coating it with cornstarch. This helps the coating stick better and makes it crispier.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket.
- Try to make your chicken pieces about the same size—around 1-inch cubes work great. This way everything cooks evenly.
- Either chicken thighs or breasts work in this recipe. Thighs tend to stay juicier than breasts.
- Add some red pepper flakes or sriracha to the sauce for a kick.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
