Air Fryer Pineapple Chicken
Skip the takeout and enjoy an easy and delicious stir fry made in your air fryer! This Air Fryer Pineapple Chicken is made with tender chicken, pineapple chunks and red peppers that are tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce and served over rice.
When you think air fryer recipes, I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind isn’t a stir-fry. However, once you try it, you’ll see what you’ve been missing all along. Your air fryer makes one mean stir-fry recipe!
This is a fantastic family dinner made with simple ingredients. You can get dinner on the table quickly in about 25 minutes. Perfect for those busy weeknights when you’ve got lots of running around to do.
If you like Hawaiian chicken kabobs, you will enjoy this awesome air fryer chicken recipe. The sauce on its own is amazing and paired with the tasty chicken and sweet fresh pineapple makes it that much more incredible. This is a great easy meal for anytime of year.
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Pineapple Chicken
- Only 11 minutes of cooking time
- A favorite sauce of mine
- Great dinner when you’re short on time
- Perfect combination of sweet and savory
- Easy way to make stir fry
Ingredients
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card with measurements and instructions.
- BBQ sauce – Use your favorite brand and flavor.
- Teriyaki sauce
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger – Grate it yourself or buy the grated ginger in a tube in the produce section at the grocery store.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Fresh pineapple chunks
- Red bell pepper
How to Make Air Fryer Pineapple Chicken
- Step One: Add the bbq sauce, teriyaki sauce, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Step Two: Stir in the chicken, pineapple and red pepper.
- Step Three: Add the chicken mixture to the basket of an air fryer and set it to 11 minutes cooking time at 400°F.
- Step Four: Stir chicken mixture halfway through the cooking time and cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Serve hot over rice.
Equipment Needed
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What to Serve with Pineapple Chicken in the Air Fryer
- Rice: Try coconut rice, brown rice or regular white rice.
- Roasted veggies: Try roasted green beans, squash, broccoli or cauliflower
- Salad: Serve with a fresh green salad like this Marinated 3 Pepper Kale Salad.
- Sweet potatoes: Their sweetness makes them an excellent side dish. We love these Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes.
- Hawaiian rolls or dinner rolls: Serve slightly warm with softened butter.
- For dessert: Ice cream with fresh fruit is delicious after a mouthwatering dinner.
Variations and Substitutions
- Substitute soy sauce for the teriyaki sauce.
- Add sliced green onions for garnish
- Add one sliced red onion in addition to the veggies or use instead of the red pepper.
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of the chicken breasts.
- If you don’t have fresh pineapple chunks, you can use canned pineapple. Drain the pineapple juice.
- No fresh ginger? Use 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger.
- Instead of fresh garlic, use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover pineapple chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can I Freeze Air Fryer Pineapple Chicken?
Yes, you can freeze air fryer pineapple chicken! Let the chicken cool completely and then add to a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. You can reheat in the air fryer or stovetop.
How to Reheat in the Air Fryer?
First, preheat the air fryer to 375F. Place pineapple chicken in the air fryer basket. Heat for 4 to 6 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t overcook.
Tips & Tricks
- Fresh is best. Use fresh pineapple. It has a more vibrant flavor than the canned version. However, canned will work in a pinch.
- Marinate. If you have a few extra minutes, let the chicken marinate in the sauce, covered, in the fridge, for about 30 minutes. It will help infuse more flavor into the chicken.
- Stir the chicken halfway. This will help it cook more evenly.
- Check your chicken for doneness. As all air fryer models will vary on cooking time, it’s best to use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is cooked to 165F. Make a note of how long this recipe took in your air fryer so you’ll know for next time you make it.
FAQs about air fryer pineapple chicken
Our Favorite
Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
Try our Honey Buffalo Chicken.
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Air Fryer Pineapple Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup bbq sauce
- ¼ cup teriyaki sauce
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
- 1 red pepper cut into 1-inch chunks
Instructions
- Add the bbq sauce, teriyaki sauce, garlic, and ginger in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Stir in the chicken, pineapple and red pepper.
- Add the chicken mixture to the basket of an air fryer and set it to 11 minutes cooking time at 400°F.
- Stir chicken mixture halfway through the cooking time and cook until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Serve hot over rice.
This recipe gets two thumbs up from my dad and me! Simple, easy to make and delicious.
I didn’t have teriyaki sauce so instead I used the juice from the canned pineapples. Also left out the peppers. Served over vegetable fried rice. Will absolutely add this to a regular rotation. Thank you!
So glad you and your dad liked it!
Can I use canned pineapple chucks?
Use whatever you have on hand. Fresh is the first choice but do what you can.
How can you make this without an air fryer?
Hi Corinne,
Yes! You can bake them or sauté the chicken until cooked.