This sweet and saucy instant pot pineapple chicken is made fuss-free. This recipe is made with real pineapple and without any corn starch. Serve with a side of rice and make it a complete meal.
This dish is made completely in one pot, with fewer dishes to wash for after dinner!
Simple recipe with minimal ingredients but big on flavor.
No corn starch; we are using arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce.
No added sugar. The real pineapple adds plenty of sweetness.
Key Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Chicken. I used organic chicken tenders from Costco; another great option for more moist and juicy chicken bites would be boneless chicken thighs.
Pineapple. Many options here:
To save time, feel free to use canned pineapple. The healthier option would be canned pineapple in natural juice without added sugar. You’ll need to drain the juice before adding it to the pot.
You can buy frozen cubed pineapple; leave it at room temperature to soften before adding it to the pot.
Fresh cut pineapple in a cup. This is a pricier but time-saving option.
I choose to use the whole pineapple since it was way on sale at that time.
Coconut aminos. The healthier alternative to soy sauce.
Arrowroot powder. This is the key ingredient that will help to make the sauce thick and sticky.
How to Make It
1. Slice the pineapple into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Add sesame oil, cubed chicken, pineapple chunks, amino sauce, and diced garlic in the Instant Pot.
3. Cover with lid, seal the pot, and set the setting to high pressure for 3 minutes. Once the timer is off, do a quick release and open the pot.
4. Set the Instant Pot to Saute on a low setting. Slowly start adding arrowroot powder while continually stirring to make sure it dissolved well. The mixture should start bubbling; add apple cider vinegar and salt.
5. Stir for a couple of minutes till the mixture will get thicker. Once the chicken has slightly cooled, the mixture will get more sticky.
Recipe Tips
Don’t overcook the chicken. Make sure that sliced chicken cubes are not too small.
Saute only 2-3 minutes for the sauce to thicken.
Apple cider vinegar adds the perfect zing to the final flavor. Feel free to substitute with rice vinegar.
Optional Ingredients
Optional ingredients you might want to add to make this dish fancy:
Fresh ginger
Bell pepper
Sesame seeds
Cashew nuts or slivered almonds
Garnish with fresh cilantro
What To Serve With
Serve this Hawaiian chicken with basmati rice or wild rice. For low-carb alternatives, serve with mashed riced cauliflower.
In the Instant Pot, add sesame oil, cubed chicken, pineapple chunks, amino sauce, diced garlic.
Cover with lid, seal the pot, and set the setting to high pressure for 3 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for pressure to build. Once the timer will beep, do a quick release according to instant pot instructions. Once pressure is released, turn off and open the pot.
Set the Instant Pot to Saute on a low setting. Slowly start adding arrowroot powder while continually stirring to make sure it dissolved well. The mixture should start bubbling, add apple cider vinegar and salt.
Stir for a couple of minutes till the mixture will get thicker. Once the chicken has slightly cooled, the mixture will get more sticky.
Notes
For the best flavor, don’t overcook the chicken. Make sure that sliced chicken cubes are not too small.Saute only for 2-3 minutes for the sauce to thicken, it will thicken more when cooled.Apple cider vinegar adds the perfect zing to the final flavor. Feel free to substitute with rice vinegar.
Natalia is a recipe developer, food photographer, and home cook. She started Flavorful Home to document her recipes and share home cooking tips. She loves creating flavorful and nutritious meals while keeping the cooking process simple and joyful!
Get new recipes and tips via email when you subscribe!
Have a comment? I love hearing from you! Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked.
Welcome!
Hi there, I’m Natalia. I’m so glad you stopped by! Here you’ll find the most useful cooking tips and answers to food questions. I focus on creating simple recipes and making sure they are extra flavorful and worthy of your time! Browse our step-by-step recipes and explore new flavors!
