Description
Sweet and spicy paleo chicken with a vibrant pineapple sauce. Gluten-free and Whole30 approved!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pineapple sauce:
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup (240 ml) pineapple juice (from a can or carton)
- 2 tbsp hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot or Tabasco), or to taste
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp tapioca starch (for thickening)
Chicken:
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
To finish and serve:
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) pineapple tidbits, drained
- Cooked white rice or cauliflower rice, for serving
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the sauce: heat 1 tsp avocado oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the pineapple juice, hot sauce, and coconut aminos. Bring to a boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 tsp tapioca starch with 2 tsp of the boiling sauce until smooth. Pour the starch mixture back into the pan while whisking constantly.
- Boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and reduces and looks glossy, about 2–3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and keep warm.
- Coat the chicken: combine the 2 tbsp tapioca starch, salt, and pepper in a large zip-seal bag. Add the cubed chicken and shake until evenly coated.
- Heat 1 tbsp avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and chicken.
- Add the cooked chicken and pineapple tidbits to the sauce and toss well to coat.
- Serve over rice or cauliflower rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
For a thicker sauce, whisk in an extra teaspoon of tapioca starch and boil for an additional minute. Chicken thighs work beautifully here in place of breasts — they stay juicier and are more forgiving if you cook them a touch longer. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently in a pan with a splash of pineapple juice to loosen the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 100