Spicy Pineapple Chicken

A quick and healthy chicken dish that is full of sweet and spicy flavor. Serve this spicy pineapple chicken over cauliflower rice for a delicious and healthy meal!

{Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Paleo, & Whole30}

Happy Tuesday! How is the beginning of your week so far? It’s been a bit of a slow start for me, but otherwise just fine. Yesterday it was 75º, which felt amazing! I’m beyond ready for warm weather and sunshine. Who’s with me?!

It’s quite a dreary day today, but my garden welcomes the rain, so no complaints here!

Anyway, let’s talk about chicken. We are all looking for new (any healthy) ways to enjoy the ole bird. One of my favorite things to do is take not-so-good for you recipes and lighten them up. So, today’s recipe is inspired by everyone’s takeout favorite – General Tso’s Chicken. 

Ok, so maybe it’s not everyone’s favorite. I always preferred chicken and broccoli when I could eat Chinese takeout. But, I still love a good at-home version of general tso’s chicken from time to time. 

Spicy Pineapple Chicken

This chicken dish is a healthier version of my general tso’s chicken recipe, but it doesn’t necessarily taste the same, so I decided to call it spicy pineapple chicken. That way, we don’t end up with expectations for something that doesn’t taste like the original. Ya feel me?

Lightening up a dish that consists of fried pieces of chicken and lots of sugar is no small feat. So, instead we use a similar base to create a new type of dish that has that sweet and spicy flavor. 

YUM!

To sweeten this tasty chicken we use pineapple… as I’m sure you already guessed. The rest of the sauce is a mixture of coconut aminos, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, and chili paste. If you aren’t familiar with coconut aminos, it’s just a soy-free substitute for soy sauce. You can certainly use regular soy sauce if you don’t have an issue with soy, or you don’t care if this dish is Paleo or Whole30. 

I kept with the Whole30 theme for this recipe and served mine over cauliflower rice. I’ve really been digging cauliflower rice lately. I like to roast my cauliflower first and then turn it into “rice” by pulsing it in the food processor. So. Much. Flavor. 

If you want to add some more texture to the dish, you can toss in some diced pineapple at the end. I liked it as is, so I skipped on that. You can also toss in some veggies if you wish, too!

No matter how you serve this spicy pineapple chicken, you’re going to devour it. Trust me, I speak from experience. ?

Spicy Pineapple Chicken

2017-03-28 11:42:26

Serves 2

A quick and healthy chicken dish that is full of sweet and spicy flavor. Serve this spicy pineapple chicken over cauliflower rice for a delicious and healthy meal!

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

35 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

35 min

Ingredients

1. 2 Chicken Breasts, cubed
2. Salt & Pepper
3. 1 ½ Tablespoons Tapioca Starch
4. 2 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos, or soy sauce*
5. ½ Tablespoon Chili Paste
6. 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar*
7. ½ Cup Diced Pineapple*
8. 1 Teaspoon Tapioca Starch
9. 2 Tablespoons Chicken Broth
10. 1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil, plus more for cooking the chicken
11. 1 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Ginger
12. 3 Cloves Garlic, very finely minced
13. Cauliflower Rice, or Rice (white or brown), or Quinoa, for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken well with salt and pepper until evenly coated. Sprinkle on the tapioca starch and toss until the starch evenly coats all of the chicken. Set aside.
2. Combine the coconut aminos, chili paste, pineapple, tapioca starch, and chicken broth in the bowl of a mini food processor. Pulse until smooth.
3. In a small pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat and add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds. Pour in the pineapple mixture and cook until the sauce reduces down a bit and thickens, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat some coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the chicken cubes. Make sure they are in an even layer (you may need to do 2 batches) and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side.
5. Once all the chicken is browned, add the sauce into the pan with the chicken and stir to coat. The sauce should thicken and coat the chicken nicely.
6. Serve the chicken over cauliflower rice (or whatever you like!) and enjoy!

Notes

1. *Coconut aminos are used as a soy-free substitute for soy sauce. If you’re not sensitive to soy, Paleo, or doing a Whole30, you can just use soy sauce. Just make sure the brand you use is gluten-free, if you need it to be!
2. *If you're doing a Whole30, make sure you read the label for the rice vinegar. You want unseasoned, not the seasoned variety as it contains sugar.
3. *If you want some chunks of pineapple in the dish, you can add ¼ to ½ cup right at then end before serving.

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