Homemade Chinese Orange Pineapple Chicken

This Homemade Orange Pineapple Chicken is like takeout at its best. Crispy fried chicken bites tossed with pineapple chunks and pre-made orange sauce, this easy homemade Chinese food served over rice is filling, easy, and ready to eat in under an hour!

Originally posted January 2017, updated June 2024

Homemade Orange Pineapple Chicken

I have a lot of “favorite” foods and included in that list is Chinese food. We used to live about 10 minutes from an amazing Chinese restaurant and at least 2-3 times a month, we’d get take-out Chinese Pineapple Chicken and share all kinds of deliciousness.

Then we moved back to my tiny hometown years ago and all that changed. We’re 20+ miles from Chinese food these days and while I do occasionally get to go out to eat Chinese, it happens a lot less than it used to. And I miss it, y’alll! A lot.

Or I guess I should say, “I missed it.” I don’t miss it as much as I did when we first moved here because I finally broke out of my cooking “comfort zone” and learned to make some of our favorite dishes at home.

Video

Homemade Chinese Food Recipes

• Easy Potsticker Stir Fry (ready in under 30 minutes!)
• Crock Pot Beef & Veggies Over Rice
• Instant Pot Beef & Veggies Over Rice Homemade Chinese Food
• Instant Pot Asian Glazed Wings
• Instant Pot Orange Chicken

Yay! I don’t have to miss Chinese food all the time! That’s where this Pineapple Orange Chicken comes in. I love Orange Chicken. 

I mean really, really love it.

Pineapple Chicken Recipe

So when I had a craving for Orange Chicken with rice (or Pineapple Chicken) a few months back and there was no way we were going to drive 20 miles for take-out, it occurred to me that we should come up with a recipe for pineapple chicken that I could make at home. The only requirement was that it be a mostly simple pineapple chicken recipe.

We only made this easy pineapple chicken once and we were hooked! It’s sort of like Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple, but not exactly.

I should clarify that by “we”, I mean my 15 year old son and I. He’s a fantastic cook and he’s always open to helping me try out new recipes (or honestly, trying them out all on his own).

This Pineapple Orange Chicken recipe is one that he has made for the whole family all by himself and gosh… I love having kids who can make supper for the family. It’s a win for everybody.

Okay – let me get back on topic. The Chinese Orange Pineapple Chicken recipe. The Homemade Chinese Orange Pineapple Chicken. That’s the best part… it’s homemade, so I can have it any time I want 😉

Tools Needed

• Cutting Board
• Sharp Knife
• Mixing Bowls
• Whisk
• Skillet or Saucepan
• Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients:

You can easily find the simple ingredients you’ll need at Walmart or your local grocery store. The brands aren’t so important so you could go with generic or any other favorite brand.

• Chicken Breast Tenders or Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into bite-size chunks. Trim excess fat from either type of chicken before marinating it.
• Soy Sauce – I prefer low sodium (because I have way too much salt in my life already) but regular soy sauce will work just as well
• Pineapple Juice
• Garlic – you can use fresh minced garlic or jarred minced garlic
• Rice – I use Minute Rice because it’s fast but you could also use regular rice (I love to make it in the Instant Pot)
• Vegetable Oil
• Corn Starch
• Orange Sauce – I use premade orange sauce (again to save time), but if you have an orange sauce recipe that you love made with real orange juice, go for it!
• Crushed Pineapple – you could absolutely use fresh pineapple if you want but I find the crushed pineapple just so much easier for this recipe.

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Soy Sauce

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Pineapple Juice

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Orange Sauce

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How to Make Orange Pineapple Chicken and Rice

This is an easy dish but you will need to plan a little because preparing the chicken does take some time. But that aside, I am a big fan of pineapple, so this recipe is a favorite.

Pineapple Chicken Marinade

1. First you’ll need to cut up your chicken breast tenders into bite size pieces.
2. Then place the bite-sized chunks of chicken into a large mixing bowl. Add soy sauce, pineapple juice, and minced garlic. Mix it up to coat the chicken, then let it marinate in the mixture of pineapple juice for at least 20 minutes.
3. Now, when you’re ready to cook the chicken, drain off the excess marinade.

Minute Rice

4. In the meantime, follow the package instructions to make the Minute Rice. Since frying the chicken takes some time with this recipe, I love it that I can have great-tasting, fluffy white rice in just 5 minutes. Another option is to make rice in your Instant Pot but the minute rice takes less time. Either way is super easy!

Frying Chicken

6. When the chicken is done marinating, pour the corn starch into a large zip-top bag and then drop the chicken in in small batches.
7. Seal the bag and shake it up to coat the chicken then remove it from the bag.
8. Work in batches, setting the coated pieces aside on a plate until you work through the whole bowl.

9. Now pour the oil into a large skillet and heat.
10. Place the chicken in the hot oil and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until crispy and brown.
11. When the chicken is all fried, drain it on paper towels.

Pro Tip: Do not cover the chicken at all after it’s fried. It will stay crispier and not get soggy! Leave it on an open plate until tossing in the sauce.

Pineapple Sauce for Chicken

To make the pineapple sauce for chicken, you’re going to use the same skillet where you just fried the chicken.

12. Pour out any excess oil (no need to clean it completely – the little bits of leftover fried chicken will add flavor) and place it back on the stove.
13. Then pour in the orange sauce and crushed pineapple, mix together and heat until bubbly. The crushed pineapple adds that extra sweet and tangy punch that really makes this recipe extra special!
14. As soon as it starts to boil, remove it from the heat and pour it over the fried chicken. Toss it in the orange-pineapple sauce to make sure it’s all coated really well.
15. Serve the Pineapple Orange Chicken over rice!

Pro Tip

Do not cover the chicken at all after it’s fried. It will stay crispier and not get soggy!

Serving Suggestions

• For a complete meal, I love to make stir fry with broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, baby corn, onions, and/or bell peppers to serve as a side dish.
• This is a great recipe for a weeknight dinner or special occasion instead of going out to eat!

Storage and Reheating Directions

Refrigerator: Store orange pineapple chicken separately in the refrigerator from the rice. Store in an airtight container. It will be good for up to 3 days.

Microwave or Stovetop: Reheat in a microwave-safe dish or very slowly on the stovetop. If reheating on the stovetop, you may need to add a little water so it doesn’t scorch.

Note: Leftover pineapple chicken will not be as crispy as it was fresh!

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• Homemade Chinese Orange Pineapple Chicken
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• Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken with Steamed Broccoli
• Easy Chicken Lo Mein (Make Takeout at Home)