This Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chicken is a one pot rice dish that comes together with a 5-ingredient sauce!
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Ingredients in pineapple chicken
Weeknight dinner woes?
This Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chicken has GOT YOUR BACK!
I love simple dump dinners like this, and with the exception of the fresh veggies this is basically a pantry dinner – you should have most of the ingredients on hand already and from there it's just about adding some fresh veggies.
Here's what you need to make it (full ingredient amounts are at the bottom of the page):
- chicken breasts
- pineapple (fresh or from a can)
- rice vinegar
- brown sugar
- ketchup
- garlic
- low sodium soy sauce
- chicken broth
- jasmine or white rice
- red, green and yellow bell pepper
- green onions
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
It's so easy to make this rice dish! Here are the steps below:
- Add olive oil, chicken, pineapple, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, soy sauce, broth and rice to Instant Pot in that order. Cook for 5 minutes on high pressure.
- Do a quick pressure release and remove lid. Stir in bell peppers, then replace lid and let sit another 5-10 minutes so it can absorb the extra liquid and cook the peppers.
- Remove lid again, then divide among four bowls. Top with green onions, then serve and enjoy!
Making this dish on the stovetop
You can easily make this dish on the stovetop if you don't have an Instant Pot. I would not advise using a slow cooker.
- Add all ingredients (minus the peppers and green onions) to a large pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, then cook for about 20-25 minutes or so until rice has absorbed all liquid.
- Stir in green peppers, then cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Garnish with green onions, then serve and enjoy!
Fresh vs canned pineapple
Whether you have fresh pineapple on hand or are just digging into your pantry to pull out of a can of diced pineapple, you really do need to include it to get that signature flavour.
It doesn't matter too much whether you use fresh or canned as the flavours will be very similar. However, you really do want to ensure that any canned pineapple you buy does not include extra sugar.
Ingredient substitutions
This recipe is super versatile and you can make a number of substitutions. Here's what you have flexibility with:
Chicken – Feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts.
Rice – I highly recommend using white, jasmine or basmati rice in this recipe as I have not tested it with any other type of rice. That being said, I've heard of others doubling the chicken broth and the cook time for brown rice so if you feel comfortable experimenting, you can try that.
Soy sauce – Tamari or coconut aminos can be used to make this recipe gluten-free.
Brown sugar – Sub in coconut sugar, white sugar, honey or maple syrup for the brown sugar.
Rice vinegar – You can use apple cider or white wine vinegar in place of the rice vinegar.
Pineapple – You DO need pineapple in this recipe. However, you can use fresh or canned. Just make sure the canned stuff doesn't have extra sugar.
Bell peppers – You can always cook another veggie like broccoli while this dish is coming to pressure and then stir it in in the end.
Storing and reheating
Leftover pineapple chicken will keep in the fridge up to 5 days. Sprinkle some water overtop to avoid drying out the chicken and rice, then reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
You can also reheat this dish in a skillet on the stovetop. I still recommend adding some extra water to avoid the dish drying out.
Can you freeze pineapple chicken?
Yes you can! Freeze in individual servings in glass bowls up to 3 months, and then defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. You can also reheat from frozen for 6-7 minutes, making sure to sprinkle some water overtop and stirring partway through.
More Asian-inspired Instant Pot recipes
Tools to make this recipe
- The Instant Pot DUO Plus 60
is the version I use in this recipe. - Grab some Glass meal prep bowls if you plan on packing this sweet and sour chicken up for lunch!
- And of course I get all my free-range chicken breasts from Butcher Box!
is the version I use in this recipe.
Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup diced pineapple (fresh or from a can; I used fresh)
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup dry white or jasmine rice
- 1 each red, green and yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 4 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Add olive oil, chicken, pineapple, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, broth and rice to Instant Pot in that order leaving rice to float on top of other ingredients. Place lid on and cook for 5 minutes on high pressure.
- Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure then cooks on high pressure for five minutes. Do a quick pressure release and remove lid when safe to do so. The rice may appear to be uncooked or crunchy looking at this point but it's crucial that you stir in bell peppers, then replace lid and let sit another 5-10 minutes so it can absorb the extra liquid. It does get fully cooked after sitting for a bit, I promise!
- Remove lid, then divide among four bowls. Top with green onions, then serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Resa Glennon says
I have tried MANY Instant Pot recipes but I have to say Taylors recipes are the best and the easiest. My all time favorite is the pepper steak to which I add some water chestnuts and some Chinese crunchy noodles!!
Last night I made the Pineapple chicken for the first time and it is a hit!! I had all of the ingredients except yellow and red pepper so I just added a green pepper at the end per her directions and threw in some fresh broccoli I had in the fridge!
Not sure which recipe I’ll try next but it will definitely be one from The girl on Bloor!
Taylor Stinson says
Aww thank you so much for your glowing review, Resa! 🙂 I really appreciate the kind words and am so glad you enjoy my recipes!
Jeff Winett says
Hi Taylor, and greetings from Sherman Oaks, California! Last night I had my way with your creation, and we totally flipped. We found everything you said to be “on the money”, when it came to the 10 minute waiting period to let the peppers and rice to fully cook. It was so easy to get into the pot, and I chose to use thigh meat. This will be made very often, as besides the yum factor, it is a really healthy meal. When I next make this, I’m throwing caution to the wind, and will add a small amount of crushed red chili flakes to the dish, and my husband said “How about a sprinkling of some roasted Cashews?” Thank you so much for what you’ve shared.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you guys loved it, Jeff 🙂 So glad it’s going to become a staple in your home! The cashews are a great idea!
Andrea H says
All my kids loved this, so that is a big win! Thankfully I doubled the recipe so they had lots of leftovers 🙂 It was super easy to make, I’ll definitely be making this again!
Richard Jones says
Hi
The video says Cook for 2 mins and the instructions text says 5 mins.
Can you advise which is right please?
Thanks
Richard
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Richard – the time in the recipe is correct, sorry about the typo in the video!
emilie deveau says
I loved that recipe! I ate it with cauliflower rice instead of regular rice. It was amazing!! thanks!
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you liked it!!
Nameste2 says
Can this dish be frozen and heated at a later date?
Taylor Stinson says
You can freeze it after it’s cooked but I would recommend leaving the bell peppers out and then sauteeing and adding the peppers fresh when you do go to reheat 🙂
Jane says
Cook on high for 2 minutes? It doesn’t sound like that’s long enough for chicken, even if it sits on warm for a while. The rice might be OK but are you sure this isn’t a typo? Thanks.
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Jane – it’s not a typo and I can assure you the chicken cooks through. It is cut up into small pieces and the Instant Pot takes 10-15 minutes to heat up, and during that time the chicken is cooking.
Jane says
Thanks for the reply. My IP takes only 3 minutes to come to pressure (how does that happen?!?) so I’ll add some time to compensate.
Jane says
Thanks for the encouragement. I made another recipe using yours as a guide (including quick cooking time) and it turned out quite good. Thank you!
Amy says
If I double the recipe, does the cooking time change?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Amy – I don’t think it should but I haven’t tried it this way myself!
Patty K says
I just made this for supper. I’m having fun with my new Instant Pot!! This is sooooo scrumptious! And easy! Thank you! I used canned Pineapplt tidbits and home made turkey broth. The chicken is tender and moist. I did rinse the Jasmine rice and it was cooked to perfection. Next time I will use 2 Tbsp of brown sugar for health reasons. The Pineapple is plenty sweet already. I cooked early, so I did let it sit on warm about 30 minutes before we ate. Very very very yummy!! It’s going in my new favourites for Instant Pot Recipes!!
Taylor Stinson says
So happy you loved it Patty!!! 🙂
DANIELLE LINCOLN says
Can you use frozen whole chicken if you forget to thaw the chicken
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Danielle – I wouldn’t recommend frozen chicken with this particular recipe because then the rice would overcook. Sorry about that!