Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Bowls (Printer View)

Tender chicken glazed with teriyaki sauce, pineapple, and crisp vegetables served on jasmine rice.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
03 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Teriyaki Sauce

04 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
05 - 1/3 cup pineapple juice
06 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
07 - 1 tablespoon honey
08 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
12 - 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Rice and Toppings

13 - 1.25 cups jasmine or short-grain white rice
14 - 2 cups water
15 - 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
16 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
17 - 1 cup snap peas or snow peas, trimmed
18 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
19 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
20 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish, optional

# Method steps:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - While rice cooks, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sauté until golden and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add bell pepper and snap peas. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender but crisp. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
04 - Combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
05 - Mix cornstarch with cold water to form a slurry. Stir this into the simmering sauce and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute.
06 - Return chicken and vegetables to the skillet. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and toss to coat. Stir in the pineapple cubes and heat through for 2 minutes.
07 - Divide rice among bowls. Top with teriyaki chicken, vegetables, and pineapple. Garnish with spring onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce is sweet enough to make you happy but balanced enough that you don't feel like you're eating dessert for dinner.
  • Everything comes together in under 45 minutes, which means you can actually make this on a weeknight without losing your mind.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cornstarch slurry—without it you'll have thin, runny sauce that slides right off the rice instead of clinging beautifully.
  • Taste the teriyaki sauce before adding the chicken back in; soy sauce brands vary so much that you might need to adjust sweetness or saltiness at this moment.
03 -
  • Make the teriyaki sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it—it actually tastes better the next day once the flavors have time to settle and marry together.
  • If your sauce breaks or separates while sitting, just reheat it gently over low heat and it'll come back together smoothly.
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