Pineapple Ginger Chicken
The sauce in this Pineapple Ginger Chicken is thick, sweet, and absolutely incredible. You’re going to be obsessed with this easy entree! 
I love to pair sautéed chicken with an incredible sauce because it’s such an simple way to create a quick entree that tastes amazing.
To make this chicken, you’ll start by heating oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot add the chicken and season. Sauté until browned, flip, and brown the other side.
While the chicken is cooking you’ll blend all the sauce ingredients together.
Oh about this sauce. No sugar. No junk. The zesty sweetness comes from pineapple, dates, and fresh ginger. Now that’s a flavor combo to try, right? Why yes it is and you’ll be so happy you did.
The sauce includes fresh ginger which adds so much flavor, friends. If you haven’t worked with fresh ginger before I’ll tell you it’s so much easier than it looks. I know it can look pretty gnarly. But the reality is all you have to do is cut it and peel it.
For this recipe simply cut off a 1 to 1 1/4 inch chunk (called a knob). Use a spoon, knife, or vegetable peeler to peel it. I use a potato peeler and it works well. I find that I take too much off if I use a knife. Then toss your peeled ginger knob into the blender with your other sauce ingredients. So simple!
Pour that blended sauce into your skillet with the browned chicken. Reduce heat to medium or medium low. Add some chopped pineapple and let it all simmer.
Your finished chicken is sweet, saucy, and so yummy! Plus it’s all dairy free, gluten free, refined sugar free, and Whole30 compliant. All good things to be!
What kind of dates should you use?
I recommend medjool dates in this recipe and there’s a good reason for it! Medjool dates are picked early which means they tend to be very soft. This makes them awesome for blending and creating sauces. Yes, it really does matter what kind of date you use!
Does this chicken work well for meal prep?
Absolutely! This chicken reheats beautifully so feel free to make it in advance. Refrigerate both the chicken and sauce in airtight containers for a few days of ready made entrees!
According to the FDA cooked chicken will be good for 3 – 4 days if refrigerated and 4 to 6 months if frozen.
How to serve this chicken?
Serving over cauliflower rice to keep things ultra light and sneak in more veggies!
Maybe you’d like to add some grains or carbs to make this extra satiating? That works too! Try serving with traditional white or brown rice, Easy Seasoned Roasted Potatoes, Easy Diced Air Fryer Potatoes, or Skillet Breakfast Potatoes. You’ll also love my Smashed & Roasted Italian Potatoes, Baked Herb Potato Rounds, Smashed & Roasted Rosemary Garlic Potatoes, and Cinnamon Pecan Sweet Potato Rounds.
Thinking of a green side? I recommend my Spicy Roasted Broccoli, Easy Roasted Broccoli, Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts, Garlic Green Beans, Simple Sautéed Cabbage, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Green Beans with Almonds.
More skillet chicken recipes:
Easy Chicken Green Bean Stir Fry
Skillet Chicken & Brussels Sprouts
Savory Skillet Chicken & Veggies
Pineapple Ginger Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- salt & pepper
Pineapple Ginger Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
- 5 medjool dates, pitted
- 1 to 1 1/4 inch knob of ginger
To Finish
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
- fresh parsley for topping, chopped
Instructions
Chicken
- Add olive oil to saute pan or cast iron skillet. Heat pan to medium high heat.
- Add chicken to hot pan. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and dried parsley on top of each breast. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip. Cook other side until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over so your herbed side is facing up. Turn off heat.
Pineapple Ginger Sauce
- Peel your ginger knob. (You don't need to dice it as it will blend just fine once peeled.) It should be between 1 and 1 1/4 inches in length.
- Add all sauce ingredients to blender. Blend until smooth.
To Finish
- Pour blended sauce into the pan with your chicken. Add cup of chopped pineapple around chicken. Reduce heat to medium low or low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Sauce will reduce a bit.
- Top with fresh chopped parsley and serve!
66 Comments on “Pineapple Ginger Chicken”
Looks so flavorful and good. That sauce sounds amazing!
Pineapple, ginger and chicken? Three of my faves that’s why I know I will love it!
Oooh! Nothing like a sticky sauce!
Agreed!
mmmmm!! I want this dinner!! The ginger and pineapple, what a great combo!
Yes, they’re so good together!
Christina, this is absolutely gorgeous!! I just want to gobble it up! I love the dates and ginger in it!!
Thank you so much, Megan!
Amazing and you know I’ve got this pinned!
Thanks, Linda! <3
I’ve just recently started using fresh ginger, too! It’s great in so many things! I’m going to try this recipe.
It makes such a difference! Thanks, Cathy! I hope you love it.
Look forward to trying this over the weekend. Looks so good.
Thank you! I hope you love it!
I am in love with the flavors in this meal! I love using ginger when cooking and the contrast with the pineapple sounds super delicious!
Thanks, Carrie! <3
OMG, I just love anything pineapple and this is combining two of our fav ingredients 🙂 I’m bookmarking your recipe to try soon. Love that color too.
Ooooh, that looks so good! I love the flavor combo!
I think I need to go buy a pineapple! The chicken looks amazing, it’s been so long since I had pineapple and chicken together.
They’re so yummy together!
Its like Asian flavors meet tropics! Interesting combo and so mouthwatering
They’re so good together!
This is a keeper recipe! Delicious! I used chicken thighs.
Fantastic! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! Chicken thighs area always good idea!
I just made this and it was so good. I really don’t like chicken very much but I am looking forward to having this again. Thanks for a delicious and easy recipe.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I love hearing that you enjoyed it! <3
Thank you. This was truly delicious and so simple. We will absolutely make this again.
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you! <3
Hi Christina we just had this for dinner tonight and it was great! This recipe is a keeper for sure. Yum!
Thank you so much, Nicole! I’m so happy to hear that! <3
This was SO GOOD! I forgot dates at the store so I used a Larabar instead (don’t judge lol), and it all turned out great. I put on top of spiralized zucchini and had a wonderful meal! Thanks for sharing this!
BAHAHA That is genius!! Love it!
This dish is the BOMB! Just the right amount of sweet and heat! This will easily become a regular for us!
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that! <3
This dish was INCREDIBLE! Super easy and super tasty. I had mine with zoodles and my husband ate his with white rice. So happy there’s some left over for lunch tomorrow!
I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe. I added chopped green beans. will be making again!
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was amazing! The flavors were well-balanced, and I loved how the dates were incorporated. I’m going to make some bacon wrapped dates with my leftovers! <3
Only deviation I made was that my chicken took longer to cook… I didn't want the sauce to burn, so I separated the chicken out and put it in the oven for about 10 minutes at 375°F.
Just made this and it’s soooooo good and the best part is that is also so easy. I will definitely make this again and again
This was really yummy! I knew my kiddos probably wouldn’t eat it which I think is funny. They all love pineapple, but everytime I attempt to add it to a dish, they don’t like it (I do make them try). But, my husband and I really loved this! We ate it over stir fried veggies that were seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a bit of coconut animos. I will be making this again for me and my hubby! Thank you for such a great recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it! I also have a daughter who is super picky so I understand!
YUM! This is my kind of cooking. Looks delicious! 🙂
Definitely adding this to my rotation, made it tonight and it’s incredible.
LOVED this recipe! I served it with cauliflower rice and it was delicious. Can’t wait to finish the leftovers for lunch. Thank you, Christina!
That’s so great to hear!! Thank you! 🙂
LOVE this chicken recipe! Made this last night and can’t wait for the leftovers today. Perfect combination of flavors, and great on rice or cauliflower rice. I made Brussel sprouts as a side and drizzled the sauce on them.. yum! Super easy and delicious. Thank you!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!! Thanks for commenting!
Loved this recipe! There aren’t too many recipes out there with so much flavor and take such little time to make. Ridiculously easy and so flavorful! I served it over cauliflower rice.
Thank you!! Happy to hear you enjoyed it!
I made it, it was ok.. too sweet. I added minced garlic to balance out the sweetness.
The next time I added 3 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce… perfect!!!
This looks amazing!
I’m allergic to dates. Is there a substitute that you would recommend?
Thanks!
You could sweeten with a little honey if you like!
Chicken breasts don’t cook thru in only 15 minutes….
They sure do if (a) you get your pan hot enough and if (b) you’re not using incredibly thick chicken. If the chicken you purchase is super thick just slice it horizontally to create thinner cutlets.
Looking forward to this
Wonderful!! Full of flavor!! Served over black rice and it was amazing.
Could this be pre-made and frozen for a future meal?
Definitely!
Delicious! The whole family loved it! I served it with a medley of stir fried vegetables and white rice.
Wow! This is so good! Cut up the chicken so it would cook faster. Served with quinoa. I made enough for 6 so we would have leftovers. Note: do NOT make sauce in food processor- sprayed it everywhere! 😳😂 BLENDER!
Oh and I also served with steamed broccoli
Excellent recipe. My family loved this dish!
Yay! Thank you, Kathi!
So delicious & easy to mske!
This was a hit with my active family. Fits right in with my AIP diet. I used chicken thighs skin on bone on ( a tray with about 8-9 thighs) used my 14” cast iron skillet. On the side I had sweet potatoes & for my family I had sweet potato’s and red, purple yellow small roasted potatoes. They also had garlic bread.
I was full with my meal. My family was thanking me in how tasty the chicken was. Please note I did not double the recipe. This is a keeper.
This thrills me to hear, Sylvia! Thank you so much!!