Sweet Hawaiian chicken is a popular Chinese takeout dish with stir-fried chicken, pineapple, onion, and bell pepper in a sweet, gingery, garlicky sauce.
😋 This Americanized version replaces the difficult-to-find ingredients with supermarket staples. It has the same sweet, spicy, and sour flavor profile as traditional Sweet Hawaiian chicken and makes a great weeknight dinner with a side of white rice and Chinese cucumber salad. In addition, it is very simple to prepare at home.
Ingredients
Note: The full ingredients list is provided in the recipe card below.
- Boneless, Skinless chicken breast: This is the main protein source in the dish, and it's cut into bite-sized pieces for easy cooking and serving.
For the Marinade:
- Chinese Shao Shing cooking wine: This rice wine adds flavor and tenderizes the chicken.
- Kosher salt, to taste: Salt enhances the dish's overall flavor.
- Ground black pepper: Black pepper adds a little spice and complements the other flavors in the marinade.
- Granulated garlic: Garlic adds a savory and aromatic flavor to the dish.
- Canned unsweetened pineapple juice: Pineapple juice adds sweetness and a tropical flavor to the marinade.
For the Batter:
- Eggs: Used to create a coating for the chicken that helps the batter stick.
- Cornstarch: Used in the batter to create a crispy coating for the chicken.
- All-purpose flour: Flour is also used in the batter to help create a crispy coating for the chicken.
For Frying:
- Peanut oil: Used for frying the chicken because it has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor.
For the sauce:
- Ginger: Ginger adds a spicy and slightly sweet flavor to the sauce.
- Canned unsweetened pineapple juice: Pineapple juice is used in the sauce to add sweetness and a tropical flavor.
- Light brown sugar: Brown sugar is used to sweeten the sauce and give it a caramel-like flavor.
- Sweet Baby Ray's Barbeque Sauce, hoisin sauce, or ketchup: This ingredient provides a tangy and slightly sweet flavor to the sauce. You can choose to use any of these sauces, depending on your preference.
- Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds saltiness and umami to the sauce.
- Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is used to add acidity and balance out the sweetness in the sauce.
- Knorr chicken-flavored bouillon: Bouillon is a concentrated seasoning that adds depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the sauce and creates a glossy texture.
For the Stir Fry:
- Dry whole chili peppers: Chili peppers add heat and spiciness to the dish.
- Garlic cloves: Garlic is used in the stir-fry to add a savory and aromatic flavor.
- Red pepper flakes: Red pepper flakes add heat and spiciness to the dish.
- Poblano pepper: Poblano peppers are mild chili peppers that add flavor and texture to the stir-fry.
- Red Bell peppers: Bell peppers add sweetness and crunch to the stir-fry.
How to Make Sweet Hawaiian Chicken
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Place the chicken into a medium mixing bowl, add the marinade ingredients, and stir to combine. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the sweet sauce ingredients; set aside.
Combine the cornstarch, ½ teaspoon granulated garlic, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk the eggs with ½ teaspoon ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon granulated garlic in a medium bowl.Heat the oil in a 14-inch wok over medium/medium-high heat until shimmering.
Then, working in batches, dredge the chicken in the egg mixture, and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Finally, coat the flour and cornstarch mixture, press it, and move it around so it’s thoroughly coated; shake off excess.
Then, add the chicken pieces in a single layer - it’s okay if some pieces are touching. Cook, undisturbed, for 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken turns brown and crisp. Watch carefully and reduce the heat if the chicken starts to burn.
Flip the pieces and continue cooking until the chicken is golden on all sides and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes. (Thicker pieces of chicken may take a bit longer).
Remove the Sweet Hawaiian chicken from the oil to a paper towel to drain. Once finished frying the Sweet Hawaiian chicken, clean the wok with a paper towel using a kitchen tong and add more oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chiles to saute for around 1 minute.
Next, add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring until it releases its fragrance, about 1 minute or so. Next, add the onion and bell pepper to the wok and saute for 2 – 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.
Again, mix the sweet sauce mixture well to dissolve the cornstarch, then gently pour it into the wok, bring it to a boil, and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
Add the chicken back to the wok and the pineapple chunks and toss everything together until thoroughly combined with the sauce, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Garnish with sesame seeds or chopped green onion, if desired. Serve the Sweet Hawaiian Chicken with white rice and Chinese cucumber salad.
FAQ
Can I use a different type of meat?
You could use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or pork tenderloin instead of chicken breast. You could also use tofu or seitan for a vegetarian or vegan version of the dish.
Can I make this recipe without frying the chicken?
You could grill or bake the chicken instead of frying it.
Marinate the chicken as directed, then grill or bake it until it's cooked. Add the chicken to the wok or skillet at the end of the cooking process after the sauce has thickened.
Can I use a different type of sauce?
You could use a different sweet and savory sauce, such as teriyaki sauce, sweet chili sauce, or honey mustard sauce. Just adjust the ingredients and seasonings accordingly.
Can I make this recipe spicy?
You could add more chili peppers, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce to make the dish spicier. Adjust the amount of spice according to your preference.
Can I make this recipe healthier?
You could make some modifications to make the dish healthier, such as using less oil for frying, whole wheat flour or almond flour instead of all-purpose flour, low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos instead of regular soy sauce, and reducing the amount of sugar in the sauce.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
You could make this recipe gluten-free using gluten-free all-purpose flour and tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned pineapple?
You could use fresh pineapple instead of canned pineapple, but you would need to cut it into small chunks and cook it until it's tender before adding it to the dish.
Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker?
You could make this recipe in a slow cooker by adding the marinated chicken and sauce ingredients to the slow cooker and cooking on low for 6-8 hours.
Add the stir-fried vegetables and pineapple chunks during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Thick the sauce with cornstarch before serving.
Related Recipes:
- Beef Broccoli Stir Fry
- Hot Chili Oil
- Salt and Pepper Shrimp
- Spicy Honey Chicken “No Deep Frying Required”
- Chinese Cucumber Salad
Recipe
Easy Sweet Hawaiian Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 Kg (2.2 Pounds) boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
For the Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon Chinese Shao Shing cooking wine
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt , to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoons canned unsweetened pineapple juice
For the Batter:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1-½ teaspoons ground black pepper , divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic , divided
For Frying:
- ½ cup peanut oil , as needed
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon ginger , grated
- 1 cup canned unsweetened pineapple juice
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup Sweet Baby Ray's Barbeque Sauce , hoisin sauce, or ketchup
- ⅓ cup Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon knorr chicken-flavored bouillon
- 5 teaspoons cornstarch
- Kosher salt , to taste
For the Stir Fry:
- 4 Dry whole chili peppers
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 Poblano pepper , chopped into small bite-sized pieces
- 1 Red Bell pepper , chopped into small bite-sized pieces
- 2 medium onions , chopped into small bite-sized pieces
- 1 (20 oz.) canned pineapple chunks, drained*( Reserve the juice for later use)
Instructions
- Place the chicken into a medium mixing bowl, add the marinade ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the sauce.
- In a small bowl, combine the sweet sauce ingredients; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch, ½ teaspoon granulated garlic, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Whisk the eggs with ½ teaspoon ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon granulated garlic in a medium bowl.
- In a 14-inch wok over medium/medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Then, working in batches, dredge the chicken in the egg mixture, and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Finally, coat in the flour and cornstarch mixture, be sure to press it and move it around so that it’s thoroughly coated; shake off excess.
- Then, add the chicken pieces in a single layer - it’s okay if some pieces are touching. Cook, undisturbed, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken turns brown and crisp. Watch carefully and reduce the heat if the chicken starts to burn. Flip the pieces and continue cooking until the chicken is golden on all sides and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes. (Thicker pieces of chicken may take a bit longer). Remove the Sweet Hawaiian chicken from the oil to a paper towel to drain.
- Once finished frying the Sweet Hawaiian chicken, clean the wok with a paper towel using a kitchen tong and add a little more oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chiles to saute for around 1 minute. Next, add the garlic and ginger and cook stirring until it releases its fragrance, about 1 minute or so. Next, add the onion and bell pepper to the wok and saute for 2 – 3 minutes, or until tender-crisp.
- Again, mix well the sweet sauce mixture to dissolve the cornstarch, then gently pour into the wok, and bring it to a boil, cook stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken back to the wok and the pineapple chunks and toss everything together until thoroughly combined with the sauce, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with sesame seeds or chopped green onion, if desired. Serve the Sweet Hawaiian Chicken with white rice and Chinese cucumber salad.
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.