Chicken and Pineapple Stir Fry with Bamboo Rice
Why call and order out? Make this fresh and easy Chicken and Pineapple Stir Fry with Bamboo Rice instead! It’s quick, healthy, and colorful. You’ll definitely add this to your short list of easy dinners!
Make Your Own Takeout-
I am always looking for ways to take dishes I would normally order as takeout and make them at home. This Chicken and Pineapple Stir-Fry with Bamboo Rice is quick and easy, and it has all that takeout flavor you love. The best part is not having to decide where to order, call it in, and then get in the car to go get it.
The marinade for the chicken is so easy, and the sauce for the stir-fry requires just a few simple ingredients. In the end, this dish is easier than ordering out!
Both the marinade for the chicken and the stir fry sauce are very simple. I prefer to make my own marinades and sauces as opposed to buying them already made. Not only is the flavor better, but you get to control the amount of heat as well!
This recipe has a twist: Bamboo Rice! It has a lovely green hue and a light floral perfume with hints of vanilla. In this post, I am going to show you more about bamboo rice, and give you some great tips for stir-fry success!
What is Bamboo Rice?
Bamboo rice is a short grain white rice that has been infused with fresh bamboo juice. That is what gives it that pretty jade green color along with the floral aroma and hint of vanilla.
It is very high in B vitamins and antioxidants, making it a healthy option too. Bamboo Rice can be used in most any recipe you would use white rice. It creates a nice color contrast and added layer of flavor. This rice is occasionally used in sushi in place of sushi rice thanks to its stickiness, and adds a nice splash of color. It would also be nice in a risotto, using some Asian flavors.
Recipe Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
Normally, typical white rice is cooked at a 2:1 ratio, meaning twice as much water as there is rice. With Bamboo Rice, you will use 1 ½ cups of water to 1 cup of bamboo rice. Do not rinse the rice prior to cooking. Don’t add butter to the rice, just a little salt is all you need.
It could, but you would have to stir fry the elements in batches to avoid overloading the pan, as the ingredients would steam rather than fry. Instead of trying to increase the amount of chicken and vegetables to create more servings, you would be better off making more rice instead. This way you avoid any stir fry failure.
Yes! Pork or beef in the same amount may be used, and you could use extra firm tofu if you want to make a vegetarian version. With any of these substitutions, you would marinate the pork, beef, or tofu the same way, and the cooking instructions would be the same, though the beef may require a little extra marinating to tenderize it.
Yes you can! Also, if you don’t have a juicer, you can cut the pineapple into small chunks and place them over a bowl into a fine mesh sieve and use the back of a serving spoon to press on the pineapple pieces and force the juice out. This will take a little longer, but you would have fresh squeezed pineapple juice without using a juicer.
Absolutely. Sriracha is one of those ingredients that can go from just right to too much in a flash, so I suggest starting with an extra ½ teaspoon than the 2 teaspoons called for. You can also just drizzle extra Sriracha over the top after plating to add more heat.
Yes, you can use regular soy sauce, just leave out the ½ teaspoon of salt that you would add to the vegetables so that the dish does not turn out overly salty.
Tips for Stir Fry Success
- The number one most important tip I can give about stir frying is not to crowd your wok or pan! If you add too many ingredients when stir frying, everything will just steam and not cook the way its supposed to.
- For this recipe, the chicken is cooked first and then removed from the pan. Then the pineapple and red bell pepper is added, then the snow peas are added at the end. This ensures that the pineapple and red pepper have more time to cook, as they cook longer.
- The vegetables don’t need all the way through. They should soften and brown just a bit. This helps retain their crunch.
- It’s best when stir frying to have each ingredient already cut and prepped. Have each ingredient in its own small or medium sized bowl, ready to add to the pan at a moment’s notice.
- You will need a large wok or a large straight sided skillet, and a wooden spatula for stirring and flipping ingredients.
- Use an oil with a high smoke point such as Avocado or Grapeseed Oil. Dark Sesame Oil or Toasted Sesame Oil have a high smoke point also, but they can lose flavor or burn. For this recipe I used a combination of Avocado and Dark Sesame with success. I found that there was a slight sesame note to the dish at the end.
- Stir Frying is a fast method. You will need to use medium high to high heat to get the job done. Be sure to give your pan a few minutes to heat up before adding the oil, and when adding the oil rotate your pan so the oil evenly coats the inside.
Serving Suggestions and Other Tips
This stir fry does reheat well and makes nice leftovers. It will keep for three to five days in a tightly sealed container. You might find the veggies will get a bit flimsy and overcooked when reheating.
I love this dish by itself, and I think it can stand alone. This is one of my favorite homemade takeout dishes, and I hope you enjoy it too! The Bamboo Rice may not be readily available in your local market, but it can be found online. I do enjoy working with ingredients like this. If you’d like to try other unique ingredients, you can check out my No Bake Ruby Chocolate Tart!
If you loved this recipe, please leave a rating or comment, and share on Social Media. I’d love for you to join my online community by signing up for my newsletter! You can sign up below to receive exclusive content and the latest updates. Happy Cooking!
Chicken Pineapple Stir Fry with Bamboo Rice
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Marinade
- 1 pound boneless skinless Chicken Breast, cut into 1/2 inch by one inch chunks
- 1/3 cup Soy Sauce (low sodium)
- 2 cloves Garlic, peeled
- 2 tsp grated Ginger
For the Vegetables
- 6 ounces Snow Peas (about two cups)
- 1 large Red Bell Pepper, cut into one inch dice
- 1 cup cubed Pineapple (one inch cubes)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp High Heat Oil, such as Avocado
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup Pineapple Juice
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce (low sodium)
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 2 tsp Sriracha chili sauce
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
For the Bamboo Rice
- 1 cup Bamboo Rice
- 1 1/2 cups Water
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast into one inch chunks, and place in a gallon freezer bag.
- Peel the garlic cloves, grate the ginger and place the garlic, soy sauce, and grated ginger in the freezer bag.
- Add the chicken to the bag and seal, and squish the bag around a little bit to coat the chicken in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, longer is better.
- When you are ready to start the stir fry, remove the chicken from the refrigerator so it is accessible. Dice the pineapple and red bell pepper into one inch dice, and trim the ends off the snow peas. Cut extra pineapple to squeeze out fresh juice if you do not have any pineapple juice. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium high or high heat.
- While the pan heats, in a medium sized saucepan add the 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 cup of bamboo rice, and 1/2 tsp of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on medium low for about 15 minutes, checking after 10 minutes to avoid overcooking. While you are waiting for the rice to come to a boil, combine the 1/4 cup of pineapple juice, 1 Tbsp of soy sauce, 2 Tbsp of honey, 2 tsp sriracha, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Once the rice is going and your pan is heated, add the oil and rotate to coat the bottom. Using a slotted spoon, add the chicken to the pan and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, being sure to stir frequently so that all sides cook.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and add the red bell pepper and pineapple chunks and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the snow peas and the 1/2 tsp of salt and stir for a minute or so.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and add the sauce and stir constantly, letting the sauce coat the chicken and veggies, about a minute. Serve with the Bamboo Rice
Notes
Leave out the 1/2 tsp of salt with the vegetables if you are not using low sodium soy sauce.
Be sure not to rinse the Bamboo Rice before cooking.
Tofu, pork, or beef could be substituted for chicken, see more information in the blog post.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 489Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 870mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 6gSugar: 18gProtein: 41g
All information presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietitian and any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is provided for recipes contained on this site. This information comes from online calculators. Although The Copper Table attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Wow bamboo rice is so beautiful! This recipe sounds delicious!
Bamboo rice really is beautiful! I hope you give this recipe a try!
I have never tried bamboo rice before but the tips you gave were great!
Thank you Audrey! Bamboo Rice is wonderful, I hope you give it a try!
Chicken and pineapple go so well together. This dish is full of wonderful flavours!
Thank you Alexandra! I hope you love this recipe!
Such an awesome recipe. I made it tofu and it was delicious. Really easy to make which is what I love and everyone was happy. Thank you for this.
You are most welcome! I am happy that you all enjoyed it!
I love the vibrant colors of this dish, like they say eat the rainbow. What a nutritious plate.