• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer top navigation
  • Skip to footer bottom navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Skinny & Fit is Always Delicious
Display Search Bar
Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram! Follow me on YouTube! Contact Cart

Skinny Fitalicious®

Because skinny & fit always tastes delicious

  • Weight Loss Coaching
    • Weight Loss Coaching / Free Consult
    • Client Testimonials
  • Free Class
  • Podcast
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Hormone Weight Loss 7-Day Meal Plans
    • Protein, Fiber, Calorie Calculator
    • Free Resources for Fat Loss
    • Megan Recommends
  • Podcast
  • Cookbook
  • About
    • About Megan
    • Policies
    • Contact

BONUS!

3 Smart Strategies To Stop Cravings So You Can Lose Weight!

Home » Recipes » Low Calorie

Pineapple Firecracker Chicken With Quinoa {GF, Low Cal}

Published: Jan 21, 2019 · Modified: Jun 9, 2024 by Megan

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn qualifying purchases. Click here for more about this policy.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

I’ve partnered with Dole Packaged Foods to bring you this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Pineapple Firecracker Chicken with Quinoa! This sweet and savory dish makes tender and moist chicken. Easy to make in a skillet and family approved! Gluten Free + Low Calorie

Pineapple Firecracker Chicken With Quinoa! This sweet and savory dish makes tender and moist chicken. Easy to make in a skillet and family approved! Gluten Free + Low Calorie

How about a filling dinner today? Even better, this one you can meal prep or make in under 30 minutes!  I've partnered with Dole Sunshine to bring you this incredible pineapple firecracker chicken recipe and I hope you're as thankful as I am for their amazingly simple, yet nourishing products.

What do you do on a busy weeknight when you want a protein-packed meal, but don't know what to make? Head over to Skinny Fitalicious and make this recipe of course!

Pineapple Firecracker Chicken With Quinoa! This sweet and savory dish makes tender and moist chicken. Easy to make in a skillet and family approved! Gluten Free + Low Calorie

Pineapple Firecracker Chicken with Quinoa

All the ingredients you need for this recipe are pantry (and refrigerator) staples. Chicken, canned pineapple and quinoa. Simple ingredients you should have lurking in your kitchen and if you don't, now that it's 2019 it's time to make it a habit.

Okay, let's bring it back to the recipe! This one is a goodie. Simple and family approved, but better for you than takeout. The chicken is lightly breaded in arrowroot powder (or corn starch may be subbed) then cooked with spicy ingredients for a slight kick. Tossed with sweet pineapple tidbits to balance out the spiciness and served with quinoa.

A hearty, high protein meal with the right balance of flavor and textures. This is one you'll want to make over and over again friends!

Pineapple Firecracker Chicken With Quinoa! This sweet and savory dish makes tender and moist chicken. Easy to make in a skillet and family approved! Gluten Free + Low Calorie

What You Need

  • Chicken Breasts
  • Pineapple Tidbits
  • Quinoa
  • Avocado Oil
  • Coconut Aminos
  • Hot Sauce
  • Arrowroot Powder (or Corn Starch)
  • Ground Ginger, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt, Pepper
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Green Onions
Pineapple Firecracker Chicken With Quinoa! This sweet and savory dish makes tender and moist chicken. Easy to make in a skillet and family approved! Gluten Free + Low Calorie

Helpful Tips

Prep the chicken in step 1 of the recipe instructions ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it. It's not a huge time saver but hey, it still saves you time! You can also cook the quinoa ahead of time so it's one less thing to make. Paleo? Swap the quinoa for cauliflower rice. The rest of the dish is Paleo friendly so it's an easy substitution to make it lower carb.

Nerdy nutrition fact...the Vitamin C from the pineapple helps break down the protein from the chicken and quinoa into amino acids and carry them to the blood stream. Plus the pineapple makes it's so flavorful!

Phew! Enough talking. Let's eat friends!

Pineapple Firecracker Chicken With Quinoa! This sweet and savory dish makes tender and moist chicken. Easy to make in a skillet and family approved! Gluten Free + Low Calorie

Pineapple Firecracker Chicken With Quinoa

Megan Olson
Pineapple Firecracker Chicken With Quinoa! This sweet and savory dish makes tender and moist chicken. Easy to make in a skillet and family approved! Gluten Free + Low Calorie
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Asian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 319 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 lb chicken breast boneless, skinless
  • 3/4 cup pineapple tidbits
  • 3/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons hot sauce or buffalo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • 1/2 tablespoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 green onion sliced, optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds optional
  • 1 cup quinoa uncooked

Instructions
 

  • Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
  • While the quinoa cooks, slice the chicken into 1 inch pieces and place in a plastic bag. Add the arrowroot powder, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Shake the bags several times to coat the chicken. Set aside.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, hot sauce, ginger and coconut aminos to make the sauce.
  • Place the sauce in a skillet and bring to a simmer. Whisk as the sauce simmers to full break down the ginger. 
  • Remove the sauce from the skillet and set aside. 
  • Add the avocado oil to the skillet and bring to a medium-low heat. Add the chicken pieces from the bag. If using a smaller skillet, add half the chicken at a time. Do not over crowd the skillet. 
  • Cook the chicken 5-7 minutes until it is cooked through, flipping once. 
  • Add the sauce and pineapple to the skillet. Toss to combine. 
  • Remove from the heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. 

Video

Notes

  • My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my nutrition clients.
  • Make it Paleo by subbing the quinoa with cauliflower rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 27gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 355mgPotassium: 612mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 160IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Let me know!Let us know how it was!

About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.

< Previous Post
Next Post >
769 shares
  • Share91
  • Tweet

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment
    5 from 1 vote

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Recipe Rating




  1. LisaN says

    January 07, 2021 at 3:05 pm

    The actual recipe details do not have the quinoa listed as an ingredient and also is missing the cooking steps for it. Looks delicious, hope to try it this weekend!

    Reply
    • Megan says

      January 09, 2021 at 11:01 am

      It's been updated - thanks for the catch!

      Reply
  2. Kathleen says

    March 27, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    Hi Megan, Thank you for this much healthier and flavor punch chicken recipe! This is the third time making it and I sub the hot sauce for Calabrian Chili paste and my hubby loves it, even when I thrown in some red bell peppers. This is a major hit!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Megan is a nutritionist, author of the Low Calorie Cookbook and podcast host of the Dish On Ditching Diets. Megan helps women over 35 stop dieting, heal their relationship with food and lose weight sustainably. Megan lost 80 pounds herself. Here you get healthy, lower calorie recipes!

More on my weight loss coaching here

Popular

  • Healthy High Protein Burrito
  • A hand dipping a cracker into a healthier buffalo chicken dip with cottage cheese.
    Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
  • four pancakes stacked on a white plate with a fork.
    Low Calorie Protein Pancakes
  • Healthy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken with just 4 ingredients! Chicken slow cooked in a secret high protein sauce make super tender and juicy shredded chicken. An easy recipe for meal prep. Low Carb + Low Calorie + Gluten Free
    Healthy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

Healthy 4th of July Recipes

  • Shredded BBQ chicken crockpot served on a bun with a jar of bbq sauce in the background.
    Shredded BBQ Chicken Crock Pot
  • A bowl of healthy broccoli crunch salad surrounded by small bowls of ingredients.
    Broccoli Crunch Salad with Greek Yogurt
  • A bowl of healthy French onion dip on a plate surrounded by chips and veggies.
    Healthy French Onion Dip
  • Healthy potato salad in a tan bowl on a table with a linen napkin underneath.
    Fresh and Healthy Potato Salad

Some links on this site are affiliate links for which I am compensated a small commission if the link is clicked and a purchase is made. There is no cost to you. For a full disclosure policy, visit my Policies.

My Cookbook

low calorie cookbook

Follow me on Facebook! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Instagram! Follow me on YouTube!
  • Weight Loss Coaching
  • Free Weight Loss Class
  • Podcast
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
© 2025 Skinny Fitalicious® Design by Melissa Rose Design Development by Once Coupled

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.