I was recently relaxing in my living room, singing a bit of South Pacific. It’s fitting — I adore musicals and I’m completely smitten with anything tropical: Polynesian, Hawaiian, island flavors. I may also have a bit of a tiki-bar obsession.
After the big success of my Pineapple Upside Down Cake and because I love pineapples and tropical tastes, I set out to make a chicken dish with a sweet-but-not-too-sweet Polynesian-style sauce studded with pineapple and peppers. The sauce alone could steal the show.
The Instant Pot gives chicken an incredible texture — moist, tender, and fall-apart — especially when using thighs. This recipe is easy, fast, and delicious. Kids and grown-ups alike will clear their plates.
Get ready to make something simple and sensational that might just earn you a lei!
How I Made It:
Start with a couple of red bell peppers…
…and cut them into large chunks.
Gather boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Make the sauce right in the Instant Pot with three simple ingredients.
1. Catalina (California French) salad dressing
2. Apple cider vinegar
3. Honey
Whisk the dressing, vinegar, and honey together until they form a smooth sauce.
Add the red pepper chunks and toss them in the sauce.
Stir to coat the peppers well.
Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the peppers and sauce, secure the lid, and cook on high pressure in the Instant Pot.
While the chicken cooks, drain a can of pineapple chunks (use pineapple in juice, not heavy syrup). Save the juice if you want to use it in a drink or to make the cornstarch slurry.
Prepare a cornstarch slurry — three tablespoons cornstarch mixed with three tablespoons water or with pineapple juice from the can for extra flavor.
When the chicken is done, remove it with tongs and place it on a serving dish.
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté, add the drained pineapple chunks and the cornstarch slurry, and stir thoroughly. Scrape the bottom of the pot gently to incorporate any settled honey or starch.
Bring the sauce to a simmer. Once it bubbles for a minute, turn the pot off and let the sauce cool slightly — it will thicken as it cools.
Spoon the thickened sauce, along with peppers and pineapple, over the chicken in the serving dish.
Plate up and enjoy — you’ve earned a lei for a meal well done. For a full tropical theme, serve with fried rice and finish with Pineapple Upside Down Cake.
Instant Pot Polynesian Pineapple Chicken is bright, sweet, and balanced — an easy weeknight recipe that brings island flavor to your table.
Instant Pot Polynesian Pineapple Chicken
This tropical, sweet, and vibrant chicken dish, dotted with pineapple and peppers, is as lovely to serve as it is delicious to eat. One bite and you’ll feel like you’re on a tropical shore.
5 minutes
12 minutes
17 minutes
Ingredients
- 2–4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into chunks
- 16 oz bottle Catalina (California French) salad dressing
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2/3 cup honey
- 20 oz can pineapple chunks (in juice, not heavy syrup), drained
- 3 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water (or 3 tbsp pineapple juice)
Instructions
- Add the Catalina dressing, apple cider vinegar, and honey to the Instant Pot. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the red bell peppers and toss to coat, then lay the chicken thighs on top.
- Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure (Manual/Pressure Cook) for 10 minutes. Quick release when finished.
- Carefully remove the chicken with tongs and place on a serving dish. Switch the pot to Sauté (High/More), add the drained pineapple chunks and the cornstarch slurry, and stir well, scraping the bottom to incorporate any settled ingredients. Let it simmer for about a minute until slightly bubbling, then turn off the heat and let the sauce cool and thicken.
- Spoon the sauce, peppers, and pineapple over the chicken and serve with rice of your choice.
- Optional: Hula dance.
Jeffrey’s Tips
The sauce will comfortably cover up to 4 pounds of chicken. If using only 2 pounds you can halve the sauce, but leftovers refrigerate or freeze beautifully and make a great topping for fried rice, beef, pork, or fish. Don’t love pineapple or red peppers? You can omit them or substitute other vegetables. For a full South Pacific meal, serve with hibachi-style fried rice and finish with a Pineapple Upside Down Cake.