Air Fryer Chicken Pineapple Bites (Printable)

Tender, seasoned chicken and pineapple chunks air-fried to golden perfection for easy serving.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (14 oz)
02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free preferred)
03 - 1 tablespoon honey
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Assembly

08 - 1 small fresh pineapple or 1 can pineapple chunks, drained
09 - 24 toothpicks or small skewers

# How to Make It:

01 - Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Add chicken cubes and toss to coat thoroughly.
03 - Let chicken marinate for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.
04 - Peel, core, and cut fresh pineapple into 1-inch chunks, or drain canned pineapple and use as is.
05 - Preheat air fryer to 390°F for 3 minutes.
06 - Thread one piece of marinated chicken and one pineapple chunk onto each toothpick or mini skewer.
07 - Arrange bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
08 - Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through, until chicken is golden and cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F.
09 - Serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh cilantro, green onions, or sesame seeds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're genuinely impressive to serve but require almost no actual cooking skill, just chopping and threading.
  • The sweet and savory combination is completely addictive, and guests always ask for the recipe the moment they taste one.
  • You can prep everything ahead and air fry right before guests arrive, which means you're actually relaxed when people show up.
  • At under 40 calories per bite, you can eat several without that heavy, fried food feeling.
02 -
  • Don't skip the preheating step no matter how rushed you are, because a cold air fryer basket will steam your food instead of crisping it.
  • If your chicken pieces are varying sizes, the smaller ones will cook faster and potentially dry out, so spend the extra 30 seconds making them uniform.
  • The pineapple releases juice as it cooks, which is actually wonderful for flavor but will drip to the bottom of your basket, so line it with parchment or foil if your model allows it.
03 -
  • If you don't have an air fryer, these work beautifully in a 425°F oven on a lined baking sheet, though they'll need about 15 to 18 minutes and won't get quite as caramelized.
  • For a crowd, you can double or triple this recipe without any adjustments—just air fry in batches and people will be so busy eating them they won't notice the slight delay.
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