Air Fryer Chicken Pineapple Bites (Print)

Tender chicken and pineapple chunks cook quickly to a golden finish, perfect for easy serving.

# Components:

→ 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 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Assembly

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

# Directions:

01 - Cut 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 evenly.
03 - Allow chicken to 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 thoroughly.
05 - Set air fryer to 390°F and preheat for 3 minutes.
06 - Thread one piece of marinated chicken and one pineapple chunk onto each toothpick or mini skewer.
07 - Place assembled bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket, working in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding.
08 - Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until chicken reaches golden color and internal temperature of 165°F.
09 - Transfer to serving platter and garnish with fresh herbs or sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately with optional dipping sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're ready in under thirty minutes from start to finish, perfect for when unexpected guests show up.
  • The marinade creates this sticky, caramelized coating that makes people ask for the recipe immediately.
  • Everything is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so you're not scrambling to accommodate dietary needs.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinade time—those ten to fifteen minutes aren't just for flavor, they're giving the chicken time to absorb the honey so it caramelizes properly in the air fryer instead of just drying out.
  • Crowding the basket is the quickest way to turn these into steamed bites instead of crispy ones, so even if it means doing two batches, spacing them out makes all the difference.
03 -
  • If your honey is thick or crystallized, warm it gently in the microwave for fifteen seconds so it mixes into the marinade smoothly and coats everything evenly.
  • Keep a spray bottle of water nearby while cooking—if the honey starts looking too dark, a light mist keeps things from burning while the chicken finishes cooking.
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