Fruity pineapple and chicken curry, a throwback to the 70s when Brits threw all sorts of fruit in curry, it is unusual, but it is delicious.
This recipe uses tinned pineapple and cooks in under an hour; however, the sauce can be made in advance and can also be made in large batches and frozen.
Fruity Chicken Curry
This stupidly simple pineapple chicken curry recipe is quite the departure from my usual curry offerings.
It is a throwback to memories of British curries in the 1970's and 80’s rather than what they have become today.
So yeah, it’s a retro recipe, and I’m not sure where it comes from.
I must have read at least parts of it somewhere, as it really is right out of left field. However, since I first made it, my wife fell in love with it.
The sauce for this recipe freezes wonderfully, and as a result, this makes a great freezer meal.
Sure, it is not an "authentic" Vindaloo or Madras, but this fruity curry is really rather special!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes, absolutely, they will need 3-4 minutes longer cooking and have more flavour, so feel free to throw them in.
Do I have to blend this curry?
No, you can leave it as a chunky sauce if you like, but I prefer a well-blended smooth sauce here.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, you can either make it to completion and store it in the fridge for a couple of days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Reheat it in a small pan. I prefer to defrost it before reheating if it is frozen.
Or you can make up the sauce and refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 6 months. Then all you need to do is reheat the sauce, add the chicken and cook for 12-15 minutes.
I prefer the second method because it results in much better chicken.
Can I use tinned pineapple in syrup?
No, it is important that you use pineapple in juice for this recipe, not least because you need some pineapple juice!
Can I use fresh pineapple?
Yes, this dish is great with fresh pineapple. However, I cook for two people, which means lots of leftover pineapple in the fridge or freezer.
I have added a section below detailing how to prepare a fresh pineapple if you decide to use fresh over tinned.
How to Prepare a Fresh Pineapple
Preparing a pineapple may seem intimidating if you are new to it. But it is simple!
- Cut off the top and bottom and stand it on a board.
- Using a large, sharp knife, remove the skin, creating a barrel shape following the natural lines of the pineapple.
- You are now left with a pineapple with lots of black dots on. These eyes follow a natural spiral pattern. Flip it on to its side and cut "V" shaped channels following this natural spiral.
- You can now dice or slice as you wish. For this recipe, I want dice, so I stand it on its end and cut into 8 wedges.
- Remove the inner core and dice.
Pineapple will last 3-4 days in the fridge after preparing.
So if you are cooking for a smaller family, then planning in advance to use it up helps.
My Thai Red Duck Curry is a stunning way to keep the curry theme going, and pineapple pork belly goes off on a Chinese vibe.
Serving Suggestions
This fruity and spicy pineapple and chicken curry is wonderfully saucy, and as far as I am concerned, that means rice and flatbread.
I usually opt for plain steamed or boiled rice because it is convenient, but a nice pilau rice works well too. Either way, I usually add a load of coriander too.
When it comes to flatbread, I would opt for a tandoori-style naan bread to mop up all that lovely sauce.
However, homemade chapatis are much easier to make and are fitting for this easy and fun chicken curry recipe.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 30cm or 12" frying pan with a lid.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Kitchen knife.
- Chopping board.
- Blender.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
- Quick-read meat thermometer (optional).
Retro Fruity Pineapple and Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Medium Skinless Chicken Breasts 300g Total
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Lime Juice
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 Small Onion 100g
- 1 Medium Apple
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Green Finger Chilli Pepper
- 225 g Tin of Pineapple Chunks in Juice 8oz
- 175 ml Chicken Stock ¾ Cup
- 1 tablespoon Curry Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt (plus 1 Pinch)
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast into 7 large chunks.
- Place the chicken in a bowl with the garam masala, a pinch of salt and the lime juice and set aside.
- Peel and cut the onion into a rough 1cm (½") dice.
- Peel and roughly chop the garlic.
- Cut the green chilli into rings.
- Drain the pineapples, reserving the juice from the tin.
- Core and peel the apple, then cut it into a 1cm (½") dice, then place it in some acidulated water to prevent it from browning.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the ghee.When the ghee has melted, add the onion, pineapple, drained apple and chilli pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes stirring regularly.
- Add the garlic and stir for another minute or two.
- Stir through the curry powder, then pour in the reserved pineapple juice and chicken stock and cook on low for 10 minutes. Have a taste during this process and only add the quarter teaspoon of salt if it is required; this will depend on your stock.
- Transfer the sauce to a blender and blitz to form a smooth sauce, then return to the pan.
- Add the chicken to the sauce, give everything a stir and cook with a lid on over a medium-low heat for 12-15 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 73°C or 165°F.
Paula
Monday 3rd of November 2025
Came across this recipe after googling recipes to use up tinned pineapple Wow! Took me straight back to curries from my late teens and my first real taste of anything ‘spicy’. I loved it and had to deviate slightly as I didn’t have an apple or green chilli so added some apple sauce & Kashmiri chilli at the same time as garlic. Highly recommend you do blend the sauce as the texture is heavenly. Very happy to have found this blast from the past and will become a regular monthly curry, also seen some other recipes here I’m keen to try. Thank you for sharing
Gina
Sunday 17th of December 2023
wonderful flavor and aroma, easy to make with standard pantry items.
Gina Strauch
Sunday 17th of December 2023
I made this last night using leftover plain poached rabbit instead of raw chicken. I still left the rabbit sitting in the garam masala and line until adding it to the blended sauce and just lessened the time in the last step to heat the rabbit through. I also added some broccoli to make it a one pot meal. It was wonderful and easy and used things I generally have on hand. Although it might sound a bit odd, I may serve this over sweet potato (yam) mash next time instead of brown rice.
Brian Jones
Monday 18th of December 2023
Glad you enjoyed it Gina, it's a strange old dish born of nostalgia and we love it :)
Ian M
Saturday 29th of August 2020
Just made this tonight. All I can say is WOW, I've tried a few other recipes and they fail greatly compared to yours. My guests don't like heat, so i added the chilli at the start, everyone loved it, and evdn better I have 2 portions to freeze down. Thank you
Brian Jones
Sunday 30th of August 2020
Thanks for taking the time to write Ian and you are more than welcome. We love this curry, it is a bit of throwback to a bygone age when "authenticity" was not the buzzword in food it now is, and I love it for that! We often make up large batches of the sauce and keep it in the freezer for lazy curry nights, it is one of my favourites...
Ian Squince
Tuesday 11th of August 2020
I love pineapple in my food. I have made this dish a few times now, tinkering with it along the way a little. I love a Kashmiri Curry, which is fruit based. This is a fantastic recipe and I look forward to making this dish, usually with twice as much sauce and an extra naan bread to soak it up.