Chloroplasts, essential organelles for photosynthesis, are also central to various physiological processes critical for growth, development, and stress responses in plants. In addition to contributing to the fixation of atmospheric carbon and producing metabolic energy, chloroplasts also contribute to nitrogen fixation and the synthesis of important biomolecules. Chloroplast biogenesis is a light-exposed process that has evolved to respond to environmental and cellular factors. Chloroplasts are very sensitive to abiotic and biotic stresses and act as both sensors and mediators of plant stress responses. When faced with stress, chloroplasts generate reactive oxygen species and additional signaling molecules to elicit retrograde signaling functions that influence nuclear gene expression to allow the plant to adapt to stress. In addition to this operation, chloroplasts generate secondary metabolites and phytohormones that contribute to anti-herbivory responses in plants. As compelling and interesting findings in plant chloroplast research continue to emerge, it will be increasingly more difficult to ignore their multi-functional roles in plant stress responses. This review will consider the impact abiotic and biotic stresses have on chloroplast biogenesis, stressing the importance of the chloroplast for plant stress resilience and chloroplasts as potential targets for reinforcing crop durability and adaptability through biotechnologies.