Sticky Pineapple Chicken

Kelly Senyei
10 July 10, 2017
16 Comments

Sticky Pineapple Chicken Recipe

There’s just something about a meal served inside a pineapple that transports me to somewhere beyond my kitchen table. Hawaii, Bora Bora, Fiji, you name the tropical local, and this Sticky Pineapple Chicken will take your taste buds there.

It’s everything you want a takeout-fakeout dish to be—tender chicken tossed in a sweet, tangy, sticky sauce. So saucy that you’ll be tempted to ditch the fork for a spoon so you can scoop up every. last. drop.

Sticky Pineapple Chicken Recipe

My husband played a critical role in the development of this recipe. It began with chicken breasts, a sweeter sauce and a lack of crunch. But with a few tweaks, he took this Sticky Pineapple Chicken from a so-so dish to a real dinner winner.

Sticky Pineapple Chicken Recipe

Chicken thighs are much more moist and tender than chicken breasts (although you can check out the recipe notes for how to swap them in!). And when it comes to added flavor, a handful of roasted, salted cashews works wonders to balance out the tangy sweetness of the fresh pineapple, while also lending a bit of crunch to every bite.

Sticky Pineapple Chicken Recipe

The real show-stopping element is a hollowed out pineapple that serves as the perfect semi-edible bowl for a big scoop of rice and an even bigger scoop of sticky chicken. Of course the pineapple is totally optional, but if you’re taking this dish from a casual weeknight dinner to a lively weekend dinner party, pineapple boats are a must!

Sticky Pineapple Chicken Recipe

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Sticky Pineapple Chicken

PREP: 15 minutes
COOK: 15 MINUTES
YIELD: 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon olive oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup diced pineapple
1/2 cup roasted, salted cashews (optional)
Rice, for serving

Directions

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, chicken stock, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, garlic and cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the mixture has reduced to about 1 cup and is the consistency of thick syrup. Set the sauce aside.

Add the olive oil to a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and season it with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken, stirring, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off any liquids then add the sauce to the pan and stir until combined. Add the pineapple and cashews and cook, stirring, for an additional 1 minute.

Serve the chicken atop a bed of rice.

Kelly’s Note:

For a bit more flair to your presentation, serve the chicken and rice inside a hollowed out pineapple.

If you can't find chicken thighs, you can use 4 medium chicken breasts, however the meat won't be as tender.

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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.

Categories: Entrées, Recipes

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