Boneless Chicken Recipe
Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
Hawaiian style dishes usually means just grilling a canned slice of pineapple and dropping it on top of a grilled something. It is not really creative or even all that tasty. You can do better.
If you use fresh pineapple, cut it into tidbits. Put it in a skillet with butter and brown sugar and allow it to caramelize. Do not let the pan get too hot, or you will have burned sugar. Yes, that is technically what caramelizing is, but it does not taste good. Keep the heat low and slow, so the pineapple cooks gradually, and the sugar can be absorbed. You will get a lot of juice too, as it cooks. That is good.
For the chicken, chose boneless skinless chicken thighs, rather than breasts. The thighs are more tender and have far more flavor, and can stand up well to the sweetness of the sugar and pineapple. This dish goes very well with rice. You do not need any other vegetables, as they are all there.
Hawaiian Chicken & Rice
Ingredients -
6 boneless chicken thighs
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
1 ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
1 large onion
1 large green bell pepper
1 large red or yellow bell pepper
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
½ cup soy sauce
Preparation:
Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Prepare the pineapple. Peel the onion and cut it in half, then into thin slices. Seed and cut up the two peppers into julienne strips.
Place the soy sauce and ¼ cup brown sugar in a bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the chicken and let it marinate for about half an hour.
While the chicken takes a swim, melt half of the butter in a pan. Put in the onions and peppers and let them cook until tender. Remove from the pan, leaving the butter in the pan.
Drain the chicken and discard the marinade. Put the chicken in the pan and keep it moving until it is cooked through. Remove and place in the container with the vegetables.
Put in the rest of the butter. Add the pineapple and the sugar. Allow it to cook over low heat until the pineapple is cooked through and the sugar caramelized. Keep a close eye on the pan and stir almost constantly, so the sugar does not burn.
Return the chicken and vegetables to the pan. Stir to combine, and all them to heat through. You can add a little more soy sauce if you think it needs it, or pass it around at the table. Serve over rice.
If you think this may be too sweet for your tastes, eliminate the sugar with the pineapple. Instead, add plain, unsweetened pineapple or orange juice to the pan, and thicken with a little cornstarch.
(Serves 6)
Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
