Quick Caribbean Pineapple Chicken

Tish's Note:

This is a quick adaptation of an old favorite. This looks like you spent a lot more time in front of your stove. Can be quite pretty to look at too!

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 8 slices pineapple
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, slightly pounded
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 lime, juice of
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 pinch ground red pepper
• minced cilantro (optional)
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix water, honey, soy sauce, lime juice, coconut extract and red pepper.
2. Set aside.
3. Cut pineapple slices in half.
4. In a nonstick skillet, sauté in oil over medium heat until slightly browned.
5. Set aside.
6. Rub chicken breasts with garlic.
7. Dredge in flour until thoroughly coated.
8. In pan juices, sauté chicken over medium heat until browned,about 2 minutes.
9. Turn and brown other side.
10. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
11. Rinse or wipe pan.
12. Note: you don't need to cook the chicken in this step; you're just browning the flour coating so that it sticks to the chicken while it's simmering in the sauce.
13. Cooking the flour also prevents a pasty flavor.
14. Pour honey-soy mixture into pan.
15. Return chicken to pan and simmer in honey mixture for 12-15 minutes over low heat.
16. Turn chicken once during cooking being careful not to tear the coating.
17. Note: Make sure the sauce is only simmering.
18. If the heat is too high, the mixture bubbles vigorously and burns, ruining the flavor of the dish.
19. Serve over rice.
20. Serve with snow peas or broccoli, arranged decoratively with pineapple.
21. Garnish with a sprinkle of cilantro and crushed red pepper, if desired.

Reviews

[Molly53]

Made this to recycle some baked chicken breasts from the night before and had all the ingredients except the coconut. I used the pineapple juice from the can for the liquid instead of water and reduced the honey a little so that it wouldn't be too sweet. I simmered the breasts for about 1/2 hour so that they were fully heated and served them as suggested with rice and broccoli. I think that sauteed chunks of bell pepper would also be nice in the sauce.

[Pearlsb4swine]

This was wonderful and will be a part of my permanent repertoire.

[MellowCellist]

This had a great "island-y" flavor - perfect for summer! I tasted the coconut more than the pineapple - loved it. We served with sugar snap peas and couscous. Fantastic recipe!