How To Make Chicken And Pineapple
Here are three things to love – chicken, pineapple and the slow cooker. Put them together and you have a week night meal that feels like your days in Waikiki, without all the hassle of travel and jet lag. Of course, you should take Waikiki over this dish if you can. I mean chicken thighs only go so far. Plus, all that fresh pineapple – YUM! It is good to know how to make chicken and pineapple in the slow cooker!
How To Make Chicken And Pineapple – Almost Just Chicken and Pineapple
Yes, there are other ways to make chicken in the slow cooker, but chicken and pineapple is particularly delicious! To make great chicken and pineapple, keep it simple. Good chicken – I like boneless skinless chicken thighs as they are just plain more flavorful – and fresh pineapple. Yes, canned pineapple can be used, but when I say keep it simple, I always think a little effort where it is really worth it is ok. Fresh pineapple is really worth it here and cutting up a pineapple is not that hard. In fact, in the grocery you can get a peeled, cored pineapple. Cutting it up into chunks is no big deal.
How To Make Chicken And Pineapple – The Braising Liquid
Here is where there are a few more ingredients than just chicken and pineapple. Most of the ingredients are meant to bring some tropicalness to the dish – fresh ginger, fresh pineapple juice (it is worth it if you can get it!), brown sugar (for that molasses and light sweetness), coconut water (chicken stock can be used instead), and a dash of ancho chili powder (a little smoky note and pepper flavor is nice with both the chicken and pineapple – not to much though as it is not BBQ). All of this is whisked together and used as the braising liquid.
How To Make Chicken And Pineapple – The Slow Cooker and Sauce
After 7-8 hours in the slow cooker on low, the chicken is nice and tender and the pineapple is tender, too. All that is left is the sauce. The liquid in the slow cooker is removed and reduced on the stove. It can be thickened with a little corn starch slurry if desired, but I like it more like a jus. The sauce can be added right back to the chicken and pineapple pieces. This is a delicious dish served on rice and topped with some green onion.
The ‘How To Cook Chicken and Pineapple’ video is below. The full recipe follows.
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 2 oz of fresh ginger
- 1 cup of fresh pineapple juice
- 1 cup of coconut water or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup of brown sugar
- 2 tsp of ancho chili powder
- 2 lbs of skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1 lb of fresh pineapple chunks
- 1/2 oz of fresh cilantro
- salt and pepper
- green onions
- Rough chop the onion.
- Peel the ginger. Cut the ginger into large chunks.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, coconut water, vinegar, brown sugar and ancho chili powder.
- Add the onion and ginger to the bowl of a slow cooker.
- Make one layer of chicken thighs. Season with salt and pepper. Add one layer of pineapple chunks. Repeat until all the chicken and pineapple is layered and seasoned.
- Top the chicken and pineapple with the sauce mixture.
- Add the fresh cilantro.
- Cook on low 7-8 hours until the chicken is cooked through and is tender.
- When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the slow cooker with the pineapple.
- Strain and degrease (optional) the liquid left in the slow cooker.
- Place the liquid in a medium pot and reduce it on the stove by about half to three quarters.
- Place the chicken and pineapple back into the bowl of the slow cooker. Add some of the reduced sauce to taste.
- Garnish with sliced green onion. Serve hot with extra sauce.
- This is a delicious dish served upon rice.
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