Easy and Exotic Pineapple Chicken

I have a question for you. How many times a month do you eat the same meal? If you are like me, you can easily get stuck in the same predictable meal rut. You know the one. It’s the rut where you don’t even need to take a list with you to the supermarket. You just keep buying the same things, over and over again. So very boring and sad, really.

It’s time to change things up! Today, I want to motivate you to take your meals (well at least one meal) to the next level with Easy and Exotic Pineapple Chicken. This is all about creating a quick and totally epic chicken meal. I made it last night for my family and my son said “This dinner makes me feel like I am on vacation.” #wootwoot #bestmomever #winnerwinnerchickendinner #Iwillstopnow

I’ve included the recipe below, it is just a few ingredients which makes it simple and straightforward. I have to say that I loved preparing this dish! I was not expecting it to turn out as well as it did. The chicken was so flavorful and there was only a hint of pineapple. It was just the right amount to add a little sweetness, but still let the chicken take center stage.

But, honestly the best part of this process was seeing the faces of my family when I served it to them. It was something totally unexpected and they were practically speechless. It’s a 30-minute meal that’s super easy to make and delivers major wow factor.

Ingredients (serves 4 people):

Two ripe pineapples
Approximately 2 cups of your favorite chicken recipe (I bought chicken kabobs from Whole Foods that was marinated in peanut satay, but curried chicken would be amazing with the pineapple too).
2 cups of cooked rice (I used Whole Foods frozen jasmine rice and microwaved it for 3 minutes)
2 tablespoons of olive oil (if sauteing the chicken)
Butter, salt and pepper to taste

Grill or begin to pan fry the chicken over medium heat. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice (if cooking in the traditional way) and then make the pineapple bowls. To begin, halve the pineapples from top to bottom. Using a sharp knife, cut the pineapple flesh into sections and scoop out the pineapple. You will want to leave about 1/4 an inch of the skin of the pineapple. You can reserve/refrigerate the pineapple flesh if you want to eat it later.

When the chicken is fully cooked, transfer about 1/2 cup into one side of the pineapple bowl and add about 1/2 cup of rice to the other side. If there is leftover gravy from the chicken, drizzle it over the rice. Or add butter, salt, and pepper to the rice to season. Serve immediately and be prepared for delighted faces!

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sarah o’brien

connecticut in style

easy and exotic pineapple chicken