Sticky Pineapple Chicken

 

Just as Friday nights are synonymous with Fish & Chip suppers here in the UK, you will find that Saturday nights are takeaway nights, where you will find lots of families treating themselves to an Indian or a Chinese meal! 

 

In fact, a lot of the Fish & Chip shops, or chippies will also offer curries and Chinese dishes.  You also find plenty of Takeaway shops that are dedicated to one or the other, and of course no end to Chinese or Indian restaurants. 

 

Our local chippy does Chinese meals, but after trying them once, I found myself feeling highly suspicious of just what we were eating.  I know  . . . it was probably all in my mind, but hey, it is what it is. 

 

That reminds of of a story told me once upon a time by one of my long time friend's husbands.  He used to work in a Chinese Takeaway/restaurant when he was younger, washing dishes.  He also had a boat.  

He was always afraid of someone stealing his outboard motor for his boat, and he used to take it into the kitchen with him while he was working.  One night he discovered after several hours that his engine had been leaking motor oil into the gravy bucket. 

It would appear that the customers had been getting a little bit extra in their gravy that night! 

 

True story or exaggeration?  I dunno . . .  but I have worked in enough restaurant kitchens to know that I don't discount anything.  

The stories I could tell you would make your hair curl. (And I did not work in dives.) This is one of the reasons we don't eat out a lot. I like to see the kitchen and I like to see the cook.  Anyways, I digress . . .

 

Sticky Pineapple Chicken.  This is fabulous! 

 

If you slice all your vegetables ahead of time, and cube your chicken, stir together the sauce ingredients ready to go . . .

  

It is a dish that you can have on the table in not much more than 15 minutes, which is less time than it would take for you to get in the car and go to your local takeaway shops! 

 

Deliciously stick, with just the right amount of sweet, sour and spice . . .  and you know that there is nothing suspicious in it.  Nothing suspicious at all!

   

Just a few simple ingredients put together in a quick and delicious way!

Yield: 4Author: Marie Rayner

Sticky Pineapple Chicken

prep time: cook time: total time:

Chicken, pineapple and peppers  stir fried and combined in a sweet, sticky, lightly spiced sauce.  Quick, easy and delicious.  Any leftovers reheat well.

ingredients:

Stir Fry Ingredients:

• 1 TBS light olive oil
• 1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 each small red, yellow and green pepper
• 2 spring onions

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 567g tin pineapple chunks in juice (20-oz tin) (Juice only, reserve the fruit)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 2 TBS cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 TBS rice wine vinegar
• 1 TBS soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 TBS soft light brown sugar
• Sriracha chili sauce to taste (depending on how spicy you want it)

You will also need:

• Cooked rice to serve

instructions:

1. Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together.  I use about 1 TBS of the chili paste because I don't like really spicy things. I find that about right.  Set aside until you need it.
2. Cut your chicken into bite sized pieces.  Trim your peppers, discarding stems, ribs and seeds.  Cut the peppers into thin strips. You should have about 2 cups altogether.  Slice the spring onions thinly on the diagonal.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet.  Add the chicken and spread it out into one layer. Sprinkle with salt.  Cook on one side until  golden brown, flip over and cook for a few minutes longer.  Add the peppers.  Stir fry and cook for a couple of minutes, until slightly softened.  Pour the sauce ingredients into the pan. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens.  Stir in the pineapple chunks. Cook for a further 6 minutes or so, until the sauce is sticky and everything is well coated.  Stir in the spring onions and serve immediately.

NOTES:

Note - your pineapple juice should equal 180ml/3/4 cup. If it doesn't you can add some orange juice to make up the amount, or water.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

I know you must get tired of me saying this, but its true  . . .  this is quick, easy & delicious.  The leftovers also reheat well, which is why I always cook us the full recipe so that we can enjoy the leftovers for lunch the next day.  Yummy scrummy!