Description
Are you searching for a weeknight dinner that breaks out of the boring routine? This delicious Pineapple Chicken and Rice recipe is your answer! Tender, juicy chicken breasts are pan-seared and then simmered in a luscious, sticky-sweet and tangy sauce made from pineapple juice, honey, and Dijon mustard. Served over a bed of fluffy rice with warm pineapple slices, this pineapple chicken dish is an absolute crowd-pleaser that brings a taste of the islands to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1.5 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 1 (20 oz.) can Canned Sliced Pineapple (in juice)
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 4 servings Cooked Rice (Jasmine or Basmati), for serving
Instructions
- Season and Brown Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear for 3-5 minutes per side, until a deep golden-brown crust forms.
- Prepare Sauce Components: While the chicken browns, drain all the juice from the canned pineapple into a measuring cup. Set the pineapple slices aside. In a small bowl, whisk the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 ounces (¼ cup) of the reserved pineapple juice until smooth (this is your “slurry”).
- Mix the Sauce: In a larger bowl, whisk together the remaining pineapple juice, the Dijon mustard, honey, and minced garlic.
- Simmer the Chicken: Pour the Dijon-honey-garlic mixture into the skillet with the chicken. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F).
- Thicken the Sauce: Remove the cooked chicken to a plate. Re-whisk the cornstarch slurry and pour it into the simmering sauce in the skillet, whisking constantly. The sauce will bubble and thicken almost immediately (1-2 minutes).
- Finish the Dish: Reduce the heat to low. Return the chicken breasts (and any juices from the plate) to the skillet. Turn the chicken in the thickened sauce to coat. Arrange the reserved pineapple slices in the pan, cover, and cook for 2-3 minutes to heat the pineapple through.
- Serve: Serve the chicken and pineapple slices hot over a bed of fluffy cooked rice, spooning a generous amount of the extra sauce over everything.
Notes
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Sear the chicken in batches if necessary. A good golden-brown sear builds a ton of flavor that will be the foundation of your pan sauce.
- The Slurry is Key: The cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + cold/room temp pineapple juice) is the secret to a glossy, thick sauce that clings perfectly to the chicken. Make sure it’s lump-free before adding.
- Simmer for Tenderness: Simmering the chicken in the sauce not only cooks it through but also makes it incredibly tender and infuses it with the pineapple-mustard flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Dinner, One-Pan Meal
- Method: Searing, Simmering
- Cuisine: American, Tropical
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 585 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
