My friend Linda and I both made this dish right after it was published in the NYT recently, with great success! The pineapple is used in both the salsa and the marinade. Enzymes in fresh pineapple break down the tissue in the chicken breasts; tenderizing as well a flavoring it. Recipe author Eric Kim cautions not to leave the chicken in the marinade more than about 15 minutes or it will fall apart during cooking. The next time I have fresh pineapple I will definitely be making this again!
3 packed Tbs. dark brown sugar
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. fish sauce
2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for cooking
1 tsp. kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup diced fresh pineapple (1/2-inch chunks)
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh cilanro
2 Tbs. finely grated fresh pineapple, including accumulated juices
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Cooked white rice, for serving
In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, 2 Tbs. olive oil, salt, garlic powder, ground cayenne and black pepper. Transfer 1 Tbs. of this marinade mixture to a separate medium bowl and add the diced pineapple, red onion and cilantro. This is your salsa; toss until will mixed and set aside.
Add the grated pineapple and its juices to the marinade mixture in the large bowl, then add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes (and no longer).
Once the chicken is done marinating, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken pieces, leaving any marinade behind, in a single layer so that they don’t touch and let cook until the bottoms are browned, 2-3 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides and no longer pink on the inside, 4 to 5 minutes more.
Serve the chicken over rice and top with reserved pineapple salsa. Serves 4.
{ 0 comments… add one now }