Description
A delightful Pineapple Chicken and Rice recipe combining tender chicken breasts with a tangy and sweet pineapple mustard sauce, served over fluffy cooked rice. This dish balances savory and fruity flavors, perfect for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 and a half pounds boneless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Sauce
- 1 can (20 oz.) sliced pineapple, juice reserved
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
To Serve
- 4 servings of cooked rice
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry and season evenly with dried thyme, salt, and pepper to enhance the flavor.
- Brown the chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat and brown the chicken on both sides until golden but not fully cooked, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Prepare pineapple: Drain the pineapple slices from the can, reserving the juice to use in the sauce.
- Mix cornstarch slurry: Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 ounces of the reserved pineapple juice and set aside; this will thicken the sauce later.
- Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the remaining pineapple juice, Dijon mustard, honey, and minced garlic until well blended.
- Simmer chicken with sauce: Pour the mustard mixture over the chicken in the pan, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 15 minutes to cook the chicken through and meld flavors.
- Thicken the sauce: Remove the chicken temporarily, stir the cornstarch slurry into the pan sauce, and bring it to a boil to thicken the sauce, stirring constantly.
- Combine chicken and pineapple: Return the chicken to the pan, add the pineapple slices on top, cover, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to heat through and blend flavors.
- Serve: Plate the cooked rice and top with the pineapple chicken and sauce for a delicious complete meal.
Notes
- Ensure the chicken breasts are of even thickness for uniform cooking.
- Use fresh garlic minced finely for better sauce flavor.
- You can substitute honey with maple syrup for a different sweetness profile.
- Serve with steamed vegetables to add more balance and nutrition.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
