Yes, I do love me some thighs. No not my thighs… Silly. I would REALLY love them if they were just a little bit thinner. Oh yes, if wishes were horses. It’s all about chicken thighs for me. They are meaty, flavorful and pretty inexpensive. And I just love having them around. Don’t tell me you haven’t notice. This Pineapple Chicken is just packed full of flavors – that’s the way we roll around here!

How do you make pineapple chicken?

I took this my favorite chicken thighs here (you’ve got to start with it first if you haven’t already) and infused it with garlicky, sweet, smoky and spicy sauce. Nothing bland happening here. To make this baked pineapple chicken, you start off by pan searing the chicken thighs. Next, you work on the pineapple sauce in the same pan, season it well and let it simmer for a few minutes until it thickens. Then place back the pan seared chicken back to the pan to finish cooking in the oven. See how easy it is? Everything happens in one pan which means lesser clean up. It makes a perfect dinner date night meal, too.

How do you make pineapple sauce for chicken?

Making the pineapple sauce is as easy as browning the pineapple first tossing in all the spices and seasonings then the pineapple juice. Let it simmer and stir in between to achieve your desired thickness. If you want more sauce in your chicken, double it up before you pop the chicken in the oven. As always, adjust the spiciness according to preference, especially when serving to the kids. Caramelized, sweet, succulent pineapple is fortified with pineapple juice, garlic, honey and some heat from the sriracha or scotch bonnet to create a sweet and spicy garlic sauce. Guaranteed to please anyone!

So if you ever get tired of your chicken routine, then grab some chicken thighs or which ever cut of chicken you like- no judging here, toss it on the frying pan and make this pineapple chicken. I always start by browning the chicken on stove top before finishing in the oven. This method frequently produces chicken that stays moist and juicy with a crispy exterior.

Serve it with coconut rice and or vegetables paired with this grilled and black bean pineapple salsa. They just work well together. Enjoy!!!

Tips and Notes:

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”P2YwGtgT” upload-date=”2019-08-03T15:30:41.000Z” name=”Baked Pineapple Chicken” description=”Pineapple Chicken Thighs  in  roast pineapple and slightly garlicky spicy sauce. Juicy, tender and loaded with flavor. A great family meal that would please adults and kids alike.”] This recipe was first published on April 2016 and has been updated with additional content and photos. Trim chicken of excess fat and pat dry with a cloth or paper napkin. Wash chicken thighs, wipe with a paper towel. Combine spices and mix well. Sprinkle both sides with generous amount of the spice blend. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place about 1 tablespoon or more of oil in a cast iron, or frying pan.

Add chicken to the pan and sear for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until slightly browned, it’s going to finish up browning in the oven. Set aside. Clean pan if there are any burns.

In the same pan, add pineapple brown for about 7 minutes or until pineapple is caramelized. Add garlic, onions, smoked paprika and   sriracha sauté for about a minute or two.

Add about 2 cups of pineapple juice and honey bring and to a boil. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes. Adjust for seasoning with about 1-2 teaspoons more of chicken rub spices.

Place the chicken back in the cast iron with a sprig of thyme, then bake for about 35 -40 minutes until chicken is done.

Remove from oven let it cool before serving. You may garnish with parsley.

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