We all know Pizza Hawaii, so why not try the “Pineapple express”. And I don’t mean the movie, but a super quick exotic dish. Chicken and caramelized pineapple combined with coconut and soy sauce make this dish incredibly tasty. Your table and the way of serving the “Pineapple express” will look cooler than ever.
Even if the winter is here now, why not make a dish that looks and tastes exotic. Pineapple is a perfect fruit for that. We all know how to use it in a fruit salad, on a pizza or in a cocktail.
I just love pineapple. It’s sweet, juicy and it has a happy yellow colour. Additionally, pineapple is also budget-friendly. I already bought it for only 1 euro. That’s amazing!
More importantly, if you want to make the dish the same day when buying a pineapple, make sure it’s perfectly ripe. How to check if a pineapple is ripe? That’s the easiest thing ever! Here is the tip. Pull one of the green leaves of the green “crown”. And then what? Well, if the leaf gets out easily, the pineapple is ripe.
I love this dish. I mean, how couldn’t I?! Pineapple caramelized in honey, crunchy bell pepper, salty soy-chicken all in one dish! Glorious! However, if you don’t fancy soy sauce so much, you can use coconut milk instead. I can guarantee that both variants are very tasty. Moreover, the great thing about the pineapple express dish is, that you can make it in only 30 minutes.
In conclusion, if you are looking for more ways how to use pineapple, check this spinach-pineapple braid, a moist carrot pineapple cake or a refreshing pineapple sorbet. Check them out, you are going to love them all. They are all made with pineapple after all. Wink.
Ingredients for 2 portions of Pineapple express:
- 1 pineapple (ripe)
- 300 g chicken (3-4 cm small pieces)
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- 100 ml of pineapple juice
- 6 Tsp of Soy sauce
- 2 Tsp of honey
First of all, wash the pineapple. Maybe it sounds weird, but there are a lot of bacteria on the skin. Then, cut the pineapple in half (lengthwise) without removing the stalk or the crown. Try to make two halves of the same size. Consequently, these two pineapple halves are going to be the plates. Yuppie!
Furthermore, prepare two non-sticking frying pans (one large, one small). In the larger one prepare the chicken. Melt some coconut oil and then add the chicken. Once the chicken is golden brown and the liquids evaporate, add half of the soy sauce and stir.
Then, pour in some pineapple juice and the rest of the soy sauce, stir and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Finish by adding the bell pepper (like that, it will stay crispy).
Use a pineapple as a plate
In the meantime, hollow out the pineapple. With a short knife, cut around the sides. Then cut the inside core across ca 4-5 times, so that you get a nice net pattern. With a spoon scoop out the inside (the cubes) and put it in the smaller pan.
Cook the pineapple for a couple of minutes, until they release the juice. At this point, add the honey. Drizzle it all over the pineapple cubes. Gently shake the pan, turn off the heat and let it slowly melt. Mmmm, delicious!
Finally, fill the two pineapple halves with the juicy chicken and the caramelized pineapple cubes. Serve it just like that (I placed a paper boat tray underneath) and maybe add a spoon as well, in order to scoop out some juices. Surprise your friends or your loved ones with an exotic pineapple express.
Enjoy!
PS
If you like the recipe, if you make the recipe or if you have any new ideas how to improve or change it, let me know in the comments section below or alternatively share your photos and reactions with me on Instagram (@Passionspoon), Facebook or Twitter (@PassionSpoon1). Simply use the hashtag #passionspoonrecipes in your posts. I would love to see them! (wink)
