Cooking Lesson #885: Hawaiian Sweet & Spicy Pineapple Chicken

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? Island foods—sweet, spicy and sticky cuisine—have changed over the years with some of the most talented chefs leading the innovation.
 
The secret to my sweet, spicy and sticky Hawaiian chicken recipe is my rich marinade made from brown sugar and a handful of aromatics, including sambal oelek, rice vinegar and fish sauce.
 
The chicken roasts with chunks of fresh pineapple. We love how the pineapple juice  steams its way into the meat, combining it with the brown sugar to caramelize and char the skin. I could eat a hundred pieces of Hawaiian Sweet & Spicy Pineapple Chicken every day (okay, that might be slightly hyperbolic)! Take it to a backyard cookout, share it and it will be the star of the show every time.
 
You might arguably say that Hawaiian foods got noticed at the luaus at The Willows Restaurant in Honolulu. Picture this—a luau under a towering monkey pod tree arched over the Willows restaurant. At night the tree branches glittered with white lights and the aroma of luau pig from the imu pit wafts across the patio. I can smell it now.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  50 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sambal oelek
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoon grated garlic
2 pounds split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken legs
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1” thick wedges
1 small shallot, thinly sliced, for garnish, sauteed or fried
2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
 
Directions

1. In a large bowl whisk together the light brown sugar, rice vinegar, sambal oelek, fish sauce, lime juice, red pepper flakes and garlic until smooth and the sugar has mostly dissolved.
2. Place the chicken on a large cutting board and season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Place the chicken in the marinade, making sure to fully coat each piece. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
4. When ready to roast the chicken, preheat the oven to 425° and pull the chicken out of the refrigerator.
5. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the chicken and pineapple wedges on the baking sheet. Pour the remaining marinade on top.
6. Roast for 50 minutes, basting the chicken with the rendered juices about every 10 minutes. The chicken should be deeply browned, caramelized, and register 165° on an instant-read thermometer when done.
7. Transfer the chicken and pineapple to a serving platter.
8. Garnish with the shallots, green onions, and toasted sesame seeds and enjoy.
9. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

ChefSecret:  Make it truly island food… substitute palm sugar for the brown sugar.

Quip of the Day:  Did you ever wake up, kiss the person sleeping beside you and be glad that you're alive?
Apparently, I did and won’t be allowed on Hawaiian Airlines again.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind.