Pineapple Chicken Bowls

A BRIGHT tangy complete meal idea for your week ahead!

I’m daydreaming of many warmer days ahead, what about you?!

Ready to shake off these doldrums, with the exotic taste of fresh pineapple as a stand-in for an island vacation I’m likely not going on any time soon. We’ve been enjoying tropical fruits this past month at our house because I’ve noticed they’re plentiful at our local grocers right now. On sale too!

Although fresh pineapple is available year-round throughout most of the US, this island fruit hits its peak from March through July.

Besides being completely DELICIOUS, fresh Pineapple is packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and other helpful compounds, such as enzymes that can help support digestion, fight inflammation and disease.

Serve over cauliflower rice, quinoa, or brown rice and alongside steamed broccoli, but don’t forget a good sprinkle of cilantro or scallions!

ALWAYS use freshly-squeezed lime juice from an actual fresh lime. Bottled lime juice from the store will give your salsa a strange metallic or overly acidic taste.

Want to get the most juice possible from each of your fresh limes? Of course, we do! Here’s a quick trick:

On your counter or a cutting board, press and roll the lime back and forth very firmly with your hands.

The rolling loosens and breaks down some of the citrus membranes and makes the outside a little more pliable. This makes it easier to squeeze which also means you’ll likely get more juice from your squeeze.

Let me know how this works for you!

Tomato puree is a thick puree made by cooking and straining fresh tomatoes. The main difference between tomato puree, and tomato sauce is the consistency; tomato puree is thicker and has a deeper flavor than tomato sauce.

For Meal Prep:

Place your leftovers into glass food prep containers in the fridge to reheat for future meals throughout the week. The flavor only gets better the next day! I would recommend storing this dish in the fridge for 4 days max. Pineapple actually tastes amazing heated up or cold, so these are useful for any lunch situation your day may bring.

4 servings

Ingredients:

Pineapple Salsa:

• 2 cups fresh pineapple, diced small
• 3 fresh green onions, finely sliced
• 1 red chili pepper, seeded and chopped
• juice of 1 fresh lime

Chicken:

• 1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsps avocado oil or olive oil, divided to cook the chicken in batches

Serving:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
• large bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
• a handful of unsweetened dried coconut flakes
• fresh lime wedges

Pineapple Sauce:

• 1/3 cup coconut aminos, Braggs liquid aminos, low sodium soy sauce, or tamari
• 1/3 cup fresh pineapple juice
• 1 Tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup tomato puree
• 1 Tbsp Arrowroot powder, or cornstarch
• 2 fresh garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:

Prepare your pineapple salsa ingredients then combine everything in a glass bowl and set aside in the fridge.

Chop the chicken, pat dry with a paper towel, and season lightly with sea salt and pepper.

Preheat your oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the chicken and cook in several batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. This helps to get those nice crisp edges and tender insides.

Saute until nicely golden brown and cooked through.

In a large bowl, whisk all of your pineapple sauce ingredients together really well.

Once the chicken is finished cooking place it all back into the hot skillet over medium heat then drizzle in your pineapple sauce. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon and allow the sauce to thicken a bit and to completely coat the chicken.

Serve your chicken with sauce over cooked brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice, then top with a big spoonful of your fresh pineapple salsa, fresh cilantro, limes wedges, and shredded coconut.

Enjoy!

Rachel

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