Tropical Sweet Spicy Chicken Rice (Printer-Friendly)
Succulent chicken, pineapple and mango in a sweet-spicy glaze over fluffy rice for bright, balanced flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
→ Rice
02 - 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed
→ Vegetables and Fruits
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
05 - 1 mango, peeled and diced
06 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small red chili, finely chopped
→ Sauce and Seasonings
09 - 3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
10 - 2 tablespoons honey
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon sriracha or sweet chili sauce
13 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Oil and Garnish
16 - 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, such as canola or sunflower
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted cashews or peanuts
# How to Make It:
01 - Cook the rice according to package directions. Fluff with a fork, cover, and keep warm until ready to serve.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sriracha, grated ginger, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, season lightly with salt, and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
04 - Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same skillet. Sauté the sliced red onion, minced garlic, and chopped red chili for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
05 - Add the diced bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender.
06 - Stir in the diced pineapple and mango, cooking for 2 minutes until just heated through without becoming mushy.
07 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet. Pour the prepared sauce over the entire mixture and toss to coat evenly. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until everything is thoroughly heated and the sauce has thickened slightly.
08 - Spoon the chicken and fruit mixture over a bed of fluffy rice. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and toasted cashews or peanuts. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce caramelizes around the fruit and chicken in a way that tastes like you spent three hours when it really took twenty minutes.
- It effortlessly bridges that impossible gap between weeknight practical and weekend dinner party impressive.
02 -
- Do not walk away from the garlic and ginger in the hot pan because they go from fragrant to bitter in seconds flat.
- Adding the fruit too early will break it down into mush, so keep those final minutes brief and gentle.
03 -
- Pat the chicken completely dry before searing because moisture is the enemy of that golden caramelized edge.
- Toasting the nuts in a dry pan for sixty seconds before sprinkling them on top doubles their flavor instantly.