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Hawaiian Chicken

April 3, 2022

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Hawaiian Chicken

I have only been to Hawaii three times—once when I was very young and all I remember was the large hotel and Honolulu beach. Once after I married Alicia and we went there when she was doing training in the Feldenkrais Method, and once before that shortly after I met her when I stopped off on my way to do a gig in Australia.

What I remember most vividly about that last-mentioned sojourn was that it was there that I decided that I wanted to marry her. This was after just two dates. I was in a camera shop buying some film (yes this was pre-digital—a few of you might remember the days of 35mm) and it suddenly dawned on me that I was going to marry her on April 27. No year was revealed.

Two years later—after we’d had several off-and-on attempts at engagement—on Friday April 24th she declared that if we didn’t get married on Monday it was all off. That Monday was April 27! I had never mentioned the April 27 Hawaiian revelation to her. Curious. We tied the knot at New York Town Hall on that day. Sometimes dreams come true.

The dish I picked up when we were there as a couple was this delightful Hawaiian chicken dish. It’s like a cross between pineapple chicken, sweet and sour chicken, and “brown sugar” chicken. It has a sweet sticky sauce, and delightful chunks of pineapple and peppers, served over rice.

It features barbecue sauce. Do not use a store-bought version—you’ll blow any diet you’re on as its usually full of sugar and nasty stuff. Instead use the sauce recipe I’ve included. That’s yummy and not bad for you.

Ingredients

  • 1kg (2 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
  • Salt—just a little—and pepper to taste
  • 1 large bell pepper diced (red, green or yellow)
  • 1 fresh pineapple diced (or 440 gm tin of pineapple chunks in juice)

Sauce

  • 1 tblsp olive oil
  • 3 tblsp low-salt soy sauce
  • 3 tsp sugar substitute or 2 tblsp raw honey (if using pure stevia powder, two tsps. is ample)
  • 2 tblsp rice vinegar
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tblsp garlic minced
  • ½ cup barbecue sauce (see lo-cal recipe below)
  • ½ cup pineapple juice

Low-calorie barbecue sauce recipe

  • 1/3 cup reduced sugar ketchup/passata
  • 1 ½ tblsp (25mL) Worcestershire Sauce
  • ½ tblsp (7mL) vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar substitute or 1 tblsp raw honey (or 1 tsp of pure stevia powder)
  • ¾ tsp mustard powder/Dijon mustard
  • ¾ tsp garlic powder    
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • Combine and mix all ingredients in a small bowl

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet.
  3. Sear outside until a crust forms. Beware not to overcook.
  4. Remove chicken from pan, add in bell peppers and sauté for 3-5 minutes until tender, remove from pan.
  5. Add sauce ingredients to pan, and bring to a simmer, add chicken back in, and cook on medium-low heat, letting sauce reduce while chicken cooks through.
  6. Add pineapple to pan, and cook a few minutes more, until sauce is thick, sticky, and glossy.

Servings: 6

Energy per serving: 1244 kJ (311 cals)

Dr Bob Murray

Bob Murray, MBA, PhD (Clinical Psychology), is an internationally recognised expert in strategy, leadership, influencing, human motivation and behavioural change.

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