Caribbean Chicken

You know where you’re headed today? Flavor Town, courtesy of this easy Caribbean chicken dish. It’s a bright and tasty base for many different takes on dinner, whether you serve it over rice, with a hearty bread or even scooped over a bed of greens to form a uniquely appealing salad.

This is a one-pot dish that comes together easily and cooks up fast, so keep it in mind for those busy weeknights when you want a satisfying meal but don’t feel like doing much work. The hardest part of the whole process will be not sneaking a few bites before you serve the rest of the family.

Caribbean Chicken Ingredients

• Olive oil: You can use a different oil if need be, but olive oil is really the best choice here, as it adds some pleasant flavor.
• Chicken breasts: This recipe calls for 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Garlic-herb seasoning blend: Use just the 2 teaspoons of this potent seasoning mix. Add much more, and you’ll throw off the flavor profile.
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: Add the can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes without draining off the liquid first.
• Unsweetened pineapple chunks: Use one 8-ounce can of unsweetened pineapple chunks, and this time don’t add the juice from the can. Even unsweetened pineapple juice will add too much sweetness.
• Barbecue sauce: Choose your favorite barbecue sauce for this dish, be it sweet, smoky or spicy. Or a mix of the three.
• Hot cooked rice: The rice is optional, but it really is one of the best sauce-soaking vehicles for this tangy Caribbean chicken recipe.
• Fresh cilantro leaves (optional): The fresh cilantro is also optional, which will be welcome news to those in the “cilantro tastes like soap” camp.

Directions

Step 1: Season and saute the chicken

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In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and seasoning, and saute the chicken until it’s lightly browned and no longer pink, about five minutes.

Step 2: Add the tomatoes and pineapple

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Add the tomatoes, pineapple and barbecue sauce. Bring the pot to a boil, cooking and stirring until the flavors are blended and the chicken is cooked through, five to seven minutes more.

Step 3: Enjoy!

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Serve the chicken with rice and, if desired, cilantro.

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Caribbean Chicken Variations

• Spice it up: If you like heat when you eat, add a teaspoon of hot sauce along with the barbecue sauce. (You can also simply use a spicy barbecue sauce, as noted above.)
• Try it with pork: This same flavor profile works well with pork. Follow the recipe just as it’s laid out here, using boneless pork chops, cut into cubes, and make sure to note the internal temperature of the meat, cutting the heat when it hits 145°F.
• Use fresh tomatoes: If you don’t have a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, just chop up about 2 cups of fresh tomatoes and toss those in instead.

How to Store Caribbean Chicken

This dish will keep well in the fridge for about two days. Store it in airtight containers, and reheat it in the microwave or in a pan with a splash of broth.

Caribbean Chicken Tips

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What is the safe final cooking temperature of the chicken?

Always cook chicken until a food thermometer reads an internal temperature of 160° before you cut the heat. It will continue to cook for a little while, reaching 165°.

Can I use fresh pineapple?

Of course! If you have fresh pineapples on hand, they’re great for this dish instead of the canned. Add about 1 cup of chopped fresh pineapple.

What does this Caribbean chicken recipe taste like?

The flavors of this dish will remind you of a pineapple pizza with barbecue chicken, and it goes great with hearty slices of bread.