Go Back
Print Recipe

Hawaiian Chicken

This excellent "sweet & sour" chicken dish is sweetened with honey instead of sugar. The tang of the apple cider vinegar melds perfectly with the flavors of honey, ginger, garlic, and sweet peppers. 
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Author: Terri @ that's some good cookin'

Ingredients

  • 6-8 pieces bone-in skin-on chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs and legs recommended)
  • salt
  • all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cooking oil
  • 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained--juice reserved
  • chicken broth to add to reserved pineapple juice (see instructions)
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon well minced fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
  • 1 sweet bell pepper, color per choice, cut into 1/4-inch strips
  • 1 small onion, sliced into lengthwise strips (separate strips along ring lines)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish; set aside.
  • Rinse chicken pieces under cool running water; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
  • Sprinkle salt over all sides of chicken pieces. Lightly flour each piece.
  • In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown chicken pieces on both sides. Place chicken in prepared baking dish. Set aside.

For the Sauce:

  • Add enough chicken broth to the reserved pineapple juice to equal 1 1/2 cups of liquid. I was able to reserve a little over 1/2 cup pineapple juice from a 20 ounce can of pineapple tidbits. Pour liquids into a medium sauce pot. Whisk the cornstarch into the liquids until smooth.
  • To the cornstarch and liquid mixture, add the vinegar, honey, ginger and garlic. Whisk together. Heat over medium heat, whisking continuously, until sauce thickens. Pour thickened sauce over the chicken.
  • Bake chicken for 30 minutes, uncovered. Scatter the pineapple tidbits, bell pepper strips, onion strips and sesame seeds over the chicken. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes, or until thickest portions of chicken reach 160-degrees internally.
  • Serve as desired. The sauce tastes great over cooked rice.

Notes

Recipe adapted from "Hawaiian Chicken" in the 1981 edition of Lion House Recipes, p 44.