I like making pineapple vodka. Mostly because it's delicious, but also because I love grilling pineapple in warmer months and can't bear to waste the pineapple core … so I cube it (and some of the peel), toss it into a quart canning jar, and fill it to the brim with vodka. Then I seal it and shake it about once a day for a week or three, drain and filter it (I use coffee filters), and enjoy in drinks or as a pleasant surprise in sauces like the one in this quick and clever summer stir fry.
If you don't have/haven't made pineapple vodka, fear not. You can use pineapple juice or even ginger beer if you'd like a gingery snap in the sauce. You can use any color of bell pepper, but I really like how the red looks. And I do tend to use some of the leftover aforementioned grilled pineapple in this dish, but sliced fresh pineapple chunks will also do. If you do not have toasted sesame oil, choose a high smoke point oil for your stir-frying.
I served this over a fried rice made with brown rice, mushroom soy sauce, shredded carrots, and peas. I made jasmine tea and we had ginger cookies for dessert. It was lovely. If would also be great on steamed rice or even tucked into lettuce wraps. However you choose to serve this, enjoy!
Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups fresh pineapple chunks - I grilled mine first, but fresh also works!
- 1 small white onion, sliced into thin wedges
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (about 2 large cloves)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ¼ cup pineapple vodka or pineapple juice or ginger beer
- ¼ cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- Rice* for serving
Heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and set aside. Do not wipe the skillet clean.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in the same skillet over medium-high. Add the pineapple and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper, garlic, and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the pineapple vodka (or pineapple juice or ginger beer), teriyaki sauce, and fish sauce; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the cooked chicken; cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is heated and well coated in sauce, about 1 minute.
* Serve over steamed brown or white rice or fried rice.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes