Pineapple Chicken bites

Last weekend, Rachelle had a house party at the old apartment we used to share. I promised i'd help make some food for the party. The party was a tropical theme and she really wanted to have food that reflected the theme. So I looked up recipes online and chose to make Pineapple chicken. I also made Lemon bars (my second try, but this time with homemade crust), and coconut jello. The Lemon Bars were quite popular. I already received an email for the recipe. But this blog is about the chicken.

When I first made it, I tried to get Kevin's opinion on it. But he wouldn't eat it. He's afraid to try new things...either that or he's just afraid of my cooking. When he finally had it at the party, he said they were yummy and would ask me to make them again.

The original recipe is to make chicken skewers and cook them on the grill. But I just cooked them on the skillet.

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup light soy sauce
• 2 pounds chicken cut in cubes or strips

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Remove from heat just before the mixture comes to a boil. Let it cool.
2. Place chicken tenders in a medium bowl. Cover with the pineapple marinade, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
3. On the stovetop: remove chicken from the marinade and cook in the skillet. The sauce will thicken and caramelize on the chicken. If you wish, you maybe boil the sauce to serve on the side. I boiled it until it reduced to a thick sauce. On the Grill: Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread chicken lengthwise onto wooden skewers. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken tenders 5 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. They cook quickly, so watch them closely.

I decided I didn't have enough chicken, so I cut some more and did not marinade the second batch. The sauce coated it nicely, but the chicken wasn't as tender and tasty as the ones I marinaded overnight. I used the juice from a can of pineapple chunks. I will most likely try this recipe again and serve it on rice.