NomEatNom - Chicken and Pineapple Stir Fry with Fresh Cilantro

If you remember my Moroccan Chicken, you’ll recall my devotion to all things spicy and sweet. I’m known for tossing a handful of raisins into a pasta sauce, throwing in a bit of dates or prunes along with my vegetables to go with a roast…nom nom nom!!

However, I must say that my favorite sweet flavor to be combined with a bit of spice is pineapple.

Ahhhh, pineapple!!!

In fact, anytime we go out for Thai, you can just about guarantee that I will order whatever dish they have that involves pineapple! I will sometimes tell myself that I’m going to try something new instead, but I just can’t seem to pass up the opportunity to enjoy the golden sweetness of pineapple mixed with spicy Thai nomminess!

It’s hard to believe that I was once allergic to pineapple’s golden goodness. That’s right, as a young child, I would break out into hives whenever I ate it. Needless to say, I’m so incredibly happy that I outgrew that allergy!

So, when the hubs came home with a bag of fresh snap peas AND fresh pineapple (both on a major sale — YAY!), I knew we were destined for a sweet and spicy stir fry.

Sweet. Spicy. Nommmmmmmy.

Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry
(Serves 4 to 5)

Ingredients:

1 T coconut oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and finely diced
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds chopped boneless, skinless chicken breast (I marinated mine in yogurt whey to make it extra tender, but this is optional)
Sea salt, according to taste
Pinch or two of crushed red pepper
1 tsp. all-purpose seasoning (e.g. Mrs. Dash)
1 tsp. ground ginger
Several shakes of Garlic Chili Pepper Sauce (I didn’t measure, but it was around a tablespoon or two)
1 cup baby carrots, chopped
3 cups snap peas
3 cups fresh pineapple, chopped
Juice of two limes
4 to 5 T fresh pineapple juice
1 1/2 T coconut flour
1/2 cup fresh chopped fresh cilantro (plus a little extra for sprinkling!)
2 to 3 cups steamed brown rice (1 cup uncooked…I steamed mine in yogurt whey, but you could use broth or water, if desired.)

Heat the coconut oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic to the pan. Stir for about 30 seconds until the garlic is golden, then stir in the chicken. When the chicken is lightly browned, add all of the vegetables and seasonings to the pan.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine half of the lime juice, all of the pineapple juice, and the coconut flour. Whisk until evenly combined and smooth.

When the vegetables are almost tender, stir the liquid mixture into the wok. Then, stir in the pineapple. Allow the mixture to simmer until the liquid has reached your desired consistency.

Serve over a bed of brown rice. Top each serving with a bit of the remaining lime juice and a few sprinkles of cilantro.

What’s your favorite sweet and spicy combo??