This dish is really interesting and a bit unexpected.  It almost tastes like “Chinese food” because of the sticky sauce but the curry and cayenne add a different dimension of taste.  When I made this recipe, I served it with mashed potatoes and kale chips.  The mashed potatoes were a good choice because the milk in the mashed potatoes help offset the heat of the chicken and pineapple.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice (not syrup)

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons curry powder

pinch cayenne

1 teaspoon corn starch

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. Brown Chicken: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown chicken lightly on both sides, about 4 minutes total.

2. Assemble Glaze: Drain pineapple chunks, reserving 1/2 cup juice.  Whisk reserved pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce, curry powder, and cayenne together.

3. Simmer chicken in glaze: Add pineapple juice mixture and pineapple chunks to skillet and bring to simmer.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until chicken is no longer pink in center and thickest part measures 160 degrees on instant read thermometer, 8-12 minutes.

4. Rest Chicken and Simmer Glaze: Transfer chicken to serving platter, cover with foil, and let rest for 5-10 minutes.  Return glaze to simmer and cook, uncovered, until thickened slightly and glossy, about 8 minutes.

5. Finish Glaze: Add accumulated chicken juices to glaze.  Whisk cornstarch and vinegar together until smooth, then whisk into glaze.  Continue to simmer glaze until thick and syrupy, about one minute.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour glaze over chicken, sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve.