Good Eating Monday: Ginger Pineapple Chicken Thighs Over Rice!

Welcome back!

This past weekend I randomly decided I wanted the outside of my front door, which has been brown for 20 years, some other color. Since my interior entry has teal accents, I decided on teal.
The fact a new Sherwin-Williams paint store just opened nearby had something to do with it.
The interior garage door was going to get a fresh coat of white, too.

Just two doors.
  That doesn't sound like it'd take a lot of time, does it?

Well, it took from about 1 pm to about 6 pm to get those two doors done. Fortunately, Hubby was helping--or it would have taken me way longer by myself.

The hardware had to be removed, then the front door has glass that had to be taped and the frames had to be taped and the doors had to be gone over with a bit of sand paper, then those plastic frames on the glass required a lot of retouching.

But the result was worth it!
Here's our fresh teal front door!

(The other side is white, if you're wondering.)

There's a brown screen door, too--which I'm holding open for this shot--and a wreath I normally hang, but I'm giving the paint time to cure a few days before re-hanging the wreath.

****

Today's Good Eating Recipe is one I created for dinner a couple days ago and again tonight with random chicken thighs and a can of pineapple slices called, "Ginger Pineapple Chicken Thighs!"

I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cooked them whole, though you could chop them up in the pan after they're partially cooked.
I like them whole because then I can tell portion size and just eat one thigh. 

The thigh brand I buy comes 5 to a pack; other brands can have more or less.

Be sure and get your rice going while you're cooking the thighs!

Ginger Pineapple Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

1 package skinless, boneless chicken thighs (4 to 6)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

Salt to taste

1 can pineapple slices

1/3 cup pineapple juice from can

1/4 cup reduced salt Kikkoman Soy Sauce

1 - 2 Tablespoons grated Ginger

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water (or less)

Optional: One quick-cooking chopped veggie of your choice, such as fresh spinach, sugar peas, zucchini, onions, mushrooms or frozen peas & carrots, etc.
(I have zucchini in the garden, so I used that.)

Directions:

In skillet over med high heat add olive oil & minced garlic. Saute garlic in oil 15 seconds to infuse oil with garlic flavor, then spread oil & garlic around pan and add boneless, skinless thighs. Be sure to open them up flat. Salt chicken thighs lightly.

Cook roughly *10-2 minutes on one side, then turn to other side, salt lightly & cook roughly *10-12 minutes. 

Add pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger and your quick cooking veggie option if you have one. Lower heat to medium, cover and continue cooking *10-15 minutes, stirring and flipping chicken over once or twice.
Now add pineapple slices on top of chicken, cover again and cook *5 minutes. Stir thighs so pineapple mixes into sauce and cook *5 more minutes.till pineapple is heated through.

Combine cornstarch with enough water in a larger measuring cup to liquefy, then using a spoon, add one or two scoops of pineapple/soy sauce from skillet to it to warm it up, then pour your cornstarch mix into the skillet with the chicken & stir. This will thicken the sauce quickly. 

As soon as sauce is thick and chicken thighs are cooked through, serve to plate over rice: 1 thigh and 2 or 3 pineapple per plate.

(And remember you can chop your chicken thighs into chunks if you'd prefer.)

*Note: Cooking times listed are all approximate and may vary depending on the type of skillet you're using and whether you're cooking with gas or electric.
I cook with an iron skillet on a gas stove, which cooks fairly fast.

*****

Eat up, me hearties, yo-ho!