Hawaiian Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
These Hawaiian Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa are absolutely delicious. The chicken is swimming in a sticky teriyaki inspired sauce. The pineapple salsa adds so much freshness and a little heat.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 711kcal
Ingredients
Pineapple Salsa
- 2 cups diced pineapple, fresh or canned
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- 1-2 jalapeños, seeds & membrane removed, finely diced
- ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves & stems
- 2 limes, juiced
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
Sauce
- ⅓ cup canned pineapple juice
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water or chicken broth
- 2 ½ Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil*
- 1 Tablespoon sriracha
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Chicken
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 ½ - 2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss the pineapple, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt until well combined. Chill in the refrigerator.
- In a large liquid measuring cup or mixing bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, toss the avocado oil, chicken, paprika, ginger, garlic, and salt.
- Arrange the chicken in an even layer and turn the heat to medium high. Sear both sides and sauté until almost cooked through.
- Turn the heat to medium. Deglaze the pan with the sauce, scraping any bits off the bottom.
- Simmer until the sauce has thickened and is glossy.
- Assemble the tacos with the chicken and pineapple salsa.
Notes
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Be sure to use toasted sesame oil instead of regular. It has a darker color and much more flavor.
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Use canned pineapple. Fresh pineapple has a delicious flavor but I find for these tacos canned tastes just as good and is much easier. The pineapple is packed in juice that you will use in the sauce.
- Sear the chicken. Be sure to use high enough heat to develop a dark brown color on the exterior of the chicken. This adds tons of flavor.
- Heat the tortillas. I like to char them a bit over the flame on my gas stove. Be careful because they can easily burn. You can also heat them in a large skillet.
Nutrition
Calories: 711kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 87g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 254mg | Sodium: 2002mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 30g