It's one of my family's favourites, and the perfect recipe for dinner. Because the chicken breast with pineapple and mayonnaise isn't a hot meal, it's more like a salad. It can be consumed anytime, like as an appetizer with a glass of white wine.
It's a more modern recipe; our parents didn't make dishes like this. First of all, they didn't mix savoury and sweet flavours, especially meat with fruit.
By the '90s, we started making this recipe, which can be varied. Instead of chicken breast, you can use any chicken meat cut into small pieces. And instead of pineapple, you can use other fruits such as peaches or other canned fruit.
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Ingredients
Now, let's gather our goodies. You'll be happy to know that this recipe calls for simple, readily available ingredients:
- 500 g Chicken Breast: The heart of our dish! We'll dice it up for quick cooking and easy mixing.
- 435 g Pineapple: Canned is perfectly fine here. We'll use both the juice and the chunks for maximum flavour.
- 2 tablespoon Greek Yogurt & 3 tbsp Mayonnaise: These create the creamy base of our dressing, adding a touch of tanginess.
- One Leek & Parsley: A bit of fresh green adds vibrancy and a subtle leeky bite.
- Spices & Seasonings: We'll keep it simple with salt, pepper, onion granules, and thyme – a classic combo that complements both chicken and pineapple.
- 2 tablespoon Soy Sauce: Just a touch for an extra layer of umami depth.
How to Make the Chicken Breast With Pineapple?
Preparing the Ingredients
To start, I clean the skin and fat from the chicken breast, then I cut it into cubes, not very small, about 3-4 cm (1-1.5 inches).
Then, I season the meat with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and garlic powder. I also add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Be careful, though, because soy sauce is salty, so you don't want to add too much salt to the dish overall.
I also prepare the leek, which, after cleaning, I cut in four and chop finely. Instead of leeks, you can use red onions, spring onions, or shallots.
Take out the canned pineapple slices and cut them into cubes, about the same size as the pieces of meat. If you bought canned chopped pineapple, you don't have to cut it anymore. Put the canned juice aside; we will use it too.
Cooking the Chicken Meat
We'll start by making a chicken breast sauté. For this, I heat a deeper pan, in which I put olive oil (or pork lard). When the oil is hot, add the chicken to fry and stir until the pieces of meat turn white on all sides.
Since the meat is already seasoned, I only need to add some fresh thyme because I like it to fry a little too.
After the chicken pieces get some color, add the chopped leek and let it fry for about two minutes.
Then, I add half the quantity of pineapple, cut into cubes, and 50 ml little pineapple juice. Let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
After the meat is cooked through (I cooked it for around 10 minutes), pour all the contents into a bowl and let it cool. During this time, I can prepare a homemade mayonnaise.
Let's Prepare the Dressing!
If you use commercial mayonnaise, put three tablespoons of mayonnaise in a bowl. To this, add two tablespoons of Greek yoghurt, 100 ml of the pineapple juice, half a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, and half of teaspoon of salt.
Mix well until it's smooth and you have a fluid paste. This will be our salad dressing.
Finishing the Salad
After the meat has cooled, add the remaining pineapple and pour the mayonnaise dressing over it. Mix slowly. It's important that the meat is not hot because the mayonnaise can separate when mixed with hot ingredients.
Taste and season with more salt or lemon juice, if needed. Put the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
That's it, this was the chicken breast with pineapple recipe, ready to serve.
Chicken Salad Variations
Here are some variations you could try for the Chicken Breast with Pineapple recipe, to add some excitement and variety:
Fruitful Twists:
- Peachy Keen: Substitute pineapple with diced fresh or canned peaches for a slightly milder sweetness.
- Tropical Medley: Combine pineapple with other tropical fruits like mango or papaya for an fascinating flavour explosion.
- Berrylicious: Add a handful of fresh or frozen berries like raspberries or blueberries for a touch of tartness and vibrant colour.
Protein Swaps:
- Seafood Sensation: Swap chicken for cooked shrimp or flaked canned tuna for a lighter, pescatarian option.
- Vegetarian Delight: Replace chicken with pan-fried cubes of firm tofu or chickpeas for a plant-based version.
How to Serve?
Serve the chicken breast with pineapple salad with fresh bread and with a glass of cold white wine. Crusty bread, like a baguette or sourdough, is the perfect vessel for scooping up the creamy salad.
Or spoon the salad into crisp lettuce leaves for a light and refreshing low-carb option.
How to Store
Transfer the chicken breast with pineapple salad to an airtight container. Make sure it's tightly sealed to prevent air exposure, which can cause the salad to spoil faster. Place the container in the refrigerator as soon as possible after preparing or serving.
The chicken salad will generally stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. However, it's best to consume it sooner for optimal taste and texture.
Top Tips
- Don't Freeze: Freezing is not recommended for this recipe as the mayonnaise-based dressing may separate and become watery when thawed.
- Chill ingredients beforehand: Make sure the cooked chicken and other ingredients are thoroughly chilled before mixing them with the dressing.
- Make-Ahead Option: You can prepare the chicken and pineapple mixture a day in advance and store it separately in the refrigerator. Make the dressing fresh just before serving to ensure the best flavour and texture.
F.A.Q.
Yes, pineapple can soften chicken. This is because pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, which breaks down proteins. So, when pineapple and chicken are in contact for a period of time, the bromelain starts to tenderize the chicken.
Overall, you can rest assured that the pineapple in this recipe will add a delicious flavour dimension without making the chicken unpleasantly soft.
Yes, you can absolutely eat chicken and mayonnaise together. In fact, it's a very common combination in many dishes, such as chicken salad sandwiches, salads with chicken and a mayonnaise-based dressing, and even in baked chicken dishes where mayonnaise is used as part of the coating.
Related
Looking for other delicious salad recipes? Try these:
I recommend you try this chicken breast and pineapple salad, and if you liked it you can also find other salad recipes on our blog such as:
- Green Bean Salad With Garlic Cream
- The Best Greek Salad Recipe
- Tomato Avocado Egg Salad Recipe
- Grilled Apricot Salad Recipe
- Tomatoes Caprese Salad Recipe
- Best Homemade Chicken Salad Recipe
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Chicken Breast with Pineapple Salad
Equipment
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 bowl
Ingredients
From chicken breast
- 500 g chicken breasts
- 435 g pineapple chunks canned
- 1 piece leek
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce dark
- 1 teaspoon sea salt kosher
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon thyme chopped
- 50 ml pineapple juice
- 100 ml olive oil for frying
From mayonnaise dressing
- 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon Greek yoghurt full fat
- 100 ml pineapple juice from can
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon sea salt kosher
- ½ piece lemon juice
Instructions
- Clean the skin and fat from the chicken breast, then I cut it into cubes.
- Season the meat with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and garlic powder. I also add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce.
- The leek, after cleaning, I cut in four and chop finely.
- Take out the canned pineapple slices and cut them into cubes, about the same size as the pieces of meat.
- Heat a deeper pan, in which we put olive oil. When the oil is hot, put the chicken to fry and stir until the pieces of meat turn white on all sides.
- After the chicken pieces get colour, add the chopped leek and the thyme and left about two minutes to frying.
- Add half quantity of pineapple cut in cubes and 50 ml pineapple juice. Let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
- After the meat is cooked through (I cooked it for around 10 minutes), pour all the contents into a bowl and let it cool.
- Put three tablespoons of mayonnaise in a bowl. To this, add two tablespoons of Greek yoghurt, 100 ml of the pineapple juice, half a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, and half of teaspoon of salt.
- Mix well until it's smooth and you have a fluid paste.
- After the meat has cooled, add the remaining pineapple and pour the mayonnaise dressing over it.
- Mix slowly and season if you need with sea salt or lemon juice.
- Put the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
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