Pininyahang Manok (Pineapple Chicken Recipe)

I love pineapples. I really, really do.

When I go to a pizza place, I order the Hawaiian pizza. At Jollibee, they brought back this thing called “The Amazing Aloha,” which is a double-patty burger that has a pineapple slice between the patties. I once went to a three week workshop and the hotel our group stayed at served a small dish of pineapple chunks for desert everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. By the second week, I was the only one still eating my desert.

So here’s a dish that I would eat pretty much everyday if I could – Pininyahang Manok or, quite literally, Pineapple Chicken. I think it should have a more awesome name; after all, the scientific name for pineapple (Ananas comosus) comes from the word nanas which means “excellent fruit.”

If you can come up with a great name for this dish, go for it!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, cut into serving portions (alternative: ½ kg leg and ½ kg thigh pieces)
• 1 can of pineapple chunks, drained (keep the syrup)
• 1 small can of pineapple juice
• 1 can of evaporated milk
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, cubed
• 1 cube of chicken broth
• 2 medium bell peppers (red and green), chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed

Preparation Time: 30 – 45 mins to marinate the chicken

Cooking Time: 45 minutes – 1 hour

Serves: 3 – 4 people (Just 2 if you and a friend really like chicken and/or pineapples!)

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken in the pineapple chunks syrup and pineapple juice for about 30 – 45 mins. As the chicken marinates, you can continue to the next steps below.
2. Sauté the potato and carrot pieces until they are slightly brown. Set aside.
3. Drain what’s left of the marinade, and set it aside.
4. Sauté the onion and garlic until they are slightly brown.
5. Add the chicken pieces and sauté as well until they are light brown (at least on the outside).
6. Pour in the marinade along with the chicken broth cube and cover the pan. Let it simmer for about 15 – 20 minutes (medium heat) or until the chicken is tender.
7. Add potato, carrot and bell pepper pieces and simmer for 3 – 5 minutes, covered.
8. Add the pineapple chunks and evaporated milk into the pan. Stir well and simmer for 15 more minutes (under medium heat) or until the sauce is thick.

You can flavor the dish with salt, pepper, soy sauce, patis (fish sauce) or sugar. I’ve also seen some versions of this dish where ingredients such as cheese, celery and hotdogs were added, so you can try experimenting to see how you can add your own unique twist. It takes some time to prepare, but it is worth it.

When I think of pineapples, the words tropical, summer, sweet, tangy, bright, and eyes (from that old Tagalog myth about pineapples and why they have ‘eyes’) come to mind so for me, it’s an excellent summer-y dish, especially if you have a tropical-themed dinner.