Pineapple Chili Chicken

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This Paleo Pineapple Chili Chicken is the perfect combination of sweet and spice to make for a flavorful and delicious paleo summer meal!

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This was soooo tasty! Pineapple just pairs so well with a lot of things, and I feel it’s the perfect flavor for summer!  And it was delicious in this recipe!

I actually got this idea from my husband and some of the things he grew up eating.  One of those is eating fruit that has been sprinkled with chili powder.  I wasn’t sure about the combination at first, but the flavors actually pair well together and give you a good combination of sweet and spicy.  And the skin of the chicken had a nice little crisp to it.

The sauce for this recipe is divine.  Seriously, when I tasted the sauce I wanted to eat it on it’s own.  And the best thing…I had a little bit of extra sauce leftover after making this recipe, and I’m planning on using it on some burgers with a grilled pineapple slice. YUM!

The spices combined with the sweetness of the pineapple and honey in this Paleo Pineapple Chili Chicken made this a very flavorful and fun to eat meal! You can use whichever part of the chicken you like, but I feel that the thighs or leg quarters yield the best flavor because they are much more tender and moist.  This was definitely a favorite of ours!

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Paleo Pineapple Chili Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Servings: 5 people

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 lbs chicken leg quarters skin-on
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika

For the Sauce

• 1 Tbsp ghee
• 1 cup pineapple diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp chili powder

Optional:

• pineapple slices for topping
• fresh cilantro for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the salt, pepper, onion powder and paprika.  Sear the chicken skin-side down in the skillet for 5 minutes, until it is browned.

3. Transfer the chicken skin-side up to a baking pan.  Roast for 30-40 minutes, until it is done and there is no pink left.

4. Heat the ghee in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the diced pineapple to the skillet and saute for about 5 minutes, until it has become lightly browned and caramelized.

5. Add the minced garlic to the skillet and saute for 2 minutes, until it has softened and become fragrant.

6. Transfer the pineapple and garlic to a food processor and add the remaining sauce ingredients (red pepper flakes, honey, paprika, apple cider vinegar, chili powder) and blend until it becomes smooth. 

7. Remove the chicken from the oven when it is done and brush on both sides with the sauce.  Let it rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

8. Top with sliced pineapple and fresh cilantro and enjoy!