Hawaiian Chicken Bites

These adorable “all-in-one-bite” chicken skewers will have you popping way too many to count… At least, that’s what happened to me! The pungent combo of sweet and spicy rates super high in my book.

YIELDS ABOUT 48 MINI SKEWERS

• 1 20-oz (570-g) can pineapple chunks (reserve ¾ cup juice for the sauce)
• 2 large green peppers, cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) squares
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• sesame oil, for drizzling
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• salt and chili powder, for sprinkling

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN CUBES

• 1½ lbs (680 g) chicken cutlets, cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) cubes and patted dry

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1½ tsp teriyaki sauce

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 3–4 Tbsp oil, for frying

• ½ cup cornstarch, for dredging

PINEAPPLE DIPPING SAUCE

• ½ cup reserved pineapple juice

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp oil

• 3 Tbsp brown sugar

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce

• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

• ½ Tbsp chicken soup mix

• 2 Tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in ¼ cup reserved pineapple juice

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Place pineapple chunks and pepper squares on a baking sheet. Drizzle with vegetable and sesame oils and sprinkle with brown sugar, salt, and chili powder. Toss together to coat well, then spread out evenly on the baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 30–40 minutes, or until edges are browned, mixing midway through the cooking time.

Meanwhile, prepare the chicken: Toss chicken cubes with sesame oil, teriyaki sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Place cornstarch in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in cornstarch and shake off the excess.

Fry chicken on both sides until lightly browned, about 3–4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.
For the dipping sauce, place all ingredients aside from the cornstarch slurry in a small saucepan. Whisk until well combined and bring to a boil over a medium heat. Add cornstarch dissolved in the remaining pineapple juice and bring to a low boil, cooking until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.

To assemble, thread a piece of pineapple, a piece of green pepper, and a chicken nugget, in that order, onto a 5-inch (12½-cm) skewer or toothpick. Serve with dipping sauce. Best if served warm but may also be served at room
temperature.

Tip: This dish can easily be converted into an easy weeknight supper by placing the roasted pineapple and peppers into a 9x13- inch (20x30-cm) pan along with the fried chicken nuggets. Toss with hot pineapple dipping sauce and serve over rice.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 718)