Can you marinate chicken too long in pineapple juice?

The bromelain enzyme in pineapple juice, for instance, is notorious for turning meat into mush very quickly, so much so that some cooks suggest marinating chicken breasts for only 15 minutes to prevent that from happening.

Does pineapple tenderize chicken?

Yes! Pineapples have an enzyme that's great for tenderizing meat . While you can use pineapple juice on chicken (an acquired taste), it would be better to go or tougher red meat like pork.

Does pineapple break down chicken?

Bromelain, the group of enzymes in fresh pineapple, is excellent at breaking down the connective tissues in thick, fibrous chicken breasts . In this simple marinade, grated pineapple completely alters the texture of the breast meat, resulting in something that's akin to luscious dark meat.

Can you use canned pineapple juice in marinade?

Canned pineapple juice is good for more than just piña coladas — here we combine it with soy, vinegar, and garlic for a marinade and sauce to go with chicken .

What happens if you don't marinate chicken for long enough?

Most recipes for marinating meat and poultry recommend six hours up to 24 hours. It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy .

What is the best ingredient to tenderize chicken?

We recommend marinating your chicken in buttermilk or yogurt overnight, but if it's urgent, then an hour will do. However, the texture of the chicken won't be as even as chicken marinated overnight. The process is simple: you only have to immerse the chicken in a container with enough yogurt or buttermilk and seal it.

What is a natural tenderizer for chicken?

Velveting is a simple process of using baking soda or a mixture of egg whites, cornstarch and oil to marinate and tenderize economical cuts of steak, chicken and other meats before cooking. Velveting meat softens fibers to reduce toughness and enhance juiciness for maximum flavor and tenderness.

Does pineapple make chicken mushy?

If raw pineapple or the fresh juice is used in a marinade, the meat or poultry starts to break down, becoming mushy .

Can I use canned pineapple to tenderize meat?

Unfortunately, it won't . You need it to be fresh. You see, it's not the acids in the pineapple that does any of the tenderizing (or at least, not to much extent).

Does canned pineapple have bromelain?

Canned pineapple works wonderfully well in gelatin recipes or as a marinade. Fresh pineapple cannot be used because of a natural enzyme called “bromelain” . The heat process used in canning pineapple destroys this enzyme, allowing canned pineapple to be used in a variety of recipes.

How long can you marinate in pineapple juice?

Know the soaking time: As pineapple is acidic in nature, the resting time for the marinade should not be more than 12 hours . Soaking the meat in pineapple juice for longer may result in the cooking of the meat in the marinade.

How long can you marinate meat in pineapple?

More is not always better when it comes to marinating animal proteins, especially when there are acidic ingredients such as pineapple and/or vinegar involved. Add pork into the mixture for 2 to 8 hours . For chicken, marinate for 2 to 4 hours.

How long to let meat sit in pineapple juice?

if you leave it in a bag with pineapple juice for an hour or 2 it will help marinades get into the streak better and make it some what more tender. If you leave it in all night however you will have a very mush grainy steak.

Pomegranate Pineapple Chicken Recipe (2024)

Published: May 9, 2019 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

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Pomegranate Pineapple chicken is the perfect dinner. Juicy chicken cooked in a pomegranate pineapple marinade is very delicious.

Winner winner, chicken dinner. Do we ever have enough chicken recipes? I don't think so. But if you're looking for out of this world flavors for your next dinner, give this pineapple chicken a try! Other favorite chicken recipes are zereshk polo morgh (Persian barberry rice with chicken) andSweet and Sour Chicken Wings.

Baked pineapple chicken

I'm always looking for extra flavors when it comes to cooking. This flavor can come from a new ingredient or spice or maybe even a new way of cooking. In this case, it was adding some pomegranate molasses to a pineapple chicken marinade. It adds that extra tang to the chicken that will kick it up a notch. This pineapple chicken is different from the other ones you've had thanks to the addition of pomegranate molasses.

I love this baked chicken recipe because it require very small effort and the oven does most of the work. The flavors are on point and it's a very good alternative to the usual chicken dishes out there. topped with some pomegranate arils, this chicken dish can be a showstopper at your next party's dinner table.

Pineapple chicken ingredients

You need a few ingredients to make this tasty and easy baked pineapple chicken:

Chicken thighs: bone-in and skin-on
Pomegranate molasses: available at many supermarkets as well as ethnic food stores. Learnhow to make pomegranate molasses at home.
Brown sugar, ketchup and honey: to balance the flavors
Canned pineapple: make sure to separate the juice and the fruit as each will be used separately.
Onion
Garlic

How to make pineapple chicken

Start by making the pomegranate pineapple sauce. In a sauce pan, mix pomegranate molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, honey and pineapple juice. Cook over medium heat so that the flavors are well combined. Slice the onion and mince the garlic. Place them at the bottom of an oven safe dish and place the chicken thighs on them.

Pour the pomegranate pineapple sauce over the chicken and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. Flip and cook for another 25 minutes until they're fully cooked. You can test a bit to make sure the chicken thighs are cooked completely, or use an instant thermometer which should register at 165°F if inserted into the meat.Turn on the broiler to crisp the skin and serve baked pineapple chicken warm with your favorite side dish.

Do I need to marinade the chicken?

It's always best to marinade the chicken ahead of time. I have tried both approaches for this baked chicken recipe and the marinated chicken always results in a more flavorful dish. You can make the marinade by cooking it over medium heat for a few minutes and let it cool, then add it to the chicken thighs and marinade for a few hours to overnight. Once ready to cook, follow the instructions in the recipe to bake the chicken in the oven.

Can I use chicken breast for this recipe?

Both chicken thighs and breast would work for this recipe. For pineapple chicken breast recipe, the cooking time will be about 40 minutes, but check for doneness before serving and if the chicken is not cooked completely, cook it a bit longer.

Instant pot chicken thighs

It's so easy to make this easy chicken recipe in the instant pot. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the instant pot and press "saute" function. Sear the chicken thighs in the instant pot for about 4 minutes on each side and set aside. Add all the ingredients for the pineapple sauce to the instant pot and cook using the saute function for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken thighs, onion and garlic to the instant pot. Lock the lid and press the "pressure cook" function and set the timer for 10 minutes. Do a natural release for 5 minutes and then a quick release.

Slow cooker pineapple chicken recipe

To make pineapple chicken in crockpot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute chicken thighs on both sides until it's golden brown, about 10 minutes total. Make the pineapple sauce as instructed in the recipe and transfer the chicken thighs, onion, garlic and the pineapple sauce to the slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Check to make sure the chicken is cooked completely.

What to serve with baked chicken and pineapple

I love serving this delicious and easy baked chicken dish with some white rice or brown rice. A side of garlic mashed potatoes would work as well. Side salads such as cucumber tomato avocado salad compliment this dish very well, too.

Notes and tips to make this chicken recipe

You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken thighs or breast cut into chunks. Cooking time may vary.
Make this into a spicy pineapple chicken dish by adding 1 ½ teaspoon sriracha to the pineapple sauce.
If you have time, sear the chicken in some olive oil over medium high heat to brown the skin before adding the sauce. This step is not necessary but it adds more flavor to the dish.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two days. I don't recommend freezing this chicken dish when it's fully cooked. However, you can marinade the raw chicken in the sauce and freeze it up to 2 months with the marinade. To cook, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and the cook according to the recipe.

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