My Version of Southern Living’s Island Chicken and Rice

I have been making the dish for a long time now. The first time I made it, Patrick and I were living in our first apartment, and he has loved it ever since! I like it too, because it is pretty easy and everything cooks in one large skillet, which makes clean-up easy!

Ingredients:

2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breast
Salt
Pepper
Crushed red pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 (13.5oz) can coconut milk
¾ cup pineapple juice from pineapple slices or chunks

Directions:

Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
Brown chicken in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 1-2 minutes each side. You just want to brown chicken not cook it through, or it will be over done later.
Remove chicken from skillet and drain extra oil from pan .
Add butter to skillet and melt, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; add 1 chopped onion, and sauté approx 4mins or until soft. Add rice, sauté 4mins; add garlic, and sauté 1min. Stir in chicken broth and next 3 ingredients and additional salt pepper, and crushed red pepper if using; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 35mins or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Uncover and fluff rice and let stand 5mins before serving. Garnish with pineapple slices or chunks and chopped parsley.

***The original recipe used bone-in chicken, which needs to cook longer per side 8-10 minutes. And garnished with chopped macadamia nuts with the pineapple slices.