Pineapple Polynesian Chicken

You've gotta love those tried and true meals that you know your loved ones will, well, love! Pineapple Polynesian Chicken is one of those. It's actually a recipe from a Weight Watchers cookbook that my mom shared with me years ago that I've adapted to make my own. My best friend Brittney can't get enough of it and I will probably be punished for making it when she's not around.

Pineapple Polynesian Chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 garlic cloves
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1 red bell pepper, halved, seeded and diced
2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 can chopped pineapple, in its own juice
1/3 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high. Cook chicken until brown and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover with foil. Add garlic, ginger and red onion to the large skillet, saute for 3 minutes. Add carrots and bell pepper and sautee another 3 minutes. Add snap peas, water chestnuts and pineapple and simmer 2 minutes.

In the meantime, in a small bowl combine ketchup, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and cornstarch. Add to vegetable skillet along with chicken. Let simmer on medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add almonds and serve.

I love to serve this with ginger-infused rice. Prepare white rice according to the package (I usually substitute chicken stock for water). About half way through add a 1-inch piece of fresh peeled ginger and continue to cook. When done, remove ginger and serve.

My favorite thing about the meal is all the colors. They absolutely pop and add so much flavor. Plus, the snap peas, water chestnuts and almonds all add their own dimension of crunch that is so interesting. This is a real crowd-pleaser!