Hawaiian chicken consists of pineapple rings atop marinated and grilled chicken.
Throw a luau for dinner and serve Hawaiian chicken. There are many variations of Hawaiian chicken, but they all use pineapple in some form. The pineapples or their juice in the marinade for the chicken makes this dish Hawaiian. Recipes for Hawaiian chicken are available in cookbooks and on the Internet. Choose side dishes to complement the light, fruity flavor of the chicken without overwhelming it. Does this Spark an idea?
Broccoli
Bright green broccoli adds flavor and color to Hawaiian chicken.
The book "101 Things to Do With a Slow Cooker" recommends serving steamed broccoli with the book's recipe for Hawaiian chicken. That recipe combines chicken, crushed pineapple and barbecue sauce in a slow cooker. Steamed broccoli adds color to the meal, and the pleasant, slight bitter flavor of the broccoli is a foil to the sweetness of the chicken and pineapple. To fully appreciate the natural flavor of the broccoli, steam it without butter added, but use 1 tsp. of lemon juice in the steaming water for flavor and to keep the broccoli bright in color.
Rice
Rice pilaf is a restaurant-inspired side dish for Hawaiian chicken.
Steamed, long grain rice served under the Hawaiian chicken, will soak up the juices from the chicken and sauce, which will flavor the rice. Plain white rice is the preferred grain for serving with the saucy version of Hawaiian chicken made in a slow cooker, from the book "101 Things to Do With a Slow Cooker." A restaurant twist on rice with Hawaiian chicken is to serve the dish with rice pilaf, as Jimm's Steakhouse features on the restaurant menu.
Hawaiian Bread
Sweet, rich Hawaiian bread is available in bakeries and many supermarkets. This bread complements the natural sweetness of the Hawaiian chicken. If available, serve Hawaiian dinner rolls instead of slices of bread. If you cannot find Hawaiian bread or rolls at your local store, make your own from a recipe such as the one featured on the Taste of Home website, which uses a bread maker to cut down on the preparation time for the Hawaiian dinner rolls.
Fruit
Serve a tropical fruit salad with the chicken. Combine pineapple and papaya chunks and serve alongside the chicken or as a part of any Hawaiian-inspired feast. For added flavor, skewer pineapple, kiwi and mango chunks, brush with a honey-lime dressing and grill until dark grill marks appear on the fruit. The caramelized grill marks will add a smoky, rich flavor to the fruit. Recipes for grilled fruit kabobs are readily available. Midwest Living recommends a recipe for grilled pineapple skewers to serve the skewers for dessert with toasted coconut ice cream.
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