CHICKEN LUAU
This is a tasty variation of a popular Hawaiian dish. With only a few (yet easy to find) ingredients, near effortless preparation, and it being remarkably simple to scale, you won’t think twice about inviting more guests for dinner. Serve this with a side of Coconut Rice and a helping of Pineapple Bake against a backdrop of slack-key guitar music and you’ll have your very own fun and flavorful tropical tiki party!
Servings: 2 - 3 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Skill level: Easy
INGREDIENTS
1 pound boneless, skinless CHICKEN THIGHS
SALT
1 Tablespoon MACADAMIA NUT OIL or COCONUT OIL
2 cloves minced GARLIC or 1/4 teaspoon GARLIC POWDER
1 cup COCONUT MILK
1 - 5 ounce package SPINACH LEAVES
1/2 cup MACADAMIA NUTS, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Lightly salt chicken thighs.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat and quickly brown chicken on both sides, taking care not to cook the chicken too much. This can be done in batches if scaling the recipe.
Arrange browned chicken in a single layer in an oven friendly baking pan large enough to accommodate the volume of chicken you are making. For example, an 8x8 for a single recipe; a 9x13 for a double recipe.
To the same pan into any remaining oil/juices, add the garlic and spinach. You can and a little more oil and lightly salt, if desired. Cook until the spinach is barely wilted and the garlic is fragrant.
Remove from heat and spread the spinach and garlic evenly over the chicken.
Pour the coconut milk over the entire dish.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbly.
Serve topped with chopped macadamia nuts.
Refrigerate any leftovers.
NOTES/VARIATIONS
As mentioned above, this recipe scales very easily.
Be selective about your coconut milk. Canned milks often have added guar gum and refrigerated coconut milk may include carrageenan - neither of which is healthy to consume. Look for brands that are strictly coconut milk, with no additives, and always opt for full fat.
Crock pot directions:
Instead of putting all ingredients into a baking dish for the oven, as the chicken is lightly browned, place it into a crockpot.
Continue with sautéing the onion and spinach then add it to the crockpot.
Top with coconut milk as directed.
In place of baking, cook on low for 3 hours or until the chicken is no longer pink.
Keep warm until ready to serve.
Stove top directions:
Instead of putting all ingredients into a baking dish for the oven, as the chicken is lightly browned, set it aside to keep warm.
Continue with sautéing the onion and spinach then return the chicken to the pan and add the vegetables and coconut milk. In place of baking, simmer everything on the stove top for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
In either case, it’s important that you only sear (not cook) the chicken prior to letting it simmer on the stove top or cook in the crockpot.
While lightly browning the chicken first could be omitted, it really does make a difference in the flavor so it is recommended not to skip this step.
Swapping out the chicken for shrimp is a delicious alternative but the bake/simmer/crockpot time will be reduced. The shrimp is done when it is curled and opaque. To that end, almost any fish or seafood would translate well.
Feel free to substitute or add vegetables of choice to the sauce but note that it will not be the same and, depending on the veggie(s) selected, it may make the sauce thinner due to higher water content. You can either adjust the coconut milk (which will subsequently make it less rich) or you can pull some of the extra liquid and use it to make a flavorful rice.
This sauce will not be thick but it will be luscious and full of nutrients so be sure to serve with the “gravy” or sop it up with a favorite bread.
If you are in a big rush and happen to have roasted chicken on hand (such as a rotisserie chicken), just de-bone and shred the chicken, picking up the recipe beginning at step 4. Bake/simmer/crockpot time will be reduced to insuring the ingredients are warmed through. Avoid using any additional salt as the previously prepared chicken will have sufficient seasonings.
As articulated in the What’s for Dinner article, always aim for the highest quality ingredients.
CREDITS/REFERENCES
Thumbnail photo credit: Original, untouched photo can be found here: Inner Strength or by searching BoredPanda.com.
The original version of this dish was handed out at our local grocery store many years ago. The author was not listed and that grocery store is now out of business. The gentleman who created it used to have recipes available for customers for dinner inspirations and to encourage sales. This particular handout was part of a patriotic celebration of the 50 states through food and represented Hawaii. Authentic Chicken Luau recipes call for taro leaves. Using spinach leaves makes it equally nutritious and delicious, yet more accessible.