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autumn essentials: spicy sweet baked chicken

Andy59 avatar
Recipe by
Andy Anderson !
@Andy59
Wichita, KS

I came up with this recipe, while poking about in the kitchen. I wanted something spicy, but not too spicy, and something that would be rather easy to assemble. This dish is assembled in a single pan, so cleanup is a snap. In addition, it tastes pretty dang good. When Autumn starts dropping the temperatures, bake this up and warm your heart and soul. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.

yield 3 - 4
prep time 15 Min
cook time 45 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For autumn essentials: spicy sweet baked chicken

  • PLAN/PURCHASE
  • THE CHICKEN
  • 3 - 4
    chicken thighs, breasts, or legs, bone-in, skin on
  • 1/2 tsp
    ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp
    paprika, sweet or hot
  • salt, kosher variety, to taste
  • black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
  • 1 Tbsp
    grapeseed oil
  • 4 - 6
    pineapple slices
  • THE SAUCE
  • 1 - 2 lg
    jalapeño, seeds removed, and chopped
  • 2 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 1/2 c
    pineapple juice
  • 1/4 c
    apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp
    coconut sugar

How To Make autumn essentials: spicy sweet baked chicken

  • 1
    PREP/PREPARE
  • 2
    Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
  • 3
    THE CHICKEN
  • 4
    Chef’s Note: Since this was my first try at this recipe, I made it with chicken thighs and breasts. I wanted to see if the breasts would stand up to the cooking process, as well as the thighs. I discovered that if I used skinless/boneless chicken, the chicken; especially the breasts, came out dry and unappealing. However, when I used skin-on/bone-in chicken, it came out moist and flavorful.
  • 5
    Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 425f (220c).
  • 6
    Mix the cumin and paprika with a bit of salt and pepper, and rub it into the chicken.
  • 7
    Add the grapeseed oil to an ovenproof pan, over medium heat.
  • 8
    Chef’s Note: The pan needs to be big enough to hold all the chicken, be ovenproof, with a tight-fitting lid.
  • 9
    When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken, skin side down.
  • 10
    Cook until crispy, about 3 – 5 minutes.
  • 11
    Chef's Note: It is not necessary to cook both sides of the chicken... just the skin side.
  • 12
    Remove the pan from the heat, and then remove the chicken from the pan.
  • 13
    Remove any rendered fat from the pan, and then add the pineapple slices.
  • 14
    Place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the pineapples.
  • 15
    Mix all the sauce ingredients together, and pour over the chicken.
  • 16
    Cover the pan, place into the preheated oven, and cook for 20 minutes.
  • 17
    After 20 minutes remove the lid, and brush some of the pan sauce over the chicken thighs.
  • 18
    Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 20 – 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165f (75c).
  • 19
    Chef’s Tip: If you don’t have an accurate instant read thermometer, an alternate method is to prick the chicken with a small knife. If it is done, the juices will run clear.
  • 20
    Chef’s Note: Every 10 minutes open the oven and brush more of the sauce onto the chicken.
  • 21
    PLATE/PRESENT
  • 22
    Serve with some rice, or your favorite veggies, and do not forget to spoon a bit of that yummy sauce over the chicken before serving. Enjoy.
  • 23
    Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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