Honey Lemon Pineapple Chicken

[novapsyche]

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
one lemon, cut into chunks
one orange, cut into chunks
8 oz. can chunked pineapple
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green onion
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp white pepper
honey (at least 1/2 cup)
lemon zest
orange zest

First, I punctured the chicken breasts and let them marinate in the liquid from the pineapple chunks for about two hours.

Then I mixed the paprika, ginger, white pepper, oregano and basil in a pan. I took the chicken breasts, dipped them in this mixture, and returned them to the dish with the pineapple juice. I drizzled honey on the breasts, then put them back in the refrigerator for another hour.

I combined the red bell pepper, green onion, lemon zest and orange zest with about two tbsp. honey and carmelized them in a small pan.

Then I put the chicken breasts in the bottom of a broiler. I added the carmelized mixture, then dollopped everything with the diced lemon, orange, and pineapple. I baked this at 350 degrees for fifty minutes (once pausing to drain the juice for a sauce as well as drizzle more honey onto the breasts).

The sauce, however, did not turn out as I desired. I believe I added too much cornstarch. I placed the runoff liquid in a small saucepan under medium heat; to the liquid I added two tbsp. sugar, a bit more lemon and orange zest, and one tsp. honey (do you get the idea that I like honey?). I mixed cornstarch with water (as directed), then added this to the liquid. The sauce ended up more of a gravy.

This is fine, as I don't have to have a sauce to eat this dish. It's spicier than I would have initially thought (that must be the white pepper), and tart. The reason I wanted the sauce was to have a sweet base to balance out the tart, but I don't have that (unless you count the pineapple chunks).

Next time, I will leave out the oregano (which I was iffy about in the first place) and add more ginger.