Pininyahang Manok (Pineapple Chicken)
“Delicious pininyahang manok made with chicken, pineapple chunks, vegetables, and milk. A sweet, creamy, and slightly tangy dish that is perfect any time of the day.”
This pininyahang manok or pineapple chicken is one of the Philippines’ most well-known delicacies. It will become one of the family favorites because it’s tasty, sweet, creamy, and tangy. Both adults and children will surely enjoy this dish.
In this recipe, chicken slices are marinated in pineapple juice and then stewed with pineapple chunks. And to make the meal more nutritious and appetizing, milk and carrots, bell pepper, and potatoes are added.
Canned pineapples are a pantry staple that I always have on hand. Personally, I like canned pineapples because they require less preparation, and the chunks and juice are already sweetened, as opposed to fresh pineapples, which have a variable level of sweetness and sourness. But nothing beats fresh pineapples when they are in season.
Since it is the season for pineapples and is abundant in the Philippines, you can enjoy this fruit as a dessert, snack, or meal. You can make pineapple upside-down cake as a dessert, or top it in a cauliflower crust Hawaiian pizza, make a sweet and sour pineapple chicken or include it in your chicken macaroni salad or atchara. And of course, you can make this pininyahang manok. There are a lot of ways you can enjoy this tropical fruit.
Post Contents
WHAT IS PININYAHANG MANOK
Pininyahang Manok or pineapple chicken is a popular Filipino chicken stew made with a milk base and flavored with the sweetness and acidity of pineapples. Vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, are also added for color and nutrition. This meal has an umami flavor and is rich, creamy, and delicious. It’s frequently eaten over rice in any meal.
Filipinos prepare this dish in a variety of ways, with some preferring to use coconut milk and others fresh or evaporated milk or sometimes all-purpose or heavy cream.
PININYAHANG MANOK INGREDIENTS
Making this pineapple chicken recipe only requires a few simple ingredients.
Chicken. I used a whole chicken and cut it into bite-sized pieces. You can substitute any parts of the chicken you like.
Pineapple chunks. I used canned pineapple chunks in juice. It is always available in the market and affordable. But I must agree that fresh is always the best. So if you prefer fresh, go ahead. Just make sure that it is ripe so it will have enough juice and is sweeter.
Milk. You can use either evaporated or full-fat fresh milk. You can also use coconut milk for a creamier sauce and thicker texture.
Bell pepper. You can use a variety of colored bell peppers, it will make this dish not only delicious but also colorful.
Carrot. Adds nutrition and color to the dish.
Potato. The addition of potato will add to the dish’s creamy flavor. The veggies, apart from the potatoes, should not be overcooked, as this will make it more appealing to the palette.
Fish sauce, salt, and pepper. For umami flavor and seasoning.
Garlic and onion. The combo for the sautéing.
HOW TO COOK PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
Cooking a tasty pininyahang manok is quite easy, here are the steps:
While you’re chopping the other ingredients, you can begin marinating the chicken using the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple chunks. If using fresh, you can use grind some of the pineapple pieces to extract the flavor. Alternatively, you can use canned pineapple juice.
Marinating allows the chicken to absorb the juice’s aroma and give an extra sweetness while also tenderizing the chicken meat. For the best result, marinate for at least 30 minutes or an hour.
After that, sauté the garlic and onion. Cook until aromatic and translucent.
Drain (do not throw the marinate) and place the marinated chicken into the pan. Season with fish sauce and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until all the sides turn light brown.
Then, pour in the pineapple juice marinade and the pineapple chunks. Mix and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer. Cook the chicken until it is completely tender. You can add a cup or more water if needed.
Toss in the vegetables. Begin with the ones that will take the longest to tenderize.
Start with the carrots and potatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Then add the bell peppers and milk and boil for another 3-5 minutes. Season with salt if so desired and serve. Enjoy with the whole family!
This dish is ideal for serving over warm white rice or garlic fried rice.
TIPS FOR COOKING PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
- Make sure that you use pineapple chunks in juice rather than heavy syrup, which is high in sugar and would overpower the meal.
- Do not use non-fat or skim milk in this recipe because they may coagulate when combined with the acidic pineapple juice. When combined with pineapple juice, skim or nonfat milk tends to develop lumps, resulting in an unappealing texture. To avoid curdling, use high-fat milk, such as coconut milk, or evaporated milk.
- Depending on whether you use evaporated milk or coconut milk, there are some variances in the cooking time. Evaporated milk should be added just before turning off the heat, however, coconut milk should be added right away to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked.
- When using coconut milk, the pininyahang manok is a little thicker than when using evaporated milk. Coconut milk provides a sweet and umami taste to the dish.
HOW TO SERVE
Serve pininyahang manok any time of the day with steamed rice or garlic fried rice (sinangag) which brings more flavor into your mouth. You can also serve it with fish sauce with chili on the side, yummy!
HOW TO STORE
Any leftover pineapple chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will be good for 3 days.
To reheat on the stovetop. Transfer into a pan and simmer over medium heat. Cook until heated through. Alternatively, you can microwave for 2-3 minutes, with 2 minutes intervals until warm.
If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and tell me how you liked it in the comments section below; I love hearing from you! Happy tummy!
Pininyahang Manok Recipe
Equipment
- Chopping board and knife
- Mixing Bowl
- Pan and wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds whole chicken, chopped into serving sizes
- 1 can (15 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained and reserve juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup (or more) water or chicken broth if needed
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 medium potato, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup evaporated milk or fresh milk
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, marinate the chicken pieces in the pineapple juice/concentrate (from the canned pineapple chunks) for 30 minutes or preferably 1 hour. Note: You can also do this step first before preparing your other ingredients.
- In a large cooking pot, heat oil using medium heat.
- Sauté garlic and onion until aromatic and translucent.
- Drain (do not throw the marinate) and place the chicken in the pan. Season with fish sauce and ground pepper. Cook until all the sides turn light brown
- Pour in the pineapple juice/concentrate marinade and pineapple chunks. Mix until and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer. Cook the chicken until it is completely tender. You can add a cup or more water if needed.
- Toss in the carrots and potatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and milk and boil for another 3-5 minutes. Taste and season with salt if so needed.
- Transfer in a serving bowl with steamed white rice or garlic fried rice.
- Share and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Make sure that you use pineapple chunks in juice rather than heavy syrup, which is high in sugar and would overpower the meal.
- Do not use non-fat or skim milk in this recipe because they may coagulate when combined with the acidic pineapple juice. When combined with pineapple juice, skim or nonfat milk tends to develop lumps, resulting in an unappealing texture. To avoid curdling, use high-fat milk, such as coconut milk, or evaporated milk.
- Depending on whether you use evaporated milk or coconut milk, there are some variances in the cooking time. Evaporated milk should be added just before turning off the heat, however, coconut milk should be added right away to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked.
- When using coconut milk, the pininyahang manok is a little thicker than when using evaporated milk. Coconut milk provides a sweet and umami taste to the dish.
If you make something with Happy Tummy Recipes, please share it with me, and don’t forget to rate and comment on this recipe below!
For more recipe inspiration, please subscribe to our recipe newsletter and follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Tumblr, and YouTube!
This post contains affiliate links. I make a commission from sales. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
