Grilled teriyaki chicken with pineapple can be made with just a few pantry staples. Although it’s delicious when made with canned pineapple, fresh pineapple and its juice can easily be used in its place. Serve with brown rice and snow peas.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1/3 cup dry sherry (see Note)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 20-ounce can pineapple rings, plus 1/3 cup juice from the can
4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed (see Tip)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter

1. Whisk sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar and the 1/3 cup pineapple juice in a large bowl. Add pineapple rings and chicken and gently stir to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high.
3. Remove the chicken and pineapple from the marinade and pat dry; reserve the marinade. Oil the grill rack. Grill the chicken and pineapple until the chicken is cooked through and the pineapple is marked, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
4. Whisk the reserved marinade and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking, until reduced and thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in butter. Serve the chicken and pineapple drizzled with the sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 360 calories; 11 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 83 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbohydrate; 22 g protein; 1 g fiber; 467 mg sodium; 238 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (30% daily value).
2 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 1/2 fruit, 3 lean meat, 1/2 fat

TIP: Note: Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. Don’t use the “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets—it can be surprisingly high in sodium. Instead, purchase dry sherry that’s sold with other fortified wines in your wine or liquor store.

Tip: You’ll need about 1 1/2 pounds untrimmed boneless, skinless chicken thighs to serve four people. For recipes that call for one large thigh per person, buy them at the butcher counter; prepackaged thighs vary dramatically in size. Ask for four 6-ounce boneless, skinless thighs. To trim them well, we like to use kitchen shears to snip the fat away from the meat. After trimming, you’ll have four 4-ounce portions.

Tip: To oil the grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.

This is a great recipe. There is a major flaw in the preparation/use of the marinade. With all of the hype there is out about cross-contamination in preparing raw chicken; one "does not" use the marinade the "raw" chicken was soaking in as a "Sauce to drizzle over the chicken when serving". I might as well just start licking the cutting board and counter-tops clean after prepping the raw meat. I can see using that particular prep/marinade as Barbacue Sauce (that way it is being cooked and the germs killed). Ideally, have a 2nd "uncontaminated" batch for the drizzle/dipping sauce. I'm just saying..........

Timothy Stesney, Kenai, AK

I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds wonderful. I just wanted to comment that it is safe to use the marinade if you boil it first, as stated in the recipe. It is not a flaw in the recipe as mentioned previously. If you are still unsure, do a search for the answer.

janiran, TX

This recipe is fabulous! Rich, delicious sauce and moist chicken means I'll make this again and again. Eating Well is correct- boiling the marinade definately insures it's safe to eat.

Ava, Missoula, MT