Step 1

Strain the pineapple chunks from the pineapple juice and store the chunks in an air tight container until you're ready to make the dish. Measure out 1/4 cup of the pineapple juice and add it to a plastic or reusable storage bag with the rest of the marinade ingredients. Store the leftover juice for later as well.

Step 2

Add the chicken thighs to the marinade bag, close the lid and toss well to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 1-24 hours. The longer you can marinade the better, but even 1 hour will work. This makes a great recipe to prep the night before.

Step 3

Heat the olive oil in a deep saute pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken to the hot pan and discard the remaining marinade. Sear for 3-4 minutes on one side then flip it over and cook for another 1-2minutes. The chicken should have a crispy brown skin. Transfer it to a plate. It doe not need to be cooked all the way through.

Step 4

Measure out the reserved pineapple juice in a large liquid measuring cup, then add the canned coconut milk to reach 3 cups. If there isn't enough coconut milk, top it off with water.

Step 5

Add the mixture to the same skillet the chicken was cooked in and use a wooden spoon to scrape off any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add add the garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat then stir in the uncooked rice and reserved pineapple chunks and stir well.

Step 6

Add the browned chicken on top of the rice then close the lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Step 7

Top with chopped cashews, toasted coconut or chopped cilantro if desired.