Chicken Hawaii

Chicken Hawaii is a typical 1970s oven dish in which tender chicken breast fillet is combined with tinned pineapple, a creamy sauce and a golden-brown layer of melted cheese. Exotic by the standards of the time, easy to make and above all meant to be enjoyed together at the table.

Serves: 4
Preparation: approx. 15 minutes
Cooking: approx. 25 minutes
Total time: approx. 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 tin pineapple slices (approx. 560 g), drained (reserve the juice)
• 200 ml double cream
• 150 g grated young cheese (for example Gouda)
• 1 small onion
• 1 tablespoon butter (plus extra for greasing)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 100 ml pineapple juice (from the tin)
• salt
• freshly ground white pepper
• nutmeg

Preparation

• Take the chicken breasts out of the fridge in good time so they can come to room temperature.
• Peel the onion and finely chop it.
• Drain the pineapple slices in a sieve over a bowl and reserve the juice. Measure out 100 ml of juice.
• Lightly grease an oven dish with a little butter.
• Preheat the oven to 180 °C (conventional heat).

Method

1. Brown the chicken breasts
   Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan over a medium to high heat. Pat the chicken breasts dry and lightly season with salt and white pepper. Briefly brown the chicken breasts on both sides until lightly golden; they do not need to be cooked through yet. Place the browned chicken breasts next to each other in the greased oven dish.
2. Make the sauce
   Use the same pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and gently sauté until translucent. Sprinkle the flour over the onion, stir well and cook gently for 1–2 minutes without colouring. Pour the pineapple juice into the pan, stirring, and stir until smooth. Add the double cream and stir again until you have an even sauce. Bring the sauce to the boil and let it simmer gently for a few minutes until lightly thickened. Taste and season with salt, freshly ground white pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Bear in mind the salt in the cheese.
3. Assemble the dish
   Place a pineapple slice on each chicken breast. Any extra slices can be placed in the sauce beside the chicken. Pour the warm sauce over the chicken and pineapple in the oven dish and sprinkle generously and evenly with the grated cheese.
4. Bake the dish until golden
   Place the dish in the middle of the preheated oven and bake for approx. 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the cheese is melted and golden brown. Once out of the oven, leave the dish to rest for a few minutes before serving.
5. Serve the Chicken Hawaii
   Serve Chicken Hawaii the classic way with white rice, mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes. A simple iceberg lettuce salad with a light dressing goes well with it. When serving, spoon plenty of sauce over the chicken, so that pineapple, cream and cheese together create the signature 1970s plate.