Pineapple Chicken Tenders | Easy Pineapple Recipe - Momdot.com (2024)

FAQs

Does pineapple juice tenderize chicken? ›

Raw pineapple juice contains an enzyme that degrades protein that in small amounts for a short period of time it will breakdown some of the proteins and tenderise the meat. In large amounts and/or a long enough time that enzyme will turn the meat into mush.

Juicy pieces of chicken, fried up with peppers, onions and pineapple chunks in a simple, sweet and savoury stir-fry sauce. This is my go-to recipe when I've got a hankering for a sweet and sour style dinner, but I haven't got the time to coat and fry up chicken pieces.

Bromelain, the group of enzymes in fresh pineapple, is excellent at breaking down the connective tissues in thick, fibrous chicken breasts.

Coat the chicken in the cornflour and add to the pan. Stir-fry for four minutes until very lightly coloured on all sides. Add the pineapple and sweet and sour sauce to the pan with the chicken and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.

The bromelain enzyme in pineapple juice, for instance, is notorious for turning meat into mush very quickly, so much so that some cooks suggest marinating chicken breasts for only 15 minutes to prevent that from happening.

In the case of pineapples, the bromelain is actually a mixture of two enzymes classed as proteases that break down proteins. These proteases target the large protein molecules in meats (specifically the connective proteins called collagen), and break them down into shorter segments.

However, what many people do not know is pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain that softens muscle fiber. This enzyme reacts with the protein in the meat to break it down and increases the meat's potential to absorb more moisture. This is the reason why pineapple is one of the most preferred tenderizers.

Many people think the pink liquid in packaged fresh chicken is blood, but it is mostly water that was absorbed by the chicken during the chilling process. Blood is removed from poultry during slaughter and only a small amount remains in the muscle tissue.

If raw pineapple or the fresh juice is used in a marinade, the meat or poultry starts to break down, becoming mushy.

Yes. Raw pineapple, in small amounts, is an excellent snack for dogs. Canned pineapple, on the other hand, should be avoided. The syrup in canned fruits contains too much sugar for most dogs' digestive tracts to handle.

How long can you marinate meat in pineapple juice? ›

Place meat in a medium bowl. Cover with the pineapple marinade, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but may marinated overnight.

Do actual Chinese people living in China eat sweet and sour chicken? Yes, they actually do. The Chinese term for “sweet and sour” is “糖醋” (sugar-vinegar) - this is a rather common flavor in daily Chinese cooking in (many areas of) China. Sweet and sour chicken would be “糖醋鸡” (sugar-vinegar chicken).

While some suggested pineapple might be the elusive star of the smooth sauce, others have been left “shaken” by the discovery that it is in fact apricot.

Can you tenderize steak with canned pineapple juice? You can, if you like a little pineapple flavor in your steak. Pineapples contain bromelian, an enzyme that breaks down the protein strands in meat, making it more tender. Papayas, which contain an enzyme called papain, perform a similar trick on meats.

Marinades must contain an acid to be effective. Some of our favorites are yogurt, buttermilk, citrus juices, wine or even store bought salad dressings. We love this recipe for Marinated Chicken Breast (pictured above) that calls for any vinegar you have in the pantry.

Once again, we have a natural approach to solving a problem – in this case tenderizing meat. Pineapples produce a mixture of several enzymes that can be used to tenderize meats.