Huli Huli Chicken Over Quick Tossed Salad

About

Embody Summer with this Hawaiian-inspired Keto meal! Thin-sliced chicken breasts are marinated in a laundry list of Asian-infused flavors like ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds. The “Huli Huli” part of this recipe comes from the intensely flavored citrus juices used in the marinade. Just a small amount of citrus juice adds punches of flavor to this crispy, caramelized chicken. Served under the chicken is a ginger-lemon salad that can be tossed together in minutes. You can serve the salad on the side for a crisper texture, but you’d be missing out on all the buttery flavors that drip off the glazed chicken onto the greens for a well-rounded family meal.

The Origins of Huli Huli

Traditional Huli Huli chicken originates from Hawaii, and you can find it at nearly every food truck hub across the main islands. The chicken is normally grilled over mesquite wood and basted in the iconically sweet citrus sauce. For this homemade Keto recipe, you can get similar flavors by cooking on high heat in a non-stick or cast-iron pan. You can even cook the chicken on a rack in your oven, but this takes a little longer than stove-top methods. The secret is all in the sauce. Huli Huli sauce can be thickened and drizzled over any protein, especially shrimp, to add tons of flavor to your meal. You can also use Huli Huli sauce as a marinade like it was used in this Keto dinner recipe.

Citrus Juice Is Your Knight In Shining Armor

Some may be panicking at the sight of pineapple juice in a keto recipe. You’d be right, pineapple is typically a huge no-no in Keto diets. As delicious as pineapple is, it’s packed with carbohydrates. In fact, most citrus fruits cannot be eaten as is, such as oranges or grapefruit. This is where citrus juice comes in as your saving grace! Just a small amount of juice spread out over multiple servings can add just the right amount of flavor you need without all the sugar. Don’t make Huli Huli chicken every week, but make this recipe as your showcase Keto meal to share with family or friends.

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast boneless skinless raw
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon chicken broth
2 tablespoon pineapple juice canned or bottled
½ teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoon ketchup
2 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
1 tablespoon, whole pieces sesame seeds
½ teaspoon orange peel or zest raw
1 medium – 4 1/8" long green onions
½ tablespoon olive oil
2 ounce lettuce
3 ounce cucumber
1 ½ ounce grape tomato
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
½ tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon ginger
1 ½ tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions

Prepare a thin-sliced, 4-oz chicken breast per serving by patting dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the chicken and arrange in the bottom of a Ziploc bag or a dish for marinating. Whisk together the chicken broth, pineapple juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire, rice vinegar, ketchup, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, orange zest, and chopped green onion. Pour this marinade over the chicken and spread around in the bag or dish until the chicken is covered. Store airtight in your refrigerator to marinate for 4-6 hours.
When you’re ready to cook, heat the first amount of olive oil in a wide non-stick pan or skillet over high heat. Place in the marinated chicken breasts, reserving the excess marinade in the bag. Cook the chicken openly on one side for 5-7 minutes, until a glossy brown glaze caramelizes on the chicken. Flip the chicken over and pour all excess marinade over the breasts. Place a lid over the chicken and cook on medium-low heat for another 5 or more minutes. Cook until the chicken has the same caramelized glaze. Flip the chicken a couple of times in the pan to pick up any additional glaze.
While the chicken is nearing the end of cooking, quickly toss together the lettuce with diced cucumber and tomatoes and all remaining ingredients except the butter. Arrange the salad on a large serving plate and place the cooked chicken breasts on top of the salad.
Return the pan to your stove over low heat and melt the butter in the pan. Gently stir the melted butter to pick up the crispy seasonings leftover from the chicken. Pour this seasoned butter glaze over the chicken and allow it to drip off onto the salad. Serve immediately.