Chicken Hamonado (Filipino Style)

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken ~ cut 12 pcs

2 clove garlic ~ chopped

1 medium onion ~ sliced

1-2 Thai red chili ~ sliced

1/2 tsp chicken powder

2 pcs dried bay leaves

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1/2 cup pineapple cubes

Marinade

1 tsp black ground pepper

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 cup pineapple juice

Directions/Instructions:

1. Rub the chicken thoroughly with 2 tbsp of coarse salt to clean it. Then, wash, drain, and pat dry.
2. Add all the marinade ingredients to a container and combine thoroughly. Make sure the meat is in the marinade sauce. Seal the container and refrigerate overnight.
3. Drain the marinade sauce the next day through a strainer and save it for later use.
4. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sear the chicken. Searing is an essential step for flavor, as it caramelizes the natural sugar in the meat.  
5. Once the chicken has a rich brown crust on the surface of the meat, dish it out and set aside.
6. In the same saucepan, add the chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute or until aromatic. Then add the sliced chili and chopped onion and continue to saute until the onion caramelizes.
7. Then, return the cooked chicken to the saucepan and coat it well. Add the marinade sauce, chicken seasoning, and bay leaves. Stir to mix, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to the lowest setting. Simmer for 20 minutes.
8. After 20 minutes, remove the lid and stir to avoid burning.  Then add the tomato ketchup and sugar (optional).  Stir well and adjust the flame to medium.
9. Add the pineapple cubes/bites and cook for a few minutes or more until the desired thickness is achieved. Do not cover.
10. Lastly, garnish with fresh-cut red chilies.  Served immediately with steamed cooked rice.