Macadamia Crusted Chicken with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa takes you on a tropical summer vacation in your kitchen in only 30 minutes!
This easy Chicken Recipe is perfect for summer! It has light, fruity flavors just like Apricot Chicken and Hawaiian BBQ Chicken.
Sabrina’s Macadamia Crusted Chicken with Pineapple-Jalapeno Salsa Recipe
What makes this dish special is the contrast of textures and flavors. The sweetness of the pineapple balances the jalapeño’s heat, and the lime brings everything together with a fresh citrus note. It’s a meal that feels both comforting and vibrant. The chicken is hearty and satisfying, while the salsa keeps the dish light and refreshing. This meal is a restaurant style entrée that’s crunchy, juicy, sweet, savory, and slightly spicy all at once, perfect for a summer dinner or anytime you want a taste of the tropics!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Macadamia Crusted Chicken
- 2 cups flour
- 2 large eggs , (beaten)
- 1 1/2 cups crushed macadamia nuts
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 pound chicken breasts , sliced in half into thin filets and scored (see photo)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa
- 2 cup pineapple , diced into ¼ inch chunks
- 2 scallions , green parts only, chopped
- 1 jalapeno , deveined and deseeded, chopped finely
- 1 juicy lime , (juice and zest)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup cilantro , chopped
Instructions
Macadamia Crusted Chicken
- Add ¼ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper to the flour in a bowl.
- Set up a dredging station, one with eggs, one with the flour mixture, and one with the mixture of macadamia nuts and panko.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
- Dredge the chicken with the flour, then in eggs and finally into the panko mixture.
- Press the panko into the chicken then very gently remove it from the bowl and put onto a baking sheet.
- Repeat with all the pieces of chicken.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium heat.
- Cook the chicken in the pan for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
- Note: Remove to a cooling rack. Don't put it onto paper towels because the crust will get soggy.
Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa
- To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Nutrition
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Sabrina’s Tip
Don’t pound chicken with a mallet, instead score it. This is great to do with most breaded chicken, especially fried chicken, because you’ll find that the breading adheres really well into the scored sections of the chicken. Once chicken is cooked, place on cooling rack. Don’t put in onto paper towels because the crust will get soggy.
Table of contents
About This Recipe
The flavors of Hawaii will put you in the mood to hula when you try this incredible (and incredibly easy) crusted chicken dish. The seasoned panko macadamia crust is the perfect crispy base for the sweet, spicy salsa. The tangy citrus of pineapple and lime, along with sweet honey in the salsa, mellows out the kick from the jalapeño, and cilantro adds an herby freshness to the party. It will be a Summer favorite!
Pairing Suggestions
Sometimes in the summer it is nice to just make a simple chicken with a fruit salsa. You can also make the leftovers into a delicious main course salad and re-purpose the salsa into a dressing! This Tropical Luau Macadamia Chicken Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette recipe will show you how! Also, this recipe is fantastic served over white rice, or you can put it on a bed of greens for a fresh salad. You can also serve it with a traditional Hawiian Macaroni Salad and Sweet Hawaiian Bread on the side.
How To Store
- Serve: Do not leave cooked chicken at room temperature longer than 2 hours before refrigerating.
- Store: Store chicken and salsa in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: The cooked chicken breasts can be stored in the freezer, wrapped tightly with parchment between pieces, for 2-3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on a wire rack over a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 to crisp back up. Serve with a fresh batch of salsa.
Frequent Questions
Yes! Try it with your favorite fish such as Salmon, Mahi Mahi, or Tilapia, or with pork cutlets. You can even use pressed tofu for a vegetarian option.
Substitute the pineapple in the salsa with chopped up mango, papaya, or any other tropical fruit you prefer.
If the jalapeño is too hot for you, swap it for a milder pepper such as green or red bell pepper, just use half of one. Likewise, you can make it hotter by using a more spicy pepper such as serrano or habanero.
This recipe is for the crusted version of this dish, but you can simply grill the chicken as well and serve with the salsa for a healthier take.
Related Recipes
Flavorful Chicken Recipes
Photos used in previous posts
Hi!
Do you think the chicken could be baked instead of fried?
Erin
PS You need to update the third paragraph in your “About the Author” section. Your cookbook is not upcoming, it is out!
Good job! Looks very good and healthy.
Thanks! It helps to balance out all the cookie dough cupcakes 🙂
I insta-pinned this! This looks amazing i am not a fish fan like that but with this amazing recipe with the pineapple jalepeno I must try!!!
Thanks for the pin!
This recipe looks and sounds amazing! I would love to try this! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!
Alright, so my FIL doesn’t eat chicken… I know… Lame. So what meat do you suggest I sub this with because I have to make this for them while we’re visiting…
FISH!! Sea bass, salmon! Pork would work well too 🙂
My mouth is watering right now. This looks absolutely delicious, the pineapple jalapeno salsa sounds heavenly. The flavors must just pop!
Yes! The sweet and heat worked really well together!
Yummy chicken take me away! I never thought to crust with macadamia nuts, so tasty for summer!
The macadamia nuts add a great buttery toasted flavor! You’ll love them!
Heaven help me, but I literally just wrote down the few ingredients I need to make this tonight!! SO full of yum!
Awesome!! I hope you love it!
Mmmmmmm, tasty. Looks like a real summer treat. Fall and winter too. I could eat this all year.
Thanks!
This looks amazing!!! I pinned it to try soon.
Thanks for the pin! I hope you love it!
Showing my age here, I can remember when the Food Network first started and their were like 6 shows in rotation and none of them were fancy like they are now. I grew up watching Julia Childs and even watched all her old episodes in black and white on reruns. I just adored her. I don’t have cable now so I either watch the shows available on Netflix or Hulu or watch the PBS Create channel. Some great cooking shows there. We do have an antenna so i can get a few local channels.
You can totally watch the Chew! It is on ABC! It is a riot, I look forward to it every day.
We made a lot of chicken lately. I’m going to put this on our list as recipes to make.
Awesome, I hope you love it!
While the chicken sounds great, that salsa is what has me interested. I have to try the combo of sweet and spicy for myself.
The salsa is great! I’ve put it on so many things. I even once put it in a grilled cheese sandwich with cream cheese as the cheese. It was ridiculously good.
That looks so yummy. I never thought about macademia to crust a chicken.
They add such a great toasted flavor!
This dish looks delicious! It’s making me hungry just looking at it!
Then mission accomplished! haha.
Chicken’s been on sale lately. Even if I have to pay the regular price, I am anxious to try the Macadamia Crusted Chicken recipe. It looks delicious.
Thanks, we have had great pricing on chicken here too!
I’m always looking for new and creative chicken recipes. The salsa looks so fresh.
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it.
I like the little kick with the jalepeno. I think it sounds fantastic.
Thank you!
Thank you!
How interesting! I bet the pineapple adds a lot of flavor.
Your recipes have had me drooling! I love the creativity behind this one (and wish macadamias were cheaper!)
Clinton had a great alternative he mentioned during the show. You can also use cashews and the flavors would be great!
This looks really good. I have never cooked with macadamia nuts. Thanks for the recipe.
Anytime!
I really like that the fresh salsa cuts the heaviness of a breaded chicken. The combination sounds wonderful and very tasty!
Thanks! The salsa does really brighten up all the flavors!
That chicken looks soooo delicious! Lovin’ the salsa!!
P.S. I’m addicted to Bravo. haha 😀
This may cement our need to be friends if you are also Team Vanderpump!
This is such a cool recipe! That sweet/spicy salsa sounds so good, especially with some perfectly seasoned chicken.
Thanks!
Oh this looks so good. I haven’t ever had macadamia chicken before. This would be a completely new one for us and I’m pretty sure We’d all love it!
My oldest loved it, I bet your kids would too! The flavors are not too strange for kids and the panko keeps the chicken so crispy!
This looks delicious! I love macadamia nuts but have never thought to eat them like this.
Before this I had only enjoyed them alone, with chocolate or in a cookie. This is a great savory way to try them!
I think I could eat that pineapple jalapeño salsa on just about anything!
Agreed! With the small drizzle of honey that is in it, it is SO GOOD!
Oh wow this dish looks and sounds so delicious! I’m going to prepare it at home!
Hope you love it!
That crusting looks soooo good. I would make this for my family easily.
Thank you! I hope you make it, it was a huge hit with my family too!
I’ve never watched the chew, but this chicken look delicious – both ways
You have to watch it, it is a foodie party every day!
That sounds amazing. I love the combination of the sweetness of the pineapple and the heat of the jalapeno.
Thanks! The salsa is also great on chips!
That sounds absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to make this for my family!
I think I just fell in love with chicken again. At least a little bit anyway. Can’t wait to make this with a cooler salsa. (my wife is allergic to jalapenos.)
Aww thanks! I also once made a salsa with cucumber instead of jalapeno!
This sounds absolutely delicious, I can’t wait to try this recipe. I love macadamia nuts but I’ve never used them like this.
Thanks! They have such a great flavor because when you cook the chicken, they toast a bit in the pan too! And it smells FANTASTIC!
This dish sounds tasty and refreshing. I like it when fruits are incorporated to meats.
Thanks!