Halloween Chicken

"What is this, Halloween chicken?" asked my husband as the big sons were grumbling about the pollution all over their chicken. Come on, guys, like it or go buy your own dinner somewhere!

It was only 54 degrees last night, certainly not July as we know it. So I decide that the thing to do was make chicken under the broiler with other ingredients, and this is what I came up with. Remember, we're still at summertime "sorta big" family levels, so cut down your ingredients accordingly.

HALLOWEEN CHICKEN (why not, it works!)

4 pounds boneless chicken
salt
garlic powder
1 minced onion
1 can pineapple
4 tomatoes, diced large
2 carrots, grated
2 cups chicken broth
juice from pineapple
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 cups white rice, cooked

Slice the chicken into 1/2" thick chunks. Sprinkle lightly with salt and liberally with garlic powder. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes, then turn over, reseason, and broil for 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the chicken broth in a saucepan with the minced onion. Whisk the pineapple juice with the cornstarch, and stir into the chicken broth; bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the vegetables and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the sauce and vegetables over the chicken, and return to the broiler for 3 minutes. Serve over a bed of hot buttered rice. Gluten free for Paula's not-so-little baby, and good for everyone.

Of course, you might want to add peppers and/or mushrooms to this, but I'm allergic to peppers (can't even take the smell of them cooking in my house) and averse to eating fungus.

Incidentally, my daughters warned my sons to knock off the Halloween jokes; one of them said she'd not put it past me to google "chicken and pumpkin recipes". To which I promptly went to the cupboard, fetched 2 cans of pumpkin, and said, "I'm ready, guys! Don't tempt me!" Yes, I'm sure you heard the groaning from wherever you were last night.