We love Hawaiian Haystacks at our house. The curry in this recipe makes these ones the best. In fact, Carson requests them on his birthday.
One year I was hosting a Mother’s Day dinner at my house. My brother in law is a super nice guy. I have only ever seen him wearing cowboy boots, a punchy cowboy shirt and a ten gallon hat. He is quiet the manly man. As soon as his wife saw what we were eating, I heard her mumble under her breath to him. She said, “Sorry, honey buns, I don’t know what you are going to eat tonight. I hope you don’t starve to death”. Apparently they only eat man food at their house. And Hawaiian Haystacks don’t look like man food. However, I happen to live with four manly men who all LOVE Hawaiian Haystacks. So don’t be embarrassed boys. You try the girl food. You just might fall in love with it. Oh, and by the way, my brother in law didn’t starve to death, he ate his entire plate full. Neither did my sister in law. In fact, it would take many more than one meals to make anyone in this family starve to death.
P.S. I held a straight face and didn’t even laugh when she called him honey buns. I had to because I wasn’t supposed to hear them talking about the girl food!!
Drain pineapple tidbits and mandarin oranges, reserving juice.
Bake and dice about two cups of chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper.
Saute onion in butter.
Measure flour, curry, salt, sugar and ginger and combine together.
When onions are nice and soft stir in dry ingredients. Continue stirring to make a paste. Add chicken broth, milk and pineapple juice. Stir together over medium heat until thickened.
Add diced chicken.
Mix it all up and pour into a crock pot to heat until serving time. Or put in the fridge until serving time. Or serve now!!
We like to top our haystacks with pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes and dried cranberries. That must be at least a serving of fruit for today.
For the veggie servings we like chopped celery, green peas, diced red or green peppers, tomatoes and green onions.
And for the sweet we add coconut and chopped walnuts.
And for the dairy you must add grated cheese.
- 2 Cups Cooked Chicken, Diced
- 6 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 diced medium onion
- 6 Tablespoons Flour
- 2 teaspoons curry
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups reserved pineapple juice plus enough chicken broth to equal 2 cups
- Cooked Rice
- Mandarin oranges, drained, reserve juice
- Pineapple tidbits, drained, reserve juice
- dried cranberries
- Grapes, halved
- Peppers, Diced
- Green onions, Sliced
- Celery, Diced
- Green Peas
- Tomatoes, Diced
- Grated Cheese
- Walnuts, Chopped
- Coconut
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and bake chicken about 25 minutes. Dice.
- Drain mandarin oranges and pineapple. Reserve the juice. Add enough chicken broth to orange and pineapple juice to make 2 cups liquid. Reserve for making sauce.
- Saute onion in butter. Add dry ingredients and combine to form a paste. Add liquids and stir together until thick. Add diced chicken.
- Heat and serve. Or keep warm in a slow cooker until it is time to serve.
- Serve over cooked rice. Top with toppings of your choice.
Well there you go again. Sharing one of my favorite things to serve when entertaining. I served these for an adult dinner and they loved them. One couple even asked me for the recipe, so I gave it to them. He said they have them when company comes because they are kind of special, or for Sunday Dinner because they so fast and easy.
He didn’t say there was a place reserved for me in heaven, but I am sure the thought it. Come to think of it, our guests were city folk and not country people, so maybe that is why he didn’t offer such a comment. But they slicked their plates right up too and asked for more.
Curry is one of my all time favorite spices. It sits right next to the salt shaker, which I use all of the time. Everybody should use curry until the love it too.