Nathan McIntosh and his wife Naomi met nearly twenty years ago over a chicken sandwich. So, it seems fitting that he decided to share a chicken teriyaki sandwich for the Dinner’s Ready recipe this month.
The couple met while working together at Chick-fil-A and married within two years of meeting. Now, the couple has six incredible children together: Austin (15), Paxton (13), Josiah (10), Kingston (7), Caroline (3), and Maddox (18 months).
Nathan is one of Northwest Florida’s Premier realtors and he is also the owner of a thriving local bakery called Smallcakes in Pensacola, FL.
“With both of us being entrepreneurs, especially since my husband is in real estate, we decided to purchase the bakery,” shared Nathan’s wife, Naomi. “We both work in the bakery on some busier days, like Valentine’s Day. Nathan’s favorite thing to make is the in-house ice creams!”
Most evenings you can find him coaching his kid’s sports teams, attending father-daughter ballet classes with his one and only girl, or volunteering at his church.
“Our family is heavily involved in sports,” Naomi said. “We love playing basketball together. Also, pickleball, baseball, swimming in our pool, hiking, and traveling.”
Eating at home is the norm for the McIntosh family. You can often find Nathan whipping up breakfast for the four older boys before school, and it is his favorite meal of the day. Naomi usually tackles dinner, and when the family isn’t off to the baseball fields, they sit around the dining room table.
“Our 13-year-old is very helpful and will meal prep. He loves dicing vegetables and is a bit of a perfectionist,” said Naomi. “Being a large family, we have to divide the clean up, and we’ve learned it works better to clean alongside the kids than to put one person alone on one job. One of us will do dishes with one of the kids after dinner and it’s a great time for a conversation and helps teach the kids how to wash the dishes properly.”
Outside of breakfast foods, this Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich is one of the family’s favorite meals when Nathan decides to grill dinner. It is full of flavor with the marinated and grilled teriyaki chicken and the sweet, caramelized pineapple. They often pair it with white lime rice.
“Each bite is a harmony of smoky, charred perfection and juicy, tropical delight, creating an unforgettable culinary experience that will transport your taste buds to paradise,” Naomi said. “It’s perfect for a summer cookout or a fancy luau!”
Nathan’s Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless, skinless Chicken breasts, cut in half or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/2 inch thick
- 1 bottle of pineapple teriyaki sauce or marinade
- 4 fresh pineapple rings (you could use canned in a pinch)
- Buns
- Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and whatever sandwich toppings you like
Directions:
- Set aside a 1/2 cup of the teriyaki marinade to be used during grilling. Pour the remaining marinade into a dish. Add prepped chicken to the dish. Cover and allow the chicken breast to marinate in the fridge overnight.
- Next day, prep and preheat your grill.
- Place chicken breasts on the grill. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear, turning once half way through and brushing with remaining teriyaki sauce to glaze. Then remove from the grill and set aside.
- Add a little bit of brown sugar to your sliced pineapple and throw it right on a grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Then remove from the grill and set aside.
- Optionally, you can toast your buns by placing the cut side down on the grill for just 1-2 minutes.
- Add a chicken breast to a bun, top with a pineapple ring, and any other desired toppings.
- Enjoy! Serve with any desired side – white lime rice, sweet potato or homestyle fries, coleslaw, etc.
Gabriele has been married to her husband Daniel for 17 years. Together they have three incredible children – two boys, ages 16 and nine, and a sweet girl who will be two in August. Gabriele is a full-time Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. When she isn’t spending time with family or building her business, she supports her husband who is the Lead Pastor and Planter of Forward Church in Gulf Shores.
