In a saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients except cornstarch slurry. Simmer 5 min. Mix cornstarch with 1 tbsp water, then whisk into sauce and cook 1-2 min more until thickened. Divide sauce in half.

Lightly season chicken thighs. Place in a bag or dish and pour half the sauce (marinade) over them. Marinate in fridge 2-4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs 2-3 min per side until golden. Return all chicken to skillet or a baking sheet.

Brush generous amounts of the remaining (basting) sauce over the chicken. Bake 15 min. Baste again. Return to oven 10-15 min more until cooked through and glaze is sticky and caramelized.

While chicken cooks, combine salsa ingredients (pineapple, avocado, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice) in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

To assemble, mold 3/4 cup cooked white rice into a stable mound on each plate. Stack 3-4 chicken thighs vertically on top of the rice. Cutting larger thighs in half can help with stacking.

Spoon pineapple-avocado salsa right over the very top of the chicken stack. Drizzle remaining basted sauce from pan around the base. Garnish with scallions and chilies. Serve with lime wedges.