Friday, May 3, 2013

Spicy Chicken with Grilled Pineapple

For a long time I've said that I don't like Pineapple. Eh. It just didn't do it for me. However, as my palate has evolved over the years; I've decided that I really enjoy it. And, I'm really loving this Mango and Pineapple Salsa. Hint. Hint. Try it!! Anyway, I knew that I was making chicken tonight, and I wanted to try a new recipe. So, I went searching on trusty Google trying to find a chicken with pineapple recipe. I came across this one from Ladies' Home Journal, and decided to give it a shot especially since I had all the ingredients save for the scallions. Only when I got home and started preparing the marinade did I realize you are supposed to marinate the chicken for 8+ hours. Whoops. Well, I certainly wasn't going to wait 8 hours before eating dinner. So, I let it sit for about an hour and a half. And, I thought it was very tasty for only that short period of time. I bet if it sat for 8+ hours it would have even more flavor. I really liked this grilled chicken recipe, and the grilled pineapple made it even tastier. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
8 scallions, chopped, plus 1/4 cup dark-green 2-inch-long thin strips for garnish
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for grill
1 habanero or jalapeno chile, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 pounds chicken parts (thighs and drumsticks)
1 fresh pineapple, about 4 pounds
2 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

Combine the first 12 ingredients into a Food Processor and puree until smooth. Mine had some chunky pieces...just go with it. Place half the puree into a small bowl and cover and refrigerate. Take the other half of the puree and pour it into a plastic zip lock bag and add the chicken to the bag as well. Marinate for 8 hours or overnight in the fridge and turn the chicken occasionally. Again, I only marinaded mine for about an hour and a half and it was still quite tasty. When you are about ready to start grilling your chicken; take it out of the fridge and let sit for 30 minutes on your counter. Meanwhile, take out your pineapple and cut it crosswise 1/4 inches thick. Sprinkle brown sugar over it. When your grill is ready; grill the pineapple with the brown sugar facing down on the for 3 to 4 minutes and be sure to turn the pineapple half way thru to give the other side some nice grill marks. Set the pineapple aside. Now, grill your chicken till it is cooked through. Take out the puree that you set aside in the bowl and spoon on top of the chicken. Serve with the pineapple and enjoy.

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