I hit the mother load at the Farmer’s Market and knew that a fresh, crisp salad would be on the menu after a few days of foodie over indulgence on Mackinac Island. The food in the restaurants is amazing, so it’s time to behave and get back on track. We all enjoy grilled chicken on a salad, but I wanted to do something a little different so I made a marinade for the chicken sliced a fresh pineapple and lit the grill. This satisfying salad will be back!
Ingredients:
2 lbs of chicken tenders or 3 to 4 chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp corn starch
1 thick pineapple ring per person
Marinade/Glaze
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 packed brown sugar
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs ketchup
1 clove garlic finely minced
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs dijon mustard
1 Tbs Asian chili sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
Method:
Mix the Marinade/Glaze ingredients in a medium sized bowl, then slowly add the olive oil while whisking. Pour 2/3 of this mixture over your chicken pieces in a zip-lock bag, squeeze out the air and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (overnight is even better)
The separate 1/3 of your remaining liquid will become your glaze. Put the clean marinade in a sauce pan and heat until slowly bubbling. I then mix the corn starch with 1/2 cup pineapple juice in a jar and shake it to combine. Pour into simmering Marinade and whisk until it comes to a boil and thickens. This can be brushed onto the chicken in its final minutes of cooking or grilling.
For the pineapple, I brush with a little canola oil and sprinkle with a modest amount of sugar to get that beautiful caramelization, and it jacks up the flavor. It only takes a minute or two on the grill. When you get the color you want, flip it and repeat on the other side. You can savor this chicken and pineapple on its own, over rice, or as I did….atop a salad.
Good!