grilled pineapple salsa & chicken

I had a food filled weekend thanks to restaurant week in Charlotte. Restaurant week is where restaurants all over the city charge $30 for an appetizer, entree and dessert chosen from a set menu. It is a great way to try new restaurants where I wouldn't usually be able to afford a three course meal. My parents are moving to San Francisco in two weeks so my mom decided to come visit me in Charlotte for the weekend. On Friday night we met up with my aunt and uncle and went to Aria in uptown. I ordered the caramelized gnocchi, a filet over the best mac n cheese ever and lemon semifreddo for dessert. For anyone that lives in Charlotte, I would highly recommend it and can't wait to go back! I'm hoping to start up a new section of this blog dedicated to eating out because I love to dine out almost as much as I love to cook and bake in my own kitchen.

After a weekend of rich food and lots of shopping, my mom and I decided to cook up a quick, healthy meal for a late lunch. I can't believe we fired up the grill considering it was 100 degrees outside but this recipe made it all worth it. The grilled pineapple salsa is a combination of fresh, sweet and spicy that compliments the grilled chicken perfectly. The salsa and chicken are easy to throw together and each one has enough flavor to stand on their own.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa & Grilled Chicken 

for the pineapple salsa:

2 c. grilled pineapple, diced 

1 c. red onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime 

for the chicken:
1.5 lbs of chicken
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c. red onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lime juice

For the salsa, grill pineapple slices about 5 minutes on each side over medium heat. Remove slices from the grill and cut into bite size chunks. Mix the salsa ingredients in a bowl and stir together, adding the grilled pineapple last.

For the grilled chicken marinade, mix all the ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Marinate chicken for 4+ hours in the refrigerator. Grill until chicken is cooked through.