Sweet and Spicy Grilled Chicken with a Pineapple Rum Glaze

How to Make

• Step 1: Spice Rub ... Add all the ingredients (except the oil) to a small bowl and mix well. Lay the chicken in a baking dish and brush or drizzle the oil on the chicken. Add half of the spices over the chicken, and make sure to rub it in well. Then, flip the chicken over and repeat. Cover with plastic wrap and let it marinate as little as 1 hour, or even over night if you want. The longer - the better in my opinion.

• Step 2: Rum Pineapple Sauce ... Add the butter, brown sugar, rum, and pineapple juice to a small pot. Bring to a light boil and simmer on medium for 5-7 minutes until you have a syrupy consistency - stirring often. This can easily be made well in advance, then just refrigerate until ready to use.

• Step 3: Chicken ... Remove the chicken from the refrigerate to take the chill off. Let it rest a good 15-30 minutes on the counter. I definitely recommend a grill outside or a grill pan for this. You can do them under the broiler, but you just don't get the same results. Grill the chicken about 5 minutes on the first side until you get a light char. Then brush the top and flip; grill another 3-4 minutes, brush and flip again. I do this a couple of times until you get a nice char; and each side has been glazed a couple of times.

• Step 4: Note: This is very important - use a spoon to add the glaze to you chicken. Dipping the brush into raw chicken, and then on cooked chicken later on is cross contamination. I always use a spoon to ladle the sauce on, and then use my brush. I rinse the brush after the first time when the chicken is raw. Once it is cooked, it is not a problem.

• Step 5: Pineapple and Peppers ... As the chicken cooks, grill the pineapple rings and red bell pepper. I usually don't do anything other than make sure the area of the grill is lightly oiled; or brush a little oil on the pineapple and the pepper; and season very lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. Grill the pineapple, maybe a couple of minutes on each side until you get nice grill marks; and the peppers, maybe 3-4 minutes per side. You don't want them soft, just a light char.

• Step 6: Dice the pineapple and red pepper and add to a bowl along with the scallions, toss to combine. I don't think it is necessary to add anything else. It is just a nice fresh salad or relish over the glazed chicken.

• Step 7: Serve ... I prefer to serve this over brown rice - family style. Spoon the pineapple salad over the chicken breasts. Add some green beans or broccoli for a wonderful meal. ENJOY!