Pineapple and Mango Grilled Chicken Skewers

I did say that I love summer grilling, didn’t I?  

The latest and greatest installment of the summer grill adventures is so delightfully summer-y that I can almost feel the soft ocean breezes and hear the tinny sounds of Caribbean music playing as I write up the recipe for you!  So grab some sunscreen and a mojito and get your grill fired up because this is one that you don’t want to miss!!

Pineapple and Mango Grilled Chicken Skewers:

• 1 – 6 oz can pineapple juice

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 tablespoon garlic

• 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon smoky paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 tablespoons almond oil

• 1/2 cup chopped scallions

• 2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins

Combine all the ingredients, except for the chicken, and mix well.  Place chicken tenderloins in a resealable storage bag and pour the marinade over the chicken.  Get as much air out of the bag as possible, zip it closed, and work the marinade into the tenderloins for a few minutes.  Place the bag into a pan (to prevent leakage) and put it into the fridge for 2-3 hours, occasionally flipping the bag to redistribute the marinade throughout the chicken.

After your chicken has marinated for 2-3 hours, its time to skewer those babies and get them grillin’!!  Heat your grill to 300-325°, you want a low heat for slow grilling.

Lay them at an angle on your grill for excellent grill marks.  After you lay your skewers on the grill…leave them alone!!  Close the grill and keep an eye on your heat, as long as it stays around 300-325º, you’re doing fine.  Cook for about 10 minutes on the first side, then carefully turn them over and cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Cooking times will vary so be sure to check the internal temperature of the chicken, I take it off the grill at around 155° because the temp will continue to rise for a few minutes after removing it from the heat.

Grilled mango…YUM!!  Seriously, YUMMMMMMMM!!!  To slice your mango, turn it on its side so that the disc-shaped seed is straight up and down.  Make your first slice on the left side of the seed, curving your knife around the perimeter of the seed.  Make the same slice on the opposing side so that you are left with the thin, disc-shaped seed.  Now, take each piece of mango and make some slits into the fruit. Drizzle a bit of honey into the slits that you’ve made and make sure the entire surface of the fruit is covered.  Place the mango on the hottest part of your grill, fruit side down, for 5-7 minutes or until it has some nicely caramelized grill marks.  Again I say…..YUMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!

Pineapple and mango grilled chicken skewers, you just don’t get much more tropical and summer-y!!  So delicious, loaded with lean protein and minimal fats…great for swimsuit weather.  Enjoy!!