Hear me out: a crispy tortilla chip with a heaping scoop of pineapple salsa, topped with a juicy chunk of grilled chicken that’s spiced with paprika and cumin. Is it just me, or does that sound like the best summer meal? 
Equipment
Here’s everything you need to make my grilled chicken and pineapple pico de gallo at home:
- barbecue grill
- large bowl
- chef’s knife
- medium bowl
- instant-read thermometer
You can find the full ingredients list and recipe instructions below!
Cooking Tips
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. This will make the dish feel more like a cowboy caviar salad than a plated meal and that’s what it’s all about!
- Do most of the cooking on one side of the chicken. We want to get deep grill marks on the top side of the chicken, so we’re keeping it on one side for the majority of the cook time. That means it’s important to keep the lid down and avoid moving the chicken once you lay it on the grill. Just let it do it’s thing!
- Don’t like pineapple? Try making the pico de gallo with mango instead!
Grilled Paprika Chicken with Pineapple Pico de Gallo
Kind of like cowboy caviar, but better!
Ingredients
Method
- Heat your grill to 450°F. Season it with oil to avoid sticking.
- In a large bowl add 8 chicken thighs, ½ cup lime juice, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp cumin, ½ tbsp salt, and 3 tbsp neutral oil. Toss to coat and set aside while you make the pico de gallo.
- Dice 2 tomatoes, 1 red onion, 1 jalapeño and 1/2 pineapple, aiming for similarly sized pieces of each. Transfer to a medium bowl and cover in 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Finally grate in 1 garlic clove, then toss and set aside.
- By now the grill should be read. Add chicken thighs top-side down on the grill and close the lid. Let cook for 8 minutes, or until slightly charred and covered with grill marks. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, reads 160°F to 165°F. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve with tortilla chips, pineapple pico, and enjoy!