Now, let’s just get one thing out of the way–we’re going to be using chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
You might be wondering why chicken thighs? Sara and I have a long-established history with a love of chicken thighs–they’re so much more juicy and flavorful than chicken breasts, plus they cook very quickly (and they’re harder to overcook). They’re extra-fantastic on the grill because they take on all sorts of complex, smoky flavors. Trust us. You’ll love them. Anyway. Place the chicken pieces in a large zip-top bag and set aside. To make the marinade, you’re going to need the juice from a 20-ounce can of pineapple chunks (like Dole), low-sodium soy sauce (for me, it’s a taste thing rather than a health thing, but the health thing is definitely an added bonus), sweet chili sauce, garlic, reserved lime juice, and ground ginger.
Juice one of the limes and reserve the other lime for later. Drain the can of pineapple, but reserve the juice. Canned pineapple is a pantry staple for me! I don’t always buy name-brand stuff, but when it comes to pineapple at my house, it has to be Dole–both the juice and fruit seem to taste the most fresh and don’t have that weird canned fruit taste. It’s one of the few canned goods that I love just as much as fresh and I seriously have every size and variety–tidbits for pizza, crushed for mixing in with rice, rings for throwing on the grill and adding to burgers, and chunks for skewers and snacking. I do love fresh pineapple, but it’s often expensive and I have a hard time getting over how little edible pineapple I get vs. the stuff I throw away. Plus, I can use the juice and I always know what I’m getting with canned pineapple (I’ve been burned by gross fresh pineapple in the past).
Whisk together the marinade ingredients and reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken pieces, seal, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, preheat grill over medium-high heat. Alternately thread the chicken pieces and pineapple onto skewers.
Turn grill to medium, lightly oil the grates, and cook for 4 minutes. Turn the skewers and cook for another 4 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the peanut sauce. You’ll need creamy peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger (fresh or ground, your call–same amount either way), and a little bit of red curry paste.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Combine the remaining peanut sauce ingredients in the pan and heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. When the skewers are done, transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with reserved 1/4 cup of marinade. Juice the remaining half lime over the skewers. If desired, drizzle the peanut sauce over the skewers; otherwise, you can serve it as a dipping sauce. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve immediately.
