Marinated Chicken Breasts With Grilled Pineapple Relish

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skin-on chicken breasts, 6 to 8 ounces each

For the marinade
1 ripe pineapple, peeled but left whole
1 jalapeño pepper
1/2 red onion
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tbsp roasted garlic
1 tbsp salt

For the grilled pineapple relish
1/2 peeled pineapple (remaining from marinade prep)
oil, (such as avocado) for coating and seasoning, plus 1 tbsp
olive oil, for roasting garlic
honey, for coating and seasoning, plus 1 tbsp
salt, for coating and seasoning
1 jalapeño pepper
1/2 red onion, peeled and halved
1/2 cup vinegar, plus more to taste
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Roast the garlic: cut off the top of a head of garlic to expose the gloves. Place cut side down in a small cast iron skillet, and add enough olive oil to completely cover the garlic. Cut a parchment paper round slightly smaller than the pan diameter and place it over the top, then cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place the pan over medium heat for about an hour, until the cloves are soft.  To make the marinade, slice the pineapple crosswise into one inch-thick rounds. Using a paring knife, remove the core from each round (this can be done roughly, since the core is edible). Chop half the pineapple coarsely; set aside the remaining half for the relish. Add the chopped pineapple to a blender, together with the jalapeño, onion, vinegar, garlic, and salt, and blend until smooth. Transfer the marinade to a bowl, add the chicken breasts, and refrigerate, covered, for at least eight hour or up to twenty-four hours. Wipe the grill grates with oil to prevent sticking. Build a two-zone fire. Your high heat zone should have embers one to two inches from the cooking surface, with occasional flames licking it. To create your medium heat zone, nudge the embers two to three inches lower than that. To make the relish, toss the remaining pineapple in oil, honey, and salt to coat. Grill over medium heat until it's nicely caramelized, about three minutes per side. Meanwhile, grill the jalapeño and onion over medium heat until lightly charred, turning often, about three minutes for the jalapeño and eight minutes for the onion. As they finish cooking, transfer the pineapple, jalapeño, and onion to a cutting board. When they are cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the pineapple, jalapeño, and onion, and add to a bowl with vinegar, one tablespoon of honey, and cilantro. Season with more salt, and add more vinegar or honey, if needed. Set aside until ready to serve. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, shaking off any excess, and bring to room temperature. Place skin side down over heat heat. After about ninety seconds, using tongs, rotate forty-five degrees and cut for another two minutes. Flip the chicken breasts and do the same on the other side. Once you have nice grill marks on both sides, move to medium heat and cook, turning often, until an instant-read thermometer placed in the thickest part of a breast, read 160 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board and let the breasts rest for ten minutes before slicing and serving with the relish.