Chili/Rum Chicken

I don't often make main dishes with fruit in them.  Not exactly sure why because I like fruit but maybe not so much as part of my dinner? But, it just so happens that I bought a whole cored fresh pineapple the other day and then thought, what the hell am I doing with this thing? Enter the NYT. Found a recipe that sounded pretty good and I had some of the ingredients so I went for it and the outcome was quite nice.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 sweet onion, trimmed and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
•       1 tablespoon dried red pepper
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 6 boneless chicken thighs
• ¾ pound pineapple pieces, diced into 1/2-inch chunks or very roughly chopped
•  

PREPARATION

1. In a blender or food processor, combine lemon juice and salt, and blend for 5 seconds to dissolve salt. Add onion, garlic, oil, rum, thyme, brown sugar, chili pepper and spices, and blend until mixture forms a marinade.
2. In plastic zip lock bag, marinate chicken pieces. If you have time, let marinate for up to 45 minutes at room temperature, or up to 24 hours in refrigerator.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put chicken in a large baking pan and scatter pineapple around it in one layer. Roast until chicken is cooked through (juices will run clear when pricked with a fork), about 30 minutes.
4. Broil chicken and pineapple until chicken skin is crisp and dark brown all over and pineapple is singed in places.
5. Serve chicken and pineapple coated with pan drippings.

6.