By May 2023. I turn forty-one and the birthday has entirely lost the weight that forty carried — forty-one is just a birthday, a good one, a Tuesday. I made myself another carrot cake, my grandmother's recipe, my hands knowing it without the written version. Mason offered to make it for me again and I said this year I wanted to make it myself, and he understood — sometimes you need to do the thing with your own hands, not to prove anything, just to be in it.
We ate it in the backyard because May in Utah means the evenings are warm enough if you wear a light jacket. Gary grilled the dinner — steaks, corn, a salad from the early garden lettuce. Noah, eleven, had been in the kitchen all afternoon helping me and asked if he could carry the cake outside. He carried it very carefully, both hands, the way you carry something that matters, and set it on the table with a satisfaction that was entirely about the carrying and not at all about the credit. He's like that. He doesn't need the credit. He just wants to be useful.
Forty-one. The book is eleven months old and still selling. The second book is beginning. The channel is at 480,000. The workshops have taught, by my rough count, over eight hundred people. The family is intact and mostly excellent and fed. I'm on medication that evens the floor and I'm okay with that being true — I've stopped feeling like it should be shameful to ask for help managing the chemical undercurrents. That shift took two years and a therapist who was patient about it.
This is a good life. I'm aware of it. That's the whole thing, right there.
That May evening — the warm air, the early garden lettuce, Noah carrying the cake with both hands — is exactly the kind of night this recipe was made for. Gary had the grill going anyway, and if I’m honest, Grilled Pineapple Chimichurri Chicken has become my favorite thing to add to a backyard spread because it brings its own celebration without demanding any extra effort from you. The pineapple sweetness against the bright, garlicky chimichurri is the kind of flavor combination that makes people pause mid-bite — and on a birthday that’s finally just a good Tuesday, that little moment of joy at the table is plenty.
Grilled Pineapple Chimichurri Chicken
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 8 fresh pineapple rings (about 1/2 inch thick)
- For the chimichurri:
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, packed
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Make the chimichurri. Combine parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt in a food processor. Pulse 8—10 times until finely chopped. With the processor running, drizzle in olive oil until just combined. Do not over-blend — the chimichurri should have texture. Set aside at room temperature.
- Prep the chicken. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with olive oil and season evenly with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Heat the grill. Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Clean and oil the grates.
- Grill the chicken. Place chicken on the grill and cook for 6—7 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F and grill marks are well developed. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes.
- Grill the pineapple. While chicken rests, grill pineapple rings 2—3 minutes per side until caramelized with clear grill marks. Remove and set aside.
- Assemble and serve. Slice chicken against the grain if desired. Serve topped with two grilled pineapple rings and a generous spoonful of chimichurri. Pass extra chimichurri at the table.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 520mg