A different x-ray phase contrast imaging technique based on the combination of structured illumination and an optimized hybrid input-output algorithm for phase and amplitude retrieval is presented and discussed. Based on a modified and flexible experimental setup, compared to standard propagation-based x-ray imaging setups, the method we propose here represents a real advance in the phase-contrast imaging technique relating to the determination of the phase and amplitude distribution. Moreover, in coherent diffractive imaging applications, the proposed technique may yield high spatial resolution with currently available imaging detectors.