The hot and smoky chipotle chili peppers contrast beautifully with the cherries in this unusual grilled chicken recipe. If you are always on the lookout for new grilled chicken recipes, this one is sure to tempt you. It is best to use a non-reactive pan for marinating the chicken, such as one made from glass, stainless steel or an enamel coated pan. Reactive pans are made from cast iron or aluminum and they can change the flavor or color of the food.
You can store an opened pack of chipotle chilies in the refrigerator for two weeks or in the freezer for six months if you start a new pack for this recipe. This recipe is quite unusual because it features a bit of every flavor - sweet, sharp, spice and more. The complex mixture of flavors works very nicely and the result is very impressive, especially since this is one of our most easy chicken recipes to follow. All fans of chicken will think "yummy" when they try this!
Using fruit in chicken recipes is something that dates back hundreds of years. Fruit can be used to tenderize meat (for example, papaya and beef) or to add a sweet flavor. You might not think that meat dishes should be "sweet" like desserts but adding fruit to chicken recipes just gives them a little bit of sweetness rather than an overpowering amount. The results are good but do not take our word for it - make this delicious cherry grilled chicken for your family and see what they think of your efforts! They will love this, for sure.
Ingredients -
⅓ cup cherry preserves
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup fresh or thawed cherries, pitted and chopped
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons minced canned chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
⅓ cup catsup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Arugula to serve
Preparation:
Combine the broth, cherries, preserves, vinegar, catsup, allspice, thyme and chipotle peppers in a non-reactive dish.
Add the chicken and turn it over a few times to coat well.
Cover and leave in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to marinate.
Preheat the grill to high and oil the grill rack.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and put the marinade in a skillet.
Bring the marinade to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer it gently for 12 to 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces by half. Turn the grill down to medium and grill the chicken until it is cooked all the way through.
This will take between 7 and 9 minutes per side. Let the chicken cool a bit and then serve it on a bed of arugula, with the cherry sauce.
(Serves 8)
Photo Description:
The chipotle and cherry sauce used to flavor the chicken in this delicious grilled chicken recipe is simple to put together and it gives a sweet yet spicy zing to this unique grilled chicken recipe. If you have not worked with chipotle peppers before, you are in for a treat. Long known to the Mexicans and Mexican cuisine, chipotle peppers are not as spicy as the Americanized "Mexican" recipes would have you believe. The grill is the perfect partner for this sauce as the smoky and earthy flavors blend well together and make this an ideal recipe for the summer.