This is a spicy but not fiery-hot dish. It is made with chipotle peppers (smoked jalapenos), which add not only heat but also a subtle smoky taste. Enjoy this variation of barbecued chicken with coleslaw and cornbread. Recipe by Nancy Baggett.
| Prep Time: | 30 minutes |
| Ready in: | 2 3/4 hours (including 2 hours marinating time) |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
| Ease of Prep: | Easy |
| Recipe Ingredients | |
| 1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed; see Tip) dark sweet cherries , pitted and chopped | |
| 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth | |
| 1/3 cup cherry preserves | |
| 1/3 cup ketchup | |
| 2 tablespoons cider vinegar | |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce , or more to taste (see Ingredient Note) | |
| 1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme | |
| 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice | |
| 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat | |
Recipe Directions
- Stir cherries, broth, preserves, ketchup, vinegar, chipotle peppers, thyme and allspice in a small deep bowl. Transfer to a shallow non-reactive dish (see Note) large enough to hold chicken. Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat grill to high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Remove the chicken from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a medium skillet.
- Reduce the grill heat to medium and grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 7 to 9 minutes per side. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by about half, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken cool slightly; serve with the sauce.
Prepare through Step 1. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Tips: Find frozen, canned and dried sour cherries at King
Orchards, (877) 937-5464, www.kingorchards.com, and The Cherry
Stop, (800) 286-7209, www.cherrystop.net.
Be sure to measure frozen cherries while still frozen, then thaw.
(Drain juice before using.)
To pit a cherry: Halve it with a paring knife then pry out the
pit with the tip of the knife or use a cherry pitter, available
from Williams-Sonoma at www.williams-sonoma.com, (877) 812-6235.
To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs
and rub it over the rack. Do not use cooking spray on a hot
grill.
Ingredient Note: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked
jalapenos packed in a flavorful sauce. Look for the small cans
with the Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened,
they'll keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the
freezer.
Note: A nonreactive pan-stainless steel, enamel-coated or
glass-is necessary when cooking acidic foods, such as lemon, to
prevent the food from reacting with the pan. Reactive pans, such
as aluminum and cast-iron, can impart an off color and/or off
flavor in acidic foods.
Health Advantages: low calorie, low carb, low sat fat, low sodium, heart healthy, healthy weight, diabetes appropriate.
| Nutrition Information | ||||||||
| Servings Per Recipe: 8 | ||||||||
| Amount Per serving | ||||||||
| Calories: | 180 cal | Carbohydrate Servings: | 1 | |||||
| Carbohydrates: | 14 g | Dietary Fiber: | 1 g | Cholesterol: | 63 mg | |||
| Fat: | 3 g | Sodium: | 179 mg | Saturated Fat: | 1 g | |||
| Protein: | 24 g | Potassium: | 272 mg | Monounsaturated Fat: | 1 g | |||
| Nutrition Bonus: | Selenium (29% daily value). | |||||||
| Exchanges: | 1 other carbohydrate, 3 very lean meat | |||||||



