Grilled Chicken with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
Chopped cherries combine with cherry preserves and smoky, hot chipotle peppers for an unusual marinade and sauce for grilled chicken. Recipe by Nancy Baggett.
Ingredients
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1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped (see Tips)
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1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
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1/3 cup cherry preserves
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1/3 cup ketchup
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2 tablespoons cider vinegar
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1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, (see Note), or more to taste
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1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
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1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
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2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
Directions
1.
Stir cherries, broth, preserves, ketchup, vinegar, chipotle peppers, thyme and allspice in a small deep bowl. Transfer to a shallow nonreactive dish (see Note) large enough to hold chicken. Add chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2.
Preheat grill to high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Remove the chicken from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a medium skillet.
3.
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.
4.
Meanwhile, 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. Let the chicken cool slightly; serve with the sauce.
Tips:
Tips: 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.
To oil the 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.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray before placing it on the grill.
Notes: 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.
A nonreactive pan--stainless steel, enamel-coated or glass--is best for 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.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 1. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Nutrition information
Calories 180, Total Fat 3 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 63 mg, Sodium 179 mg, Carbohydrate 15 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 24 g, Potassium 272 mg. Exchanges: Other Carbohydrate 1,Lean Meat 3.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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