Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Grilled Chicken with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

This is a recipe that I have been planning to make for several weeks and I finally made it last night.  It is very yummy.  I made it with Sweet Potato French Fries.  It makes a nice quick dinner.  

Grilled Chicken with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
From EatingWell Magazine:  June/July 2006
Recipe by Nancy Baggett
8 servings | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 3/4 hours (including 2 hours marinating time)

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped (see Tips)
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 chiles in adobo sauce, (see Note), or more to taste
1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

Preparation:
  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.

  • Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 1. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
  • 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 jalapeƱos 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.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Fresh Raspberry Lemonade

I thought this would be a refreshing change from all the blueberry recipes!

Fresh Raspberry Lemonade
Hands-on Time:  26 min.

3/4 cup sugar
2 cups water, divided
2 cups fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
1-3/4 cups fresh lemon juice (about 13 medium lemons)
16 ounces sparkling water, chilled

1.  Combine sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves.   Cool to room temperature.

2.  Combine remaining 1-1/4 cups water and raspberries in a blender; pulse 10 times or until well blended.  Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a large pitcher; discard solids.  Add orange juice, lemon juice, sparkling water, and cooled syrup to pitcher; stir to combine.  Serve immediately over ice.  Yield:  8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup).

Enjoy!