Smoky and sweet in all the right ways, this chicken dinner is bursting with flavor. Serve with cooked rice or your grain of choice to soak up the yummy pan sauce.
Strawberry-Chipotle Chicken
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups halved fresh strawberries
- 1 small canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- ⅓ cup chopped green onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 large bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 10 ounces each)
- Garnish: chopped green onion
Instructions
- In the container of a blender, combine strawberries, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce; pulse until smooth.
- In a 12-inch enameled cast-iron braiser, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in strawberry mixture, brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, and ½ teaspoon salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 12 minutes. Pour sauce into a small bowl (there should be about 1¼ cups). Clean and dry braiser.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In braiser, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper all over chicken. Add chicken; cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Pour strawberry sauce all over chicken.
- Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 170°, 35 to 40 minutes, spooning sauce onto chicken occasionally. Garnish with green onion, if desired.
Notes
KITCHEN TIP: Purée remaining chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a blender or food processor until smooth, and freeze in 1-tablespoon portions for future use.
