Are you a fan of sweet and spicy flavors? Then you’ll love this strawberry-jalapeño chicken, perfect for your springtime dinners. Tender chicken breasts are seasoned and pan-seared until beautifully golden, then coated in a luscious strawberry chipotle sauce and finished with a zesty strawberry-jalapeño salsa. If cilantro isn’t your thing, you can swap it out for fresh basil or parsley.
While strawberry and jalapeño might seem like an unlikely pair, the tartness of the strawberries, the fruity kick of the jalapeños, and the smoky touch of chipotle chiles create a delightful balance of sweet and heat. Serve this mouthwatering dish with roasted sweet potatoes or wild rice for a quick and satisfying meal that’s ready in under an hour.
Don’t worry about leftovers; simply store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and they’ll stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Strawberry-Jalapeño Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil divided
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving
- 16 ounces strawberries stemmed, halved, sliced, divided
- 3 jalapeños seeded, chopped, divided
- 2 shallots chopped, divided
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo chopped, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with pepper, garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook the chicken in the skillet until golden brown and cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- In a small bowl, combine cilantro, 1 cup of strawberries, 1/3 cup of jalapeños, 2 tablespoons of shallots, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook the remaining jalapeños and shallots with a pinch of salt until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of vinegar and deglaze the skillet, scraping the bottom. Stir in the chipotle chile, adobo sauce, BBQ sauce, honey, and remaining strawberries. Cook until the sauce thickens and the strawberries break down, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the skillet to heat through. Spoon the strawberry salsa over the chicken and top with cilantro before serving.