This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Draper Valley Farms. All opinions are 100% mine.
Juicy grilled chicken breasts, topped with a delicious ruby-red cherry salsa, made from the season’s best local cherries. Quick, easy and super yummy, this the ultimate summer plate!
There’s no season like fruit season! Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are so blessed to be able to produce some fantastic fruit, like apples, pears, peaches, sweet cherries and berries galore. However, it’s the cherries that always hold a spot dear to my heart. We have so many local orchards where you can go cherry picking each year. But the season always seems so fleetingly short to me, so I don’t hold back from purchasing an outrageous quantity and eating them as quickly as possible. I’m making sure to use every last one of mine and this recipe is just the start of a beautiful cherry-obsessed season.
This isn’t your average grilled chicken recipe. It starts with high quality chicken (I used ROXY™ Organic Chicken Breasts by Draper Valley Farms which locally raises free-range chickens right here in the Pacific northwest and harvests them at Mount Vernon, WA). Not only is ROXY™ Chicken Free- Range and raised with No Antibiotics Ever, but it also conveniently comes in a recyclable tray! You want the freshest produce possible ’cause we really are letting all the ingredients shine in this simple recipe. If you’re in the PNW here’s where to buy RANGER® and ROXY™.
To begin this ultimate summer recipe (which I promise you will ADORE!), we start by flattening the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness, so it cooks more evenly on the grill. Then we simply season it with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and some smoky chipotle powder or you can use your favorite seasoning (I highly recommend the chipotle powder though). Let the chicken sit with all the seasonings while you prepare the salsa.
Now onto the Cherry Salsa! I have to warn you this fruity salsa of sweet red cherries (I used a mix of local Bing and Rainier cherries) along with finely diced shallot, jalapeño and cilantro involves flavors and textures that dance between sweet, savory and zesty with a little kick! The squeeze of lime and some balsamic vinegar help round out the flavors making it one fresh, tasty and addictive salsa!
While the flavors of that delicious salsa meld, cook the chicken on the grill or in a grill pan. Doesn’t that chicken look amazing? (Here are some more great chicken recipes for RANGER® and ROXY™).
Once cooked, let your chicken rest for a bit to retain all those juices (I know it’s hard and you just want to cut into it, but trust me!). After resting the meat, serve the chicken sliced up on a bed of spring greens (or in my case watercress) and top generously with the fresh cherry salsa.
For more great chicken recipes and promotions for Draper Valley Farm’s RANGER® and ROXY™ products follow them on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
- 2 Chicken Breasts
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tsp Chipotle Powder
- 2 cups sweet cherries pitted & chopped
- 1/2 medium jalapeno seeded, ribs removed (for more heat add more with the seeds & ribs)
- 1/4 cup shallot, finely diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
- - Place the chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag and pound them using a heavy pan or rolling pin to uniform thickness.
- - Mix together the oil, salt, pepper and chipotle pepper powder and rub the mix into the chicken breasts well.
- - Allow the chicken to marinate for a bit while you prepare the cherry salsa.
- - Roughly chop pitted cherries and put them in bowl.
- - Add finely diced shallot (or red onion), chopped jalapeno and chopped fresh cilantro.
- - Add salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and squeeze in fresh lime juice.
- - Mix well and allow all the flavors to meld by letting it sit out till you grill the chicken or cover and refrigerate for later.
- - Heat a grill pan over a medium-high heat or fire up the BBQ.
- - Grill the chicken breasts over a medium-high heat for 4-6 mins a side, or until cooked through. Let the cooked chicken rest for 5 mins.
- - Slice and place chicken on a plate (on a bed of salad leaves if you'd like) and spoon the fresh cherry salsa generously on top.
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