Strawberry Chipotle Chicken

This recipe is courtesy of Southern Cast Iron magazine. This is the ultimate savory strawberry dish. A word of caution: This recipe brings the heat! If you want to lower the heat level, add HALF a pepper and 1 TEASPOON of the sauce. But if spicy food is your jam, increase the amount of the adobo sauce you use.

The yellow rice was the perfect accompaniment both in flavor and eye appeal. I cooked four servings of yellow rice and then spread it out evenly on the serving platter. Place the chicken on top of the rice, spoon the extra sauce over the chicken thighs and garnish with thinly sliced green onion.

3 cups halved fresh strawberries

1 small canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1/3 cup chopped green onion

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

4 large bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 10 oz. each)

Garnish: chopped green onion

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 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, occasionally stirring, 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 degrees.

In braiser, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper all over the chicken. Add chicken; cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Pour strawberry sauce all over the chicken.

Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 170 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes, spooning sauce onto chicken occasionally. Garnish with green onion, if desired.