Easy Everyday Meals:
Chicken & Stone Fruits

Ready in 30 minutes or less, these three fruity chicken recipes are perfect for the end of summer and early autumn. Apricots, peaches and cherries are perfect for pairing with chicken (or pork/lamb) because of their sweet-sour flavor profile for a combination the whole family will love.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Cherry Salsa
Serves 2

Chicken:

• 2 chicken breast halves
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salsa:

• 1 cup ripe fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
  
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
  
• 1 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat grill over medium heat.

Prepare cherry salsa by combining all salsa ingredients. Set aside.

Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

After grill is thoroughly heated, turn one burner off (if working with a charcoal grill, place coals on one side, leaving room for meat to be placed indirectly over heat). Place chicken breasts bone-side down on the side of the grill away from direct flame. Grill for 15 minutes. Turn and continue grilling for 10-15 minutes or until done. Remove from grill and tent with foil for 5 minutes.

Serve grilled chicken topped with cherry salsa.

Chicken Breasts with Peach Sauce
Serves 4

• 4 chicken breast halves, skinless & boneless
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  
• 1 shallot, minced
  
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
  
• 2 Tablespoons organic peach preserves
  
• 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, slivered
  
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts to skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add shallots to skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add white wine, deglazing pan; scraping up browned bits on bottom of skillet. Reduce wine by half. Whisk in peach preserves and basil. Right before serving, whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until a nice creamy sauce forms. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, place a chicken breast half on a plate and spoon sauce over top. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

Chicken Breasts with Apricot Glaze
Serves 4

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 cup gf chicken stock
  
• 1 Tablespoon gf hoisin sauce
  
• 2 Tablespoons apricot perserves
  
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
  
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Combine chicken stock, hoisin sauce and apricot preserves in a small bowl and set aside.

Place chicken breasts, one at a time, between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound breasts with a mallet to 1/4 inch thickness. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts. Season chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat canola oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté for 3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned on both sides. (If necessary do chicken in batches if they won’t fit in one skillet.) Remove chicken from skillet and set aside, tenting with foil to keep warm.

Add chicken broth mixture to skillet and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is reduced by half.

Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add chicken back to skillet and turn to coat. Serve.

- Kelsey Ganes

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