Grilled Chicken with Strawberry-Jalapeño Salsa
Strawberries paired with chicken is another classic combo you’ll see here in California, most often during the spring and summer months. This tasty chicken dish showcases this combo beautifully by topping grilled sweet-and-spicy rubbed chicken with vibrant strawberry salsa. The strawberry salsa is very pico-de-gallo-esque, with the usual suspects, including fresh jalapeños, onion, cilantro and lime along with California classics like fresh strawberries and a touch of honey for sweetness. My favorite part about this dish is the crispy caramelized bits on the chicken after it’s grilled—they’re so good! And the fact that this delicious Cal-Mex
dish is ready in less than 30 minutes means that you’ll love it too.
Yields4 servings
Total TimeUnder 30 minutes
Ingredients
- Strawberry-Jalapeño Salsa
- 2 cups (400 g) chopped strawberries
- 1 large jalapeño, deseeded & finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped cilantro (leaves & stems)
- 2 green onion stalks, sliced (green & white parts)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 tablespoon (8 ml) honey
- Salt, to taste
Grilled Chicken- Olive oil, to brush over the grill
- 2 teaspoons (5 g) smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons (9 g) brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons (12 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds (907 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
INSTRUCTIONS
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To make the strawberry-jalapeño salsa, mix the strawberries, jalapeño, cilantro, green onion, lime juice and honey together in a bowl and season it with salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate the salsa.
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Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
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While the grill heats, in a small bowl, mix the smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper together. Rub the spice mixture evenly over
both sides of each chicken breast. -
Once the grill is hot, place the chicken directly on the grill and cook it for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until the chicken is lightly blackened and cooked through to an internal temperature of 65°F (74°C). Transfer the chicken to a tray once it’s done and let it rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Alternatively, you can bake the chicken at 400°F (204°C) for 20 to 22 minutes.
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Serve the chicken hot with the strawberry-jalapeño salsa spooned over each breast.
◊ Caitlin’s Flavor Tip! ◊
Add another ½ tablespoon (8 ml) of honey to the salsa if you prefer it sweeter.
Credit:
Reprinted with permission from Fast and Fresh Cal-Mex Cooking by Caitlin Prettyman. Page Street Publishing Co. 2024. Photo credit: Caitlin Prettyman.
