Chocolate Cherry Chicken

Alright, fine.  It sounds weird.  The good news is that it is delicious.  Cherry season is almost over, so now is a good time to take advantage of reasonably priced, fresh cherries.  This recipe is pretty straight forward, and only takes about 30 minutes to make.

This recipe uses our Pastamore Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar.  This balsamic vinegar is obviously great for putting on berries, ice cream, or for use in other desserts.  However, it also can be effectively used in savory dishes.

Ingredients:  Serves - 3-4
1 lb - chicken breast
6 oz - fresh cherries
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp - extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp - honey
1/2 cup - water
To taste - salt, sugar, and black pepper


Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Place the chicken into a baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil and honey.  Generously season with salt and black pepper.  Place into the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ºF. 

2.  While the chicken is cooking, rinse the cherries and remove the stems and pits.  Using a medium chop, cut up the cherries. 

3.  Place a small pot on the stove over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the cherries, water, and Pastamore Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and sugar.  Reduce the sauce by half.  If the sauce is too thick add more water, and if the sauce is too thin thicken with flour, corn starch, or a roux.

4.  Plate the chicken and top with the chocolate cherry sauce.  Serve with steamed veggies or mashed sweet potatoes.