We swapped blogs instead of recipes for this week’s swap. I was paired up with Cheesecurd in Paradise. I’ve made some of Ashley’s recipes before and they were delicious, so I was really excited to browse through her blog and pick the perfect recipe (plus, she’s a fellow Midwesterner (albeit a Packers fan), so how could she possibly steer me wrong?).
The weather here in Chicago has been beyond gorgeous, which is so untypical for March. Last week, the Husby cleaned out the grill and we’ve been having delectable grilled fare ever since. Luckily, Ashley has a bunch of amazing recipes for the grill on her site, it took me a while to narrow it down to just one, so I gave a few ideas to the Husby and let him decide which sounded best. I think he was thrilled to get some sort of say in the food I make for him, ha!
He ultimately chose this recipe for Strawberry Balsamic Chicken with Grilled French Onion Packets, and I’m so glad that he did. The marinade for the chicken was so good, I kept sneaking spoonfuls (pre-chicken, obviously). While marinating, I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I reduced it into a sauce to serve over the chicken as well. It would also make an incredible salad dressing! Droooooool.
The chicken was incredibly moist and flavorful, and the sauce, well you know how I feel about it.
We also really loved the onions. They were super soft and sweet due to the extended time on the grill, and the French onion flavor had me swooning and eating the leftovers off of the Husby’s plate.
Strawberry Balsamic Chicken with Grilled French Onion Packets – adapted slightly from Cheesecurd in Paradise
For the Chicken:
- 8 Strawberries, tops removed
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Shallot, minced
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Honey
- 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a medium bowl and blend using an immersion blender until fairly smooth. Don’t have an immersion blender? You can use a regular blender or a food processor instead.
Place the chicken into a large Ziploc back and pour the marinade on top. Allow to marinate for at least an hour. Remove chicken and grill over medium high heat until cooked completely.
While the chicken is on the grill, pour the remaining marinade into a saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer, stirring constantly 5-10 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add about 1/4 Cup white wine. Serve over the chicken.
For the Onions:
- 2 Large Sweet Onions
- 2 Beef Bouillon Cubes
- 4 Tbsp. Salted Butter
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Peel the onions and chop of the tops and bottoms. Cut out a small pocket in the center and place the bouillon cube inside. Top with the butter and season with pepper.
Wrap each onion in foil, twisting at the top to create a seal. Grill over medium heat on the top rack for 30-40 minutes, until onions are soft and the bouillon has dissolved.
