Chipotle Apricot - Mango Chicken

Last night we had some friends over to see the new house and to give Mr. Cowboy a chance to see them before he leaves for New Mexico. (He leaves Tuesday, so it is coming all too soon for my liking.) Being that it is grilling season and the weather here in Hog Nation is amazing, at the moment, we opted for a nice night of grilling and eating on the deck.

As you've heard me say at least a million times now and will still hear me say at least 742 more times, fresh produce is the lifeblood of my summers. What I probably haven't told you is my relatively recent addiction to Mangoes. It all started 3 summers ago when I studied abroad in India and it is recently back with a fury! In my book, there isn't any way to go wrong with a mango!

This recipe is based off a combination of one of the easiest ways to glaze chicken (with any preserve / jam your little heart desires) and a Guy Fieri recipe that I happened to stumble upon. While he is a little far from my Paula and Ina staple Food Network diet, I will say that the man knows how to pack great flavor in his dishes. So this hybrid is no exception! The marinade / sauce is fruity with a subtle chipotle kick, simply bursting with flavor. It yields a nice carmelization to the outside of the chicken but keeps the center deliciously juicy. And yes, I did just get very hungry writing that. So you should go make this and share it with me...

I envision using this marinade / sauce on pork chops sometime in the near future and maybe just filling a bath tub full of it too. Ok, that might actually be a little overkill but you get the idea!

P.S. I think this might be my best food photography yet! Don't you just want to lick the screen?

Notes:

• Don't have either Mango or Apricot preserves? Feel free to just side with one fruit, I simply ran out of Mango, so I called in backups.
• If you are an expert canner or jammer, please forgive me as I use the terms preserves & jam & jelly interchangeably. In my opinion, use which ever of these you have. If you have a more specific opinion, follow it.
• This recipe is just as amazing with various parts of the chicken. If skin-on chicken thighs are on sale, do not shy away from this recipe simply because I used chicken breasts. The cooking technique will be the same but the timing may be a little different.
• My technique for grilling chicken is a low and slow approach, there are faster approaches but in my opinion you don't get as juicy of a product - but I could be wrong!
• Like a little more kick? Use more peppers or more adobo! Like a little less kick? Use only 1 pepper and less adobo!See how that works?

Chipotle Apricot - Mango Chicken
1/2 c. Apricot preserves
1/2 c. Mango preserves
2 chipotle peppers in adobo
2 T. adobo sauce
2 T. rice wine vinegar
2 T. garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 c. Cilantro
2 T. canola oil
4 t. salt
2 t. black pepper
4-6 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless

Marinade / Sauce options:

1. Easy / Rustic: Rough chop the cilantro and chipotle pepper. Put everything into a gallon plastic bag, massage together, and mix well.
2. Easy / More Uniform: Place everything, unchopped into a food processor and process until smooth.

Once you have made the marinade, reserve half of the marinade for a sauce. In a gallon bag with the other half of the marinade, place your chicken into the bag, remove the air, and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.

When getting ready to begin grilling, place the reserved sauce into a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until thick. Make sure to stir this mixture often for 15 minutes. Reserve approximately 1/4 c. out of this sauce to baste the chicken with during grilling; the rest will be served with the dish as a sauce.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and brush the grates with oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place directly on the grill for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the chicken to the other side. After cooking both sides of the chicken for 10 minutes on higher heat, place the chicken breasts on low heat or cook via indirect heat (i.e. the top rack of your grill or with burners underneath it off, shoot for a 300° - 350° grill). Cook the chicken on low heat for approximately 20 more minutes, turning as needed. Every time you turn the chicken, baste the side that is facing up. When it is ready, the chicken should be firm to the touch but not hard. If you need a little reassurance, use a meat thermometer to ensure that the thickest part of the chicken is at 165° F.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it to a plate and cover it with aluminum foil. Rest the chicken for 10-15 minutes before serving or cutting. Serve with the reserved sauce and enjoy!