Cherry Barbecue Chicken Recipes

CHERRY DR. PEPPER GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large sauce pan add the Cherry Dr. Pepper, Ketchup, tomato paste, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, onion powder, black pepper, liquid smoke, chili powder and minced garlic.
• Whisk together until well blended.
• Simmer over very low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and reduces by almost half.
• Cool.
• Keep in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Wash and dry chicken pieces. Place in a foil lined 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with Seasoning salt and Paprika. Cover with foil. Bake in a 250° oven for 2-3 hours. Allow to cool completely before grilling. This will allow the meat to firm back up before placing it on the grill.
• Coat grill with oil.
• Heat grill to 300° or medium heat.
• Place chicken bottom side down. Brush chicken with BBQ sauce. Gently flip the chicken over and allow to lightly char. While the chicken is charring on the one side brush the bottoms with BBQ sauce. Flip and char that side and brush top with more BBQ sauce.
• Remove for Grill and place on platter.
• Serve immediately.

TANGY CHERRY CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat with the 3 turns of the pan of extra-virgin olive oil, about 3 tablespoons. Season chicken liberally with half of the thyme, salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
• In the bottom of a medium sauce pot, heat and toast pine nuts over moderate heat and remove. Add 2 cups stock and 1 tablespoon butter to the pot and bring to a boil.
• Return the chicken skillet to the burner over medium-high heat, add 1 turn of the pan of extra-virgin olive oil, add the onion, celery, crushed red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt and pepper, cook for 3 to 4 or until the celery and onions are tender. Add the white wine, and cook until the pan is almost dry, 1 minute. Add 2 cups chicken stock, dried cherries and continue to cook for about 5 to 6 minutes or until there is only about 1/2 cup of liquid left in the pan. Turn the heat off the under the pan. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons cold butter in small pieces and whisk until it has completely melted.
• In a medium saucepan bring the remaining 1 cup chicken stock to a boil, add couscous, allspice, cinnamon and a little salt. Cover pot and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Drizzle honey over the couscous and add the pine nuts, scallions and parsley. Toss and fluff with a fork to combine.
• Serve the chicken whole or sliced with cherry sauce poured over it and couscous alongside. Dark seared greens or simple salad complete the meal.

CHERRY BBQ CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons chile powder, smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
• Season the chicken drumsticks and carefully loosen the skin to season the meat.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Meanwhile, add oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Once hot, add onion, and garlic, and saute until onion is soft and translucent.
• Add the remaining 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder, and tomato paste and toast for 1 minute.
• Add orange juice, lemon juice, ketchup, cherries, water, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Puree with a hand blender until smooth.
• Reserve 1 cup sauce for grilling and hold the rest for serving.
• Preheat a grill to medium heat. Oil the grill grate with olive oil to keep the chicken from sticking.
• Grill chicken, turning frequently, until cooked through and skin is crisp, about 25 minutes.
• Brush with reserved barbecue sauce and grill 5 minutes more.
• Serve with remaining warm sauce.

CHERRY BALSAMIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the cherries, vinegar, mustard, fennel seed, salt and garlic in a blender. Puree until smooth. Place the chicken pieces in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling. Preheat a grill to 450 degrees F or medium-high heat with indirect heat on one side.
• Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and place on a baking sheet; reserve the marinade. Drizzle with the olive oil. Place the chicken on the grill over direct heat and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes. Flip the chicken, move to indirect heat and baste with the marinade. Cover the grill and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove to a platter and sprinkle with the fennel pollen.

CHERRY BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine chicken broth, cherry preserves, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon peel, cinnamon, and cloves in heavy medium saucepan. Boil over medium-high heat until broth mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 6 minutes.
• Whisk Port and cornstarch in small bowl to blend. Whisk Port-cornstarch mixture, orange marmalade, and ketchup into reduced broth mixture. Bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Simmer until flavors blend and sauce thickens slightly, whisking frequently, about 5 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature or rewarm over low heat before using.)

CHERRY BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until cherries are tender and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

CHERRY BOMB CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine water, kosher salt, and sugar in a saucepan over low heat; cook until sugar and salt dissolve, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Score the skin side of each piece of chicken 2 to 3 times, about 1/8 inch deep. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl or lidded container.
• Puree cherry tomatoes, habanero peppers, garlic, and allspice with the salt and sugar mixture in a blender until smooth.
• Pour tomato brine over chicken pieces, making sure all pieces are covered. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.
• Remove chicken pieces and transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Pat chicken pieces dry with more paper towels.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Combine thyme, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and oil in a small bowl.
• Brush each chicken piece with thyme and oil mixture.
• Cook chicken, skin side down, on the preheated grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn each piece and move to indirect heat. Cook until well-browned and meat is no longer pink in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Brush each piece with Thai sweet chile sauce. Transfer to a plate and allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

CHERRY COKE CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix the flour, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Butterfly the chicken breasts and pound them to about 1/2" thickness.
• Dredge them lightly in the flour mixture.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the onions in the olive oil until soft.
• Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until browned on one side, about 4 minutes.
• Turn chicken and brown the other side for a few minutes more.
• Add the Coke, cherries, garlic and balsamic vinegar.
• Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• Remove chicken and keep warm.
• Dissolve corn starch in water, then add to sauce mixture, and simmer until sauce is thickened and glossy.
• Pour over chicken and serve.

CHERRY CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then coat with flour. Fry in the hot oil until browned, turning as needed. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for about 25 minutes or until meat is tender and juices run clear.
• Remove the chicken from the pan, and pour off all but 1/4 cup of the drippings. Return to medium heat and stir in the cherries, reserving some of the cherry liquid for later. Stir in sugar and bring to a boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in the reserved cherry liquid, then stir into the pan. Cook, stirring gently, until thickened.
• Add orange slices and almonds to the skillet, then return the chicken pieces to the skillet. Spoon sauce over the chicken to coat, and simmer over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

PULLED CHICKEN WITH CHERRY-CHILE BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shallots, ginger, and jalapeño and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cherries, tomatoes, molasses, vinegar, chipotle, 1 tablespoon mustard, 3/4 teaspoon chile powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 5 grinds pepper, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until aromatic and thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully transfer half to a blender; purée until smooth, about 20 seconds. Purée the second half until smooth (you should have about 5 1/4 cups). Set aside.
• 2. Meanwhile, mix 2 tablespoons mustard, 1/2 teaspoon chile powder, 1/2 teaspoons salt, 10 grinds pepper, and the brown sugar in a large bowl; add the chicken and mix well with your hands. Put the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker and pour 1 1/2 cups of the barbecue sauce on top (reserve the remainder for serving and extras). Cover and cook on low until the meat is cooked through and tender, 4 to 4 1/2 hours.
• 3. Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a cutting board and carefully use a fork to separate the meat from the bones, discarding the bones (you should have about 4 cups meat).
• 4. To serve, stir together 1 cup of the remaining sauce and the shredded meat, and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Spoon some meat and sauce onto the bottom half of each bun, cover with the top bun, and serve.