This is a spicy but not fiery-hot dish. It is made with chipotle peppers (smoked jalapenos), which add not only heat but also a subtle smoky taste. Enjoy this variation of barbecued chicken with coleslaw and cornbread. Recipe by Nancy Baggett.

Makes 8 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 2 3/4 hours (including 2 hours marinating time)

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed; see Tip) dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup cherry preserves
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or more to taste (see Ingredient Note)
1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

1. Stir cherries, broth, preserves, ketchup, vinegar, chipotle peppers, thyme and allspice in a small deep bowl. Transfer to a shallow non-reactive dish (see Note) large enough to hold chicken. Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat grill to high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Remove the chicken from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a medium skillet.
3. Reduce the grill heat to medium and grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 7 to 9 minutes per side. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by about half, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken cool slightly; serve with the sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 180 calories; 3 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 1 g fiber; 179 mg sodium; 272 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (29% daily value).
Exchanges: 1 other carbohydrate, 3 very lean meat; 1 Carbohydrate Serving.

TIP: Tips: Find frozen, canned and dried sour cherries at King Orchards, (877) 937-5464, www.kingorchards.com, and The Cherry Stop, (800) 286-7209, www.cherrystop.net.

Be sure to measure frozen cherries while still frozen, then thaw. (Drain juice before using.)

To pit a cherry: Halve it with a paring knife then pry out the pit with the tip of the knife or use a cherry pitter, available from Williams-Sonoma at www.williams-sonoma.com, (877) 812-6235.

To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.

Ingredient Note: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapenos packed in a flavorful sauce. Look for the small cans with the Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, they’ll keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

Note: A nonreactive pan—stainless steel, enamel-coated or glass—is necessary when cooking acidic foods, such as lemon, to prevent the food from reacting with the pan. Reactive pans, such as aluminum and cast-iron, can impart an off color and/or off flavor in acidic foods.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 1. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

This chicken is great! Our 9 year old son and his friends love it.

Anonymous, Seattle, Wa

This was an excellant - spicy sauce! We love it. Good for chicken or pork.

Anonymous

As written, this is practically inedible: the dried thyme and allspice completely overwhelm it. However, if you substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves for the dried thyme and decrease the allspice to 1/4 teaspoon, it's very good. The marinade makes the chicken juicy and the sauce complements it well. Four hours of marination yielded a good result.

, Chestnut Hill, MA

so good! I used fresh bing cherries and a black cherry jam. I marinated it overnight and it came out juicy and full of flavor. I used the oven/broiler on high with the rack in the middle for 7 minutes on each side.

hungryhippo, portland, OR