Recipe: Grilled Chicken Breasts with Warm Balsamic Strawberry Salsa

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Warm Balsamic Strawberry Salsa
(makes 4 servings)

4 (4-ounce / 120 g) boneless and skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 ml) chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Warm Balsamic Strawberry Salsa (see recipe reference)
extra minced chives for garnish (optional)

Place the pounded chicken breasts in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, oil, garlic, tarragon, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.

When ready to cook, preheat a grooved nonstick pan, remove the chicken from the marinade and dry with paper towel. Cook until the chicken is done, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, and juices run clear when prodded with the sharp tip of a knife. Serve at once with 2 tablespoons of salsa and drizzle a bit of the liquid around the edge. Decorate with extra chives.

Warm Balsamic Strawberry Salsa
(makes 2 cups)

butter flavored cooking spray
2 tablespoons (30 ml) red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons (30 ml) minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dry red wine
2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups (240 g) fresh strawberries, washed and sliced

Spray a small non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Saut the red onion until wilted.

Add the chives, red wine, vinegar, and pepper and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the strawberries and cook for another 3 minutes. They should keep their shape, but the flavors should blend.

Store any leftover salsa to use the next day of grilled fish or add to a green tossed salad.