Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Grilled Chicken in Chipotle Chorizo Sauce

I actually got the idea for this recipe from who else, Pioneer Woman.  Actually this didn't come from her originally, it was from the winner of a contest that she put on a while back.  This recipe is really good, but involves things like butter and cream which really boost the calorie count.  So I decided to put a Paleo-twist on this, and it turned out great and a lot healthier!  Some people may argue that chorizo isn't strictly Paleo, but it is basically specially spiced sausage, so for me, it counts.  Warning: this meal will be pretty hot and spicy, but if you top it with avocado (or cilantro would work too), you can cut the spice a bit. If you love heat, you can crank it up with extra chipotles.  But I am not big into spice, in case you didn't know. Here is what I did:

Grilled Chicken in Chipotle Chorizo Sauce
(serves 2-3)
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 3-4 T taco seasoning
  • 1/4 lb chorizo sausage (bulk, or casings removed)
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, cut into large chunks
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
  • 1 c chicken broth/stock
  • 1 avocado, sliced (garnish) 
Preparation
Coat the chicken breasts in about 2 T of the taco seasoning, and set them aside to "marinade" for a few minutes, or up to 2 hours if you have the time.  Grill your chicken breasts on medium heat for about 10 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.

In the meantime, heat a skillet on the stove to medium-high heat and cook the chorizo until it is all browned.  Remove the cooked chorizo to a plate but leave any drippings.  Lower the heat to medium/medium-low and add the olive oil.  Toss in the red pepper, onion, and garlic and sautee until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chipotle pepper (and some of the sauce if desired- the more, the hotter), and stir it all around for a few more minutes.  Add the chicken broth and remainder of the taco seasoning and cook the mixture for about 5 more minutes.  Pour the mixture into a blender (or use an immersion stick), and puree until smooth.  Pour the smooth mixture back into the pan and add the chorizo back in.  Stir it around and keep warm until ready to serve. 

To serve, slice the chicken breasts and lay them out on your plate.  Top with the chorizo and chipotle sauce mixture, and add some avocado slices on top.  I served this with some cauliflower rice, which also helped balance out some of the spice.  This was really tasty and definitely had a lot of flavor.  Try it for yourself and go for whatever spice level you like the best.  Enjoy!

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