Chicken Thighs with Strawberries and Mushrooms

Yum

I know what you're thinking: "Strawberries, mushrooms and chicken?" I realize it's a very unlikely combination but I recently heard a chef talk about some unusual ingredient pairings and that piqued my interest. There are several compounds chicken, strawberries and mushrooms share, which makes this trio work quite well together. I'm intrigued whenever there is a deviation from the norm. Something that defies the standard way of cooking. 

I set out to try a recipe which would either be a disaster or would completely surprise me. I was stunned and delighted at how beautifully the ingredients worked. This recipe is quite quick to do and won't disappoint. The longest part is just marinating the chicken. If you're really pressed for time, 15-20 minutes will do but ideally an hour is best. 

I served it with crunchy green beans but you can choose whatever veggie you like. I actually liked the combination of green beans as they enhanced the flavor and didn't take anything away from this very unique combination. If you choose to go for green beans, the simplest way to make them is to trim the ends, add about a cup of water per pound of beans to a medium sauce pan. Steam covered for 5-8 minutes until they reach desired consistency. 

• Prep time: 10 minutes

• Marinating time: minimum 15 minutes, ideally an hour

• Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

• Serves 4

Ingredients: 

Grilled chicken:

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos (or soy sauce if not GF)

• zest of 1 lime

• juice of ½ lime

• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger

• ¼ cup avocado oil

• additional 1 teaspoon cilantro for finished chicken

Strawberry mushroom mix:

• 10-12 white mushrooms, chopped

• 10 medium stawberries, chopped

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1 clove garlic, finely minced

• pinch salt

• pinch pepper

• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil

Serve with suggestion: 

• Green beans

Equipment: 

• Grill or grill pan (Though I highly recommend an open flame grill

• Large cast iron or regular frying pan

• Container or bag for marinating

Directions:

Combine all ingredients under grilled chicken, except for chicken itself, in a container (or ziplock bag) and mix well. Add chicken and let sit for as little as 15 minutes and up to an hour. Preheat grill.

Meanwhile, heat frying pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, shallot and garlic and sauté until fragrant but not brown. Add mushrooms and strawberries and stir well. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes then lower heat and cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat stirring occasionally. 

On preheated grill, add chicken thighs and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165° Fahrenheit. 

To plate: Add a layer of the mushroom and strawberry mix, green beans (if you choose them as veggies) chicken breast and top with additional mushroom and strawberry mixture, finishing with additional cilantro.