Recipe: Grilled Chicken Breast with Warm Balsamic Strawberries

This savory dish, from Cleveland Clinic Healthy Heart Lifestyle Guide and Cookbook, rivals those found at fine restaurants. The beauty of it is you can make this healthy masterpiece in your own home with minimal effort. Who said following a cardio-protective diet can’t get the chef a standing ovation?

Ingredients

For the chicken

Four 3-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts,
pounded thin
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Minced fresh chives, optional

For the strawberries

Refrigerated butter-flavor cooking spray
2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon dry red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions

1. Place the 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 in the refrigerator. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the strawberries.
2. Coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray.
3. Sauté the onion over medium heat until wilted.
4. Add the chives, wine, vinegar and pepper and simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Add the strawberries and cook for another 3 minutes. They should keep their shape, but the flavors should blend. Set aside.
6. Preheat a grooved nonstick grill pan.
7. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels.
8. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with the tip of a knife.
9. Serve at once with 2 tablespoons of strawberries and drizzle a bit of the liquid around the edge. Top with fresh chives.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Serves four

Calories 130
Total fat 3.5 g
Saturated fat 0.5 g
Protein 20 g
Carbohydrates 4 g
Dietary fiber <1 g
Cholesterol 50 mg
Sodium 210 mg
Potassium 285 mg