Cherry Chicken
This Whole30-friendly Cherry Chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners when cherries are in season! The cherries lend a subtly sweet flavor that balances the savory notes.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 small shallots roughly chopped
- 1 pound ripe sweet cherries pitted (or 10 ounces frozen pitted sweet cherries)
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar regular balsamic will also work
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ⅓ cup avocado macadamia, or olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 pounds chicken drumsticks
Instructions
- Make the marinade by tossing the shallots, pitted cherries, balsamic vinegar, fish sauce, oil, salt, and pepper into a blender or food processor. Blitz until you get a smooth sauce.
- Taste it for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper if needed. It should be a good balance between savory, tangy, and sweet.
- Place the drumsticks in a large bowl, and pour on the marinade. Make sure the marinade coats the chicken. You can let the chicken marinate in a covered container in the fridge for 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F or 375°F if using a convection oven.
- Place a wire rack on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and arrange the chicken on top. Make sure you shake off any excess marinade.
- Bake the chicken for 40 minutes, flipping the chicken pieces over at the halfway point. The chicken’s ready when the skin is crisp and browned an the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Notes
This chicken marinade will not result in a sticky-sweet saucy dish. The cherries lend a subtly sweet flavor that balances the savory notes. If you’re looking for a sticky-sweet chicken dish, make Orange Sriracha Chicken or Julie Bauer’s Sticky Sesame Teriyaki Chicken Wings. These two dishes aren’t Whole30-friendly, though!
Nutrition
Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 20g | Fiber: 2g