We have one eating rule in our house, if you’ve never tried it, you have to take one bite, and if you don’t like it then you don’t have to eat it.

I have a very broad pallet because I’ll try anything. Foods I wasn’t expecting will be fabulous. You never know what you are missing. There’s a lot of amazing food out there.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a simple comfy chicken pot pie, but I do crave foods that have a little taste depth, or contrast. In downtown Delray, Florida, Vic & Angelo’s restaurant used to serve a pear and cheese ravioli that was amazing. Two very different flavors, making a luscious pair. I love, loved this – oh I crave it, I am so sad they don’t make it any more. I recently went to another restaurant and I got spinach cheese ravioli with with a cream sauce but they put little splashes of balsamic vinegar on the top and again the contrast between the balsamic vinegar and a cream sauce were amazing. These experiences have made me test more in the kitchen.

I try new stuff because I never know where I am going to get a great idea for cooking. It’s so easy for grilled chicken to get boring. I think I got into this recipe because my husband and I are trying to lose weight. We got to that point in out diet where, “if I have another vegetable or if I have another piece of chicken I am going to die.” I was on a mission to make a something that was satisfying but healthy. I found Strawberry Basil Chicken and it was definatley an experiment in taste. I did not know how it was going to come out. However my picky husband tried it and enjoyed it. It really perked up my routine with something interesting.

The recipe is surprisingly simple all you do is I take some strawberries, onion, basil, strawberry jam, and balsamic vinegar and simmer. Spoon over grilled chicken and it is amazing. I have a little left over cream sauce from the other night.( not healthy but I will post the recipe for the cream sauce for another day). Just like that ravioli I tried with the cream sauce, and balsamic, you can add strawberry basil balsamic on top.

Strawberry Basil Grilled Chicken (servings for two)

2 hand fulls of strawberries, about 10-12 strawberries, chopped

two slices of white onion chopped

3 tbsp of Balsamic vinagar

1 tbsp of strawberry jaw or jelly

about 10-15 leaves of basil chopped

2 chicken breast

Salt

Pepper

Sautee onion for about two minutes until transparent. Add strawberries, balsamic, and jam to the onion and bring to a simmer for about two minutes. Pay attention and stir while simmering, you don’t want it to burn, it will bubble up a little bit. I usually simmer on medium heat. Then simmer for another 2-4 minutes until reduction thickens. Take off heat then add basil.

Grilled Chicken- Salt, pepper and grill chicken. If you have thick chicken breast butterfly in half for thorough cooking. About 6 minutes each side, If your grill heats up fast you may want to grilled 5 min each side. I usually grill at meadium to high heat, about 400 degrees, I grill one side 6minutes, then the other for about 4-5 minutes. Every grill is different so pay attention. My Weber heats up so fast I had to get used to it. Chicken should reach internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Spoon Strawberry Basil reduction over the grilled chicken, and it is ready to go.