Whoever said you can’t take one of the best romantic desserts and make it a savory meal sure is missing out! This Chocolate Strawberry Chicken is savory, sweet, tangy, rich, and bright making your taste buds do the tango all through the night!
(Original post date January 14, 2020/ Links and post updated November 30, 2020)
Valentine’s day is just around the corner and one of the top-selling items is chocolate-covered strawberries! They are the perfect combination of earthiness, meets sweet, and paired with a little tartness.
That was when I found myself thinking why not make them into a savory dish? I mean any excuse to eat extra chocolate! Right? That was when Chocolate Strawberry Chicken and Tortellini came to be.
The Creative Process to Chocolate Strawberry Chicken and Tortellini
Since we are creating this into a savory dish I thought of a chocolate sauce because cooking the chicken or pasta with cocoa or chocolate would be too overpowering.
I love a good balsamic strawberry dressing and I once had a balsamic chocolate-dipped strawberry that was to die for so I knew balsamic would be a great pairing with chocolate.
The next step was to pick out the type of chocolate. There is
- White chocolate
- semi-sweet chocolate
- milk chocolate
- dark chocolate
- and the list goes on and on if we dig into % of cocoa ratios
Since I was using balsamic I wanted chocolate with depth slightly bitter but still sweet. That is why I chose dark chocolate.
I also wanted a chocolate that was easy to work with, no tempering just wanted one I could toss in the balsamic and chicken juices and melt into a delicious sauce.
Chocolate melts were just what I was looking for. Not only do they taste great on their own, not going to lie I was snacking while testing this recipe, but they were super easy to work with. Saving me time and energy making this meal a simple yet elegant dish.
The last thing I had to figure out for this Chocolate Strawberry Chicken and Tortellini dish was the seasoning for the chicken. I attempted to make this with just naked salt and peppered chicken but felt the recipe was missing something. Then I marinated the chicken in red wine, balsamic with rosemary and thyme marinade overnight, and if given it just the edge and freshness this dish needed.
On a side note, this Chocolate Strawberry Chicken can be made with just spaghetti or any pasta your heart desires, but I found adding the rich cheesy baked tortellini was not just simple but gave this dish a little extra yum.
How to Make Chocolate Strawberry Chicken and Tortellini
- Whisk up the simple rosemary thyme marinade. Place chicken in a container or ziplock bag and pour the marinade on the chicken. Place the marinating chicken in the fridge for at least 2 hours (if it is in a zip lock bag place bag in a bowl to save you from a possible leaky mess).
- Once the chicken has marinated, remove it from the fridge and sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat a skillet that is both stovetop worthy and oven safe over medium to medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Carefully remove the chicken from the marinade and place it into the hot and ready pan. Be extra careful the oil will be hot and splashbacks can happen.
- After cooking for 3-5 minutes or until the first side is browned flip and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes. Place chopped strawberries in with the chicken and place the skillet in the oven. Cook for 5-10 minutes (really depends on altitude and how thick your chicken breast is)
- In the meantime, while everything is cooking measure out your chocolate melts and whisk together the balsamic vinegar, red wine, and honey in a small bowl, to get ready to make the sauce.
- Once the chicken is done the juices will be clear and the internal temp, when taken with a thermometer, is 165°F remove from the skillet and place on a cutting board allowing it to rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the juices to settle leaving you with a juicy piece of meat.
- Return the skillet with all the juices from the chicken and the strawberries to the stove over medium-low heat add in the balsamic, red wine, and honey. Whisk for 2 minutes then whisk in the chocolate melts until completely melted. If the sauce seems too thick add in a splash of red wine.
- Once the chicken has rested slice it into pieces and serve on top of the tortellini, or plate up the plates separately. Drizzle with the chocolate sauce and serve Chocolate Strawberry Chicken and Tortellini.
For a recipe that has more than 5 steps, I promise it is a simple easy recipe. To complete this meal serve it up with a simple arugula salad and some nice garlic knots.
So, now that I totally ruined the surprise that I am making Chocolate Strawberry Chicken and Tortellini for my husband this Valentine’s Day. What are your plans?
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FAQ and Tips
Common Questions that get asked about the recipe, and tips to save you time and money.
- Can I make this with frozen strawberries?
You sure can, just remember frozen strawberries are softer and won’t take as much time to cook. - Can this dish be frozen?
Absolutely, it can be made ahead and frozen for a quick weeknight meal. Keeps in the freezer for 2 months. - Is the sauce sweet?
I prefer dark chocolate when I make a savory dish, however, if you use semi-sweet or milk chocolate then the sauce will be sweet.
The Recipe for Chocolate Strawberry Chicken
Chocolate Strawberry Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 6 strawberries diced
Red Wine Marinade
- ⅛ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup red wine one you like to drink
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- ½ tbsp dried rosemary
- ½ tbsp salt
Strawberry Chocolate Sauce
- ⅛ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup red wine One that you like to drink
- ¼ cup Dark Chocolate Melts
Instructions
Marinade
- Combine all the marinade ingredients together. Place chicken breast in a marinading container or in a big bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Place marinading chicken in the fridge for at least 2 hours. For best flavor marinate overnight.
Make the Chicken
- Once the chicken has marinated, remove from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temp for 10 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat a skillet that is both stovetop worthy and oven safe over medium to medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Carefully remove the chicken from the marinade and place it into the hot and ready pan. Be extra careful the oil will be hot and splashbacks can happen.
- After cooking for 3-5 minutes or until the first side is browned flip and cook on the other side 1-2 minutes.
- Place chopped strawberries in with the chicken and place the skillet in the oven. Cook for 5-10 minutes (really depends on altitude and how thick your chicken breast is)
- Once the chicken is done the juices will be clear and the internal temp, when taken with a thermometer, is 165°F remove from the skillet and place on a cutting board allowing it to rest 10 minutes.
Chocolate Strawberry Sauce
- Once the chicken is rested slice into pieces and serve on top of the tortellini or pasta, or plate up the plates separately. Drizzle with the chocolate sauce and serve Chocolate Strawberry Chicken and Tortellini.
Nutrition
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When I first saw this I thought no… no… this is jut weird but my daughter wanted to try it. Anything chocolate is good mom she said. I was surprised that it was just like a sweet tangy gravy on the chicken.
this is such a delicious. recipe. thanks for sharing.