This huckleberry chicken recipe is my new favorite way to cook with huckleberries. Succulent chicken thighs simmered in a finger-licking huckleberry sauce that's tangy, sweet, and spicy, what could be better? Then try my huckleberry chutney recipe!
You may be thinking chicken and huckleberries don't belong in the same sentence. After all, we're used to huckleberries being used to make huckleberry pie and huckleberry jam, not chicken dishes.
Let me assure you, huckleberries are also amazing in savory dishes. Don't believe me? All you have to do is try my gourmet grilled cheese sandwich. It features turkey, bacon, pepper jack, and sweet and spicy huckleberry habanero chutney!
So stretch your imagination a little and follow along to make this amazing dish!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Huckleberries are amazing in sauces, including savory sauces, like in this recipe.
- This recipe is ready in around 30 minutes, great for when you're short on time!
- Huckleberry chicken can be served over rice, pasta, and even mashed potatoes!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken: 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, may substitute bone-in chicken thighs or even chicken breasts.
- Huckleberries: Fresh or frozen huckleberries, with more fresh huckleberries as a garnish.
- Onion & Garlic: Yellow onion and fresh garlic
- Peppers: Canned chipotle peppers provide the heat in this dish, but you can also add chopped serranos or habaneros to take it to the next level!
- Sauce Ingredients: Honey, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard
- Seasoning: Sea salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. The sumac is optional!
How to Prepare Huckleberry Chicken
Step 1: Prepare white rice, vermicelli rice, or noodles to serve with the huckleberry chicken.
Step 2: Season chicken with salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to a cast-iron skillet and sear chicken on both sides, then remove from the pan and keep warm.
Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a saucepan, if needed, to sauté chopped onion. After a few minutes, add minced garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add huckleberries, honey, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, chopped chipotle peppers, and fresh rosemary. Season with sea salt and black pepper and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Place chicken thighs into the pan and spoon sauce over them. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Serve chicken over rice and spoon sauce over it. Garnish with any of the following: cilantro, parsley, slivered green onions, and fresh huckleberries!
Serving Suggestions
Serve huckleberry chicken over white rice or noodles with a carrot and cucumber salad and some sumac lemonade!
Pro Tips
- If you only have bone-in chicken, you can still make this recipe; you just need to cook the chicken longer.
- This recipe can also be prepared with chicken breast.
- If you want the sauce even thicker, you can whisk 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water and stir it into the sauce, and boil for a few minutes.
- I like to garnish the dish with some fresh huckleberries before serving. They add a fresh burst of huckleberry flavor!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Foraging Recipes
If you enjoy this huckleberry chicken recipe, try these other great recipes!
Recipe
Chipotle Huckleberry Chicken
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (2.5 lbs)
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sumac powder (optional)
Huckleberry Sauce
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil (divided)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 cups huckleberries (fresh or frozen)
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 5 canned chipotle peppers
- 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary (chopped)
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
- ¼ cup huckleberries (fresh)
Instructions
- Prepare white rice, vermicelli rice, or noodles to serve with the huckleberry chicken.
- Season chicken with salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to a cast-iron skillet and sear chicken on both sides, then remove from the pan and keep warm.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a saucepan, if needed, to sauté chopped onion. After a few minutes, add minced garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add huckleberries, honey, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, chopped chipotle peppers, and fresh rosemary. Season with sea salt and black pepper and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Place chicken thighs into the pan and spoon sauce over them. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Serve chicken over rice and spoon sauce over it. Garnish with any of the following: cilantro, parsley, slivered green onions, and fresh huckleberries!
Notes
-
- The nutrition values for this recipe do not reflect what you serve this dish with (for example, rice, noodles, etc).
- If you only have bone-in chicken, you can still make this recipe; just cook the chicken longer.
- This recipe can also be prepared with chicken breast.
- If you want the sauce even thicker, you can whisk 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water and stir it into the sauce, and boil for a few minutes.
- I like to add some fresh huckleberries to each plate just before serving for a pop of huckleberry flavor!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Hilda Sterner says
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Kathy Fisher says
I loved this recipe. Huckleberries may look like blueberries but the favor is much more intense and distinctive in my opinion. I really liked the spicy fruity flavor - such a refreshing summer recipe. Thanks for this terrific recipe.
Hilda Sterner says
So glad it was enjoyed, thanks, Kathy Fisher!
Anita Haus says
This is such an easy recipe and makes a great meal! Just the right balance, loved it!6
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks Anita, I appreciate the review!