Loquat Chicken

Ingredients

• large ripe loquats, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• tablespoon ground ginger
• teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• tablespoon grapeseed oil
• skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Instructions

1. Place loquats into a saucepan. Stir in water, orange juice, and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil.
2. Stir in ground ginger, cinnamon, lemon pepper seasoning, and smoked paprika; reduce the heat to low. Simmer until sauce has thickened and loquats soften and begin to break apart, about 20 minutes, vigorously whisking every so often to help break up the fruit.
3. Stir in vinegar and simmer for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Heat grapeseed oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 5 to 8 minutes per side. An instant read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the skillet and cut into bite sized pieces.
5. Return chicken pieces to the skillet. Stir in 1/4 of the loquat sauce, scraping and dissolving any browned bits on the bottom. Serve chicken with remaining loquat sauce on the side.