Summer Peach Grilled Chicken is a true treat and one of the best summer entrée recipes. Aromatic fresh basil and sweet peach slices add perfectly to the smokey grilled chicken. This is lovely for an outdoor dinner party or BBQ.
I think most of us love to grill in the summertime. I love to cook, eat and entertain outdoors.
Two of the most wonderful things in season during the summer are stone fruits and basil. Of course there are many more, but these two seem to scream summer.
What's in this recipe?
- chicken
- peaches
- fresh basil
- olive oil
- garlic
- brown sugar
- lemon juice
- salt, pepper
photo credit: Melissas.com
How to Make Peach Grilled Chicken
- Purée peaches and basil together in a blender with a little water, brown sugar and garlic.
- Add the chicken to a large zip-lock bag, along with half of the peach mixture. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. (The other half will become a sauce.)
- Preheat your stove-top grill or outdoor BBQ, remove the marinated chicken pieces from the bag and place them on a large plate.
- Season both sides of each chicken piece with salt and pepper, and then add them to the grill.
- Grill just until the chicken is cooked through, about four minutes per side.
- While the chicken is grilling, pour the remaining peach mixture into a small sauce pan. Add the lemon juice, bring to a simmer, and let it thicken a bit. Season to taste with a bit more brown sugar, salt and pepper.
- Slice the chicken and garnish with fresh basil leaves and peach slices.
(More detailed instructions are below.)
Saturn Peaches
I've used Saturn peaches -- also called Donut peaches -- from Melissa's Produce. They're incredibly delicious.
These white peaches are super juicy, super sweet, and they taste like summer.
Of course diving right in with a bite is scrumptious, but wait until you try it with the grilled chicken! These wonderfully fragrant peaches make for a divine marinade and sauce.
And with the smoky char from the grill, you'll quickly understand why this Peach Grilled Chicken recipe is one of the most delicious summer entrée recipes.
photo credit: Melissas.com
Can you use another peach variety?
Absolutely! The Donut peaches are lovely, and so are so many other varieties during stone fruit season. Use what you love!
I hope enjoy Summer Peach Grilled Chicken as much as my family and I do.
More recipes with peaches:
- Blue Cheese Grilled Peaches
- Peach and Avocado Salad with Zucchini
- Peach Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri
- Peach Caprese Salad Recipe
- Fresh Peach Pudding Recipe
Summer Peach Grilled Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 (approximately 6-ounce) chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 14 Saturn peaches, washed and dried (see notes!)
- 2 cups loosely packed basil leaves, washed and dried
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 large garlic clove
- olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- salt, freshly ground black pepper and brown sugar to taste
- basil leaves and peach slices for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Make the marinade. Cut all of the peaches in half, remove the pits, and add them to a powerful blender or food processor. Add the basil leaves, water, sugar and garlic and purée on high until you have a relatively smooth consistency.
- Prepare the chicken. Trim any excess fat off of the chicken breasts and then put them in a large, heavy-duty zip-lock bag. Set aside.
- Marinate. Pour about half of the peach mixture into the bag with the chicken breasts. Move the chicken around to be sure all sides are well coated. Remove the air from the bag, seal, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and ideally overnight. (Save the other half of the peach mixture in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for the sauce.)
- Grill. When you're ready to cook, preheat your stove-top grill or outdoor BBQ. Remove the now marinated chicken breasts from the bag and place them on a large plate. (Discard the bag with any excess marinade.) Once the grill is hot, season both sides of each chicken breast with salt and pepper, and then place them on the grill. (You should hear a sizzling sound when they hit the grill -- if you don't, it's not hot enough. Wait for the sizzle!) Grill just until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
- Make the sauce. While the chicken is grilling, add the remaining peach mixture (from the container in the fridge), to a small sauce pan. Add the lemon juice, bring to a simmer, and let it thicken a bit. This should take about 5 minutes. Season to taste with a bit more brown sugar, salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
- Serve. Serve the chicken either whole or sliced, placing it on top of the sauce, on a platter or serving plates. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and peach slices if desired.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Amy
This sure does look tasty. I would have never thought of adding Basil.
valentina
Thanks, Amy! Hope you try it. 🙂
Deb
A scrumptious recipe to enjoy lush summer peaches in their prime.
valentina
Thank you, Deb! XO
Peter Henry
Grilled chicken and peaches sounds fantastic! It is probably very fresh and rich in flavour. I have to try it. I've tried grilled pork with apricots and the meal was amazing. I will try this, too. Thanks for the idea.
Regards, Peter.
valentina
Thanks, Peter. Pork and apricots sounds divine, too. 😀
David
Love the sound of this, Valentina - and the peaches this year (so far) have been some of the sweetest in recent history!
valentina
Yes, so sweet!
John Rolli
Serving with sliced (Saturn?) peaches as in your first photo is gorgeous! How do you prepare those peaches; are they fresh or grilled? Thanks
valentina
Hi John, The peach slices are raw -- they're soft and juicy and perfect as they are. 🙂 Thanks so much and enjoy!
Eha
Well, as I am at the moment shivering with two heaters on in the house, methinks it will be some five months until I can try this rather luscious recipe ! Do not often reach for fruit when preparing various meats . . . duck with cherries, sole with green grapes naturally . . . but the way you add basil to the peaches etc does make the recipe interesting and it will end on my kitchen pile immediately. Since crowds for a summer barbecue may as yet be in the future shall use a serrated grill pan atop the stove . . . the grill in the grill drawer perchance not providing the desired temperature . . . thanks !!
valentina
Hi Eha! Thanks for your note. I hope you try and love it. And should you gather with people for a BBQ, I hope they'll love it too! Enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Teresa
Hi
Can I bake this in the oven and if so what temperature?
Many thanks
valentina
Hi Teresa. Yes you can! The oven should preheat to 375 degrees F. Bake just until the center of the chicken breasts are cooked through. Times will vary, but check it after 10 minutes, and then every few minutes. Enjoy and thanks for visiting my site and recipes. 🙂 ~Valentina
Chef Mimi
Wow. Not only is this dish delicious (I can tell!) but goodness it’s pretty. I love Saturn peaches - it’s hard to get them where I live, sadly, but I’ll keep looking for them! Fabulous!
valentina
Thanks so much, Mimi. I hope you seem them near you one day. Maybe a Farmers Market? I'm happy this looks good to you. 🙂 ~Valentina