Grilled Chicken with Peach Basil (View Print Version)

Tender grilled chicken with fresh peach basil salsa

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Peach Basil Salsa

07 - 2 ripe peaches, diced
08 - 0.25 cup red onion, finely chopped
09 - 0.5 red bell pepper, diced
10 - 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
11 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
12 - 1 lime, juiced
13 - 1 teaspoon honey
14 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

# Method:

01 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Brush with olive oil, then season both sides generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
03 - Grill chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
04 - While chicken grills, combine diced peaches, red onion, bell pepper, basil, jalapeño, lime juice, honey, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix gently to combine.
05 - Slice grilled chicken and top each breast with a generous portion of peach basil salsa. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy enough for a dinner party but comes together in under 40 minutes on a weeknight.
  • The peach salsa is sweet and tangy without being heavy, so you actually feel energized after eating instead of sluggish.
  • Grilling the chicken gets you outside and away from the stove on hot days, which honestly feels like a small victory in summer.
02 -
  • Chicken continues cooking after you take it off the grill, so pull it off at 160°F and it will climb those last five degrees while it rests, keeping the meat from drying out.
  • Make the salsa no more than fifteen minutes before you eat it or the peaches will start to break down and become watery, which dilutes all that bright flavor you worked for.
03 -
  • If you're marinating the chicken, do it for exactly one hour in olive oil, lime juice, and fresh herbs like basil or oregano, any longer and the lime starts to cure the chicken in a way that changes the texture.
  • A grill pan works just as well as an outdoor grill if that's what you have, and honestly on rainy days I prefer it because I can keep an eye on everything from my kitchen window.
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