Continuing my focus (obsession?) on peaches, this time we're looking at a main dish salad that somehow manages to check off so many boxes for summer favorites. Barbecue chicken? Check. Juicy summer peaches? Check. Amazing fresh salad? Check. It's even got creamy feta and crisp kohlrabi. I could literally enjoy this salad every day, especially when the sprinkling of bacon has been lightly glazed with hot honey!
There is definitely room for tweaking in this salad, but I enjoy it most as assembled below. If you are running low on peaches, you can substitute half of them with halved grape or cherry tomatoes. If you don't have kohlrabi, you can add shredded carrots. If you don't like cilantro, you can skip it or use chopped flat-leaf parsley. As is often the case, you can use chicken breasts if you don't have thighs, but be careful to avoid drying them out while cooking.
This salad is particularly lovely alongside corn muffins, cheesy biscuits or scones, or even some summery tomato focaccia. Pour some iced tea or chilled beer and dig in. Summer eating is really heaven.
BBQ Chicken and Peach Salad
- 5 T. olive oil, divided
- 2 T. rice wine vinegar
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
- ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1 ½ c. sliced fresh peaches (about 2 medium)
- ¼ c. shredded kohlrabi
- 2 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ c. barbecue sauce
- 2 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
- ½ tsp. hot honey or honey, optional
- 12 oz. torn butter lettuce
- ¼ c. chopped cilantro
- 1 T. chopped green onions
- ¼ c. feta cheese, crumbled
Combine 4 tablespoons of the oil, vinegar, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add the peaches and kohlrabi to vinegar mixture; toss gently to coat. Set aside.
Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the remaining pepper and salt. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan; cook for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. Add the barbecue sauce to chicken in the pan; toss to coat. Remove the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
Cook the bacon in the hot pan until crisp. If desired, drizzle with the hot honey (or honey) and add to the chicken you've set aside. Add the peaches, kohlrabi, and dressing, along with the butter lettuce, cilantro, green onions, and feta cheese. Toss well to combine and divide among 4 serving plates and serve immediately.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes