Late October in Wisconsin brings us our share of chilly weather, but there's something absolutely lovely about firing up the grill with a cast iron skillet on the grates and making a fantastic meal that brings you the heat you want this time of year with the last bit of sweetness of the harvest in slices of juicy peaches. What's more, it only takes about a half hour and is downright stunning in the pan, on a plate, on your fork, and in your belly!
A few notes about this recipe. Can you make it on the stove? Yes. I like making it on the grill when I can because I think the added flavor imparted by grilling is stunning. Also, I find the cleanup when grilling is less than when made on the stovetop. I love the sauce as is, but you can skip the red pepper flakes if you don't want that much heat. Can you use other stone fruit? Yes. Can you use other peppers? Yes. I like the spicy kick jalapeños bring to the skillet, but you could opt for either hotter peppers or milder peppers to suit your tastes. Can you use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Again, yes. You might have to grill them slightly longer, but they actually hold up to the heat even better than the breasts. I tend to favor breasts because my people are mostly white meat fans.
I love serving this dish atop steamed rice and alongside a nice side salad. A chilled white wine or hard cider make for an excellent beverage accompaniment as well. However you choose to serve it, I hope you enjoy this spicy-sweet late harvest grilled chicken dish!
Grilled Jalapeño Peach Chicken
- ½ cup peach preserves
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce - or tamari for a gluten free version
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grainy mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 medium jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 yellow peaches - pitted, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
To a medium bowl, add the glaze ingredients (peach preserves through red pepper flakes). Mix until the sauce is incorporated; set aside.
Pat the chicken dry. In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Apply the seasoning mixture evenly to the chicken.
Slice the jalapeño pepper and peaches. Place them on a large plate and take everything out to the grill. Place a large cast iron skillet on your grill and preheat it over medium-high heat.
Once the grill is hot, add the olive oil to the cast iron pan. Once hot, add the chicken breasts, being careful not to spatter oil onto the grill. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes with the lid closed. Then carefully flip over the chicken, turn the burners off on the grill to allow for indirect grilling, and cook for an additional 4 minutes.
Add the jalapeño peppers to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes. Then, add the peaches to the skillet. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until the peaches have softened.
Pour the peach glaze into the skillet. Stir to make sure every jalapeño, peach, and chicken breast is evenly coated in the peach glaze. Serve warm.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes