When you compliment a simple chicken dish with goat cheese, fresh local grilled peaches and basil then you have a winner!! This dish has a wonderful variety of flavours and textures to enjoy throughout the summer months.
Sometimes with a few ingredients is all you need to make a dish taste so delicious! Adding fresh local ingredients and then the possibilities are endless. Not only do I love to eat peaches but when you can add them to recipes to compliment a dish, it’s a bonus!
This dish is sooo easy to make and takes under 30 minutes to prepare and grill the chicken and peaches. The only extra time needed is to marinate the chicken breasts a few hours ahead of time.
This recipe serves only two and it can be easily increased by using the calculator to serve 4 and up.
INGREDIENTS AND TIPS
Chicken breasts: purchase boneless and skinless for this recipe; I like to purchase hormone and antibiotics free, but not necessary
Olive oil: when marinating meat, try to use good quality olive oil, and you only need 3 tablespoons
Garlic: adds a wonderful pungent flavour and I added large pieces of garlic to the marinade, enough to give it a light garlic flavour, not to overpower
Lemon juice: a lovely fresh compliment and lemon enhances the flavours
Seasonings: salt and pepper
Ginger: I used fresh ginger and cut them into large pieces to enhance the marinade; powder ginger can be substituted, and add only 1/4 tsp
Peach: love the fresh sweetness it adds to this recipe, recommend to use firm peaches to avoid the peaches from softening too much once grilled
Basil: a fresh kick of flavour yet no overpowering
Goat cheese: love the rich and creaminess of the goat cheese it adds to this recipe
Picked up these beautiful peaches at my all time favourite market, St. Jacob’s Market, Waterloo, Ontario Canada. It is the largest market in Canada!! Click on the link to explore the beautiful market.
MAKING THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE
Marinade the chicken by taking each chicken breast and place in between saran wrap or zip lock bag and pound to about 1/2 -3/4 inch thickness. Whisk together in a small bowl, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, ginger, salt and pepper. Once you have pound the chicken breasts, then add to the marinade and refrigerate for minimum of 2- 4 hours. While the chicken is marinating, prepare your ingredients.
Slice the peach in quarters, and grill about 2-3 minutes on each side, then carefully slice into thinner slices. Then set aside. Slice the basil leaves and crumble the goat cheese. I suggest to leave the goat cheese in the fridge until ready to garnish to avoid it from getting too soft and difficult to crumble. I also added a simple salad with balsamic and lemon vinaigrette to this dish.
Grill chicken on each side for 5-7 minutes until you get a golden grill markings. Avoid turning the chicken over several times. Once cooked, remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
WHY I RECOMMEND MAKING THIS RECIPE
I highly recommend this recipe, why you ask? It’s easy….under 30 minutes to make, not difficult, healthy, perfect summer dish, has lots of flavour from the fresh peaches, basil and goat cheese. Lastly, it show cases nicely when you plate it, and we all know the saying, ‘you eat with your eyes!’ Well, that’s a start and it doesn’t stop there, because this dish is so delicious!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS RECIPE
- SUMMER GRILLED PEACH SALAD WITH CREAMY YOGURT DRESSING
- ORZO AVOCADO SALAD
- FRESH SUMMER GREEN SALAD WITH PEACHES AND GOAT CHEESE
Also, serve it up with a simple mixed green salad with a light balsamic dressing and roasted baby potatoes.
FAQ
Can I pan-sear the chicken instead of grilling? Absolutely, and your can easily bake the chicken and last the 15-20 minutes remove the lid and allow to get golden.
Can I substitute goat cheese for another cheese? Yes for sure, I would suggest to add a soft cheese rather then a hard cheddar, such as feta cheese, brie or even mozzarella.
Can I add the peaches without grilling them? Yes you can! Grilling softens the peaches and allows the sweetness to release, similar to caramelizing. You can always carefully do this in a skillet for about 5 minutes on low temperature.
Easy Grilled Chicken Breasts and Peaches with Goat Cheese and Basil
Equipment
- Indoor or Outdoor Grill
Ingredients
- 2 (10 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, cut into pieces
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, cut into pieces (ground ginger can be substituted)
- 1 peach, cut into quarters
- 4 basil leaves, cut into strips
- 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a zip lock freezer bag or between saran wrap and pound to about half inch thickness with mallet or a rolling pin works too.
- Whisk together in a small bowl garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and ginger is using. Add marinate to the chicken breasts, and refrigerate for minimum of 2- 4 hours.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before placing on a grill at 375°-400°F.
- Wash and dry the peach. Cut into quarters. Place on the grill and once grilled on all sides, remove and set aside before slicing in half.
- Grill each side 5-7 minutes, about 3 minutes turn the breast to create a crisscross pattern. Avoid turning the chicken over several times. Once cooked, remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with a simply oil and balsamic mixed green salad with tomatoes, and cucumbers. Arrange the salad, sliced peaches and chicken on a plate. Add the crumbled goat cheese and basil. Enjoy!
