This Chili Lime Peach Chicken pairs juicy chicken with fresh summer peaches in a smoky, sweet and tangy chili-lime glaze. An easy, flavor-packed summer dinner!
Everyone loved the combination of spicy chicken with the sweetness of peaches.
As a chef, I love cooking with seasonal fruit, especially in savory dishes like this, because they add beautiful, sweet, savory flavor, complementing meat incredibly well!
Peach Chicken is quick, easy to make, and involves very little prep time – perfect for busy weeknights. The chicken is a little smoky and subtly spicy, seasoned with Mexican spices, and together with the peaches, it’s a match made in heaven.
Why You’ll Love This Peach Chicken REcipe
Sweet, smoky & tangy. Juicy peaches, smoky chili, bright lime, and a touch of honey create an irresistible balance of flavors that’s especially delicious with savory chicken.
A beautiful way to use summer peaches. When peaches are at their peak, this savory peach recipe is a refreshing change from cobblers and desserts. They soften and caramelize in the pan, creating a luscious sauce for the chicken.
Easy enough for a weeknight. Everything comes together in one pan with simple ingredients, making this a low-fuss dinner with plenty of flavor.
Flexible. Use chicken breasts for a leaner option or bone-in, skin-on thighs for extra-juicy chicken with crispy golden skin. Cilantro and basil are both delicious finishes.
Perfect for summer entertaining. Colorful, vibrant, and a little unexpected, this is an easy dinner that feels special enough to serve to guests.
Peach Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken - Boneless skinless chicken breasts or bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs both work beautifully. I prefer thighs for their juicy, tender texture and crispy golden skin.
- Fresh peaches - Ripe summer peaches become juicy and lightly caramelized as they cook, creating a naturally sweet sauce for the chicken.
- Shallots & garlic - Add savory depth and balance the sweetness of the peaches. Onion can be substituted for shallots.
- Extra virgin olive oil - Used for searing the chicken and building the flavorful pan sauce.
- Fresh lime - Lime juice adds bright acidity and balances the sweet peaches and honey. Add an extra squeeze just before serving.
- Honey - Helps create a glossy, lightly caramelized glaze around the chicken and peaches.
- Spices - Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne or chipotle create a smoky, gently spicy contrast to the sweet peaches.
- Salt & black pepper - Bring all the flavors into balance.
- Fresh cilantro - Adds a fresh, vibrant finish. Fresh basil is also delicious here.
How to make peach chicken
Step one: Season the chicken and brown both sides of the chicken in a skillet and set it aside. See notes for grilling.
Step Two: In a large skillet, saute the fresh peaches in the pan juices with shallots and garlic, a drizzle of honey and a squeeze of lime juice. Just give a quick saute- stir over medium heat, keeping the peaches intact. Shallots add depth along with the pan juices.
Step Three: Nestle the chicken back into the pan, and cook it through.
Finish cooking the chicken- until cooked all the way through. The peaches will get juicier creating a delicious sauce. If using breasts, continue on the stovetop. If using bone-in thighs, bake in a 400F oven. When finished, taste. Adjust kosher salt to taste. If you want a little more acidity, a few drops of lemon juice may help here.
Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro (or scallions), and serve with your favorite side dish.
Storage
Leftovers will stay in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat on the stovetop or in a warm oven.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Peach Chicken with our Mexican Slaw, Cilantro Lime Rice, or with Mexican Pinto Beans.
Enjoy this Peach Chicken Recipe and let us know what you think in the comments below!
Cheers!
More Favorite Peach Recipes
- 40 Mouthwatering Chicken Breast Recipes
- Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Grapes and Shallots
- Crispy Skinned Duck with Roasted Plums
- Grilled Chicken Caprese
- One Skillet Creamy Orzo Chicken
- Chicken Cacciatore
Peach Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Chicken, Main
- Method: grilled, stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Chili Lime Peach Chicken -a fast and healthy weeknight dinner highlighting fresh juicy peaches. Can be made with breast or thigh meat. 25-30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or ground chipotle
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1– 1 1/4 lb skinless chicken breasts or thighs ( I prefer skin-on, bone-in thighs)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots, sliced into thin rings ( about 1/2 cup)
- 2 large peaches, cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon honey
Garnish: cilantro and lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (please see notes)
- Prep the chicken. In a small bowl mix chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne (or chipotle) and salt. Season all sides of chicken generously with the spice mix.
- Sear. Heat oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat and sear the chicken, top side down, until deeply golden, about 5-7 minutes. (If using skin-on, get that skin crispy!). Turn and sear 4-5 minutes, then set the chicken aside and cover lightly.
- Peaches. To the same skillet, over medium heat, add the shallots. Saute, stirring often, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the peaches. Gently sauté for 2 minutes, turning them over after they just begin to soften and caramelize. Don’t overcook them – you want them to hold their shape. Squeeze with a couple of tablespoons of lime juice and drizzle 1 tablespoon honey; stir carefully with the goal of keeping the peaches intact. Once they are heated through, turn the heat off.
- Combine and finish cooking. Nestle the chicken back into the skillet with the peaches, and if using chicken breast, just simmer until cooked through. ( 160F) If using chicken thighs, place in the oven until cooked through.(165F)
- Garnish. Squeeze chicken with lime and garnish with cilantro, serving in the skillet, or place all on a platter, spooning the flavorful pan juices over top, garnishing last.
Notes
Chicken: If using bone-in skin-on thighs, finish the chicken in the oven. If using boneless, skinless chicken breast, skip the oven.
Grill: You can also grill the chicken until cooked through, then nestle in the peaches. If grilling chicken breast, add a tiny bit of olive oil to the spice mix to create a paste, then rub this all over the chicken breast. If grilling thighs, use dry spices. Grill over medium-high heat to get a nice sear, then lower heat to cook all the way through.
Salt: If scaling this recipe, a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon salt per pound of chicken.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 x 6 ounce Breast (skinless)
- Calories: 197
- Sugar: 12.2 g
- Sodium: 1212.7 mg
- Fat: 9.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.8 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 44 mg
Peach Chicken Faqs
- Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts? Yes, you can use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. In fact, the recipe suggests that using chicken thighs may result in a tastier dish.
- Can I grill the chicken instead of pan-searing it? Absolutely! If you prefer grilling, you can follow the same steps for seasoning the chicken and then grill it until cooked through. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- How long can I store the leftovers? You can store the leftover Peach Chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you have any remaining leftovers, you can also freeze them for up to 6 months.
- What are the health benefits of peaches? Peaches are not only delicious but also offer several health benefits. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, high in fiber, low in calories, hydrating, and contain antioxidants. Additionally, they support eye health and may have potential anticancer properties. Overall, peaches are a nutritious addition to your diet.
- What other easy chicken recipes should I try? Absolutely! If you’re looking for more chicken recipes, you can explore the following options: 40 Mouthwatering Chicken Breast Recipes, Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Grapes and Shallots, Crispy Skinned Duck with Roasted Plums, Grilled Chicken Caprese, One Skillet Creamy Orzo Chicken, and Chicken Cacciatore.
Forgot to post our 5 star rating.
Appreciate it Pam!
This recipe (made with Pense peaches from Yakima) was delicious! I had enough spice mix to coat six chicken thighs.
Glad you enjoyed Pam!
This was so yummy! We cooked everything on the big green egg. The chicken was cooked direct on the grate, and the shallots and peaches on a side griddle. 5 stars!!!
Sounds great Terri! Great to hear your process.
Delicious blend of flavors and textures. This recipe is a keeper!
Glad you enjoyed Elizabeth!
this is a fantastic recipe, a real celebration of summer with the different chile-spices, always a hit!
Great to hear Holly!
Can this be roasted on a sheetpan, rather than cooked on the stove top?
Hi Donna, I don’t see why not? I havent tested it, but I bet with a little tweaking it would be fine!
Everyone loved the combination of spicy cut with the sweetness of peaches.
Great to hear Linda!
Hi, Thank you for sharing this recipe. I love it, I make it often in the summer. I was wondering if there was a fruit I can substitute in the winter? thank you for all your wonderful posts.
Thanks Dianna, this is a great question. I am having a hard time thinking of anything. Anyone else have any ideas?
Would canned peaches or even frozen peaches work in the winter. I recognize it won’t be quite the same but still similar flavor?
Hi Candice, I bet frozen (thawed) peaches would work in a pinch; the canned peaches may be too sweet? It still might taste good though…
Another spectacular recipe! I did the chicken thighs on the grill, then chopped them and mixed them with the peaches. I served with the Mexican beans from this site and brown rice. Perfection!
Sounds great! Glad you enjoyed Delphulia. 🙂
Great recipe. In the ingredients list the spice mix calls for cayenne, but within the directions, it asks for chipotle. Which one should be used for this recipe?
It is your choice. Adjusted recipe instructions to be more clear. Personally, I love smokey chipotle with peaches!
So pleased I found your site, delicious and simple recipes. Great that there is an option to use metric. (US, Liberia and Myanmar only countries in the world who do not use metric !)
Rosalie 🇦🇺
I know, we are so annoying! 🙂
This chicken recipe was very flavorful! I am so excited that I tried it. I don’t usually offer any new recipes the first time that I try them but I shared this meal right away with friends. I will definitely be making this again very soon. Thank You for this delicious recipe.
Glad you enjoyed Jo!
Excellent recipe + fresh Colorado Palisade peaches = deliciousness. Prepared with thighs in the oven and served with cilantro lime rice. Can’t wait to make it again.
So glad to hear this!
Stupid good. A dish this easy doesn’t deserve to be so delicious. And healthful! Screams out for grilled polenta, if you ask me. Made it with a green salad with cotija, cherry tomatoes, pepitas, and cilantro-lime vinaigrette. We all loved it.
So glad you enjoyed Lily!
Made this with fresh peaches and following the grilled chicken recipe. Simple but spectacular flavor! I made the cilantro lime rice and street corn on the side, and that is all going into my meal prep rotation next time!
Sounds like a perfect combination!
Do you have serving suggestions?
Hi Shannon- I added some ideas to the the post above. 🙂
Delicious!! I used red onion (no shallots in the house) and berbere spice mix in place of the spices listed, just because I had some left from the other day. So yummy!!
Awesome Wendy!
This was delicious! A great savory way to cook with peaches. I grilled the chicken, sliced it and added it back to the pan. I used 4 peaches. Lots of cilantro. I will make this at least once a week while peaches are in season.
Great to hear Johanna!