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A Savory Recipe for Summer Peaches: Grilled Peach BBQ Chicken!
While there’s nothing that makes it feel like summer like a big bite of a juicy peach, I love finding other ways to use fresh stone fruit – especially when they’re savory! This recipe is a celebration of seasonal summer peaches, & it’s perfect to make if you’ve been a little too enthusiastic about peach purchasing. (We’ve all been there! 😇)
The star of this recipe is an incredible chipotle peach BBQ sauce. While homemade BBQ sauce might seem like a big undertaking, I promise that this one is REALLY simple. Just grill up some peaches & onions until lightly charred & tender, then blitz them up with a few pantry staples. That’s it! Only a few minutes of prep & no stovetop cooking required. It’s perfect for slathering all over grilled chicken at an end-of-summer celebration! Since it’s super light, the fragrant sweetness of summer peaches really shines through.
Plus! Everything you need to make this peach chicken recipe is easy to grab with quick trip to ALDI. ALDI is always stocked with beautiful seasonal produce, plus they have all the other pantry staples & seasonings that bring the peach BBQ sauce to life. It’s all super high-quality & super affordable – honestly, what’s not to love about that?!
BBQ Peach Chicken Recipe Highlights
Add this grilled chicken with peach BBQ sauce recipe to your end-of-summer menu ASAP! It’s…
- SIMPLE SUMMER COOKING. An “I seriously can’t believe this is so easy” recipe that yields majorly flavorful results. We’re talkin’ sweet summer peaches, smoky chipotle peppers, juicy char-grilled chicken – all the best things!
- FULL OF SUMMERY FLAVOR. The homemade peach BBQ sauce is fresh & fruity with well-rounded flavor thanks to a few pantry-staple flavor bombs. You’ll be amazed by how well the seasonal summer peaches shine through!
- CASUAL YET IMPRESSIVE. This peach BBQ chicken is easy to make & it comes together really quickly, so it’s the perfect recipe for an easy weeknight meal or a backyard cookout with friends.
An instant end-of-summer staple! ♡ Read on to learn more about how to make Grilled Peach BBQ Chicken, or jump straight to the recipe & get grilling!
How to Grill Peaches for Peach BBQ Sauce
This peach BBQ sauce recipe is all about juicy summer peaches. The produce section at ALDI is one of my first stops whenever I hit the store. ALDI has a beautiful selection of fresh stone fruit during the summer months. I always get so excited when I see summer peaches in stock for the season!
Taking a quick moment to grill the peaches is a key step in making peach BBQ sauce. Peaches are fantastic on the grill – the grill caramelizes the natural sugars in a ripe summer peach, highlighting its sweetness & balancing it with a little smokiness. This adds another layer of flavor to homemade peach BBQ sauce – it’s way better than using plain fresh peaches!
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Grilled Peaches:
Picking the right peach. ⇢ It’s best to use ripe but firm peaches for grilling. Super ripe peaches tend to fall apart on the grill, making them really difficult to handle. If you can’t find a perfectly ripe-yet-firm peach, try nectarines instead. These two stone fruits are very similar & come into season at the same time. You can even use a blend of the two!
Grilled peach prep. ⇢ It’s best to cut peaches into large pieces for the grill. This creates more surface area & helps prevent them from falling through the grill grates as they cook. For peach BBQ sauce, I like to simply slice them in half. Lightly coating the peaches in avocado oil also helps prevent them from sticking to the grill grates.
Grill temperature for peaches. ⇢ Grill with medium-high direct heat, about 500-550 degrees F. Preheat your grill so the grates are nice & hot, & don’t forget to give them a good clean before you start cooking!
How long to grill peaches? ⇢ Peach halves grill up quickly, about 3-4 minutes per side. Grill until they’re as charred & tender as you’d like.
Blending Up Homemade Peach BBQ Sauce
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
Making homemade BBQ sauce is so much easier than you’d ever imagine. Once you’ve grilled a peach & an onion, the most time-consuming part of this peach BBQ sauce recipe is gathering the rest of the ingredients! You need…
- Brown sugar – Just a bit, to highlight the naturally caramelly sweetness of grilled peaches.
- Ketchup – This American pantry staple is key for BBQ sauce! Ketchup adds velvety body to the sauce. My go-to is Simply Nature Organic Ketchup from ALDI – it has great flavor & isn’t overly sweet.
- Apple cider vinegar – Its tanginess balances out the sweet flavors in the peach BBQ sauce.
- Chipotle peppers – For deliciously smoky heat that contrasts the natural sweetness of this peach BBQ sauce. Look for Pueblo Lindo Chipotle Peppers next time you’re at ALDI.
- Worcestershire sauce – One of my favorite umami bombs! Worcestershire adds richness & flavor to everything it touches, which is especially important for this otherwise fresh & sweet peach BBQ sauce.
Blend & enjoy! ⇢ Once everything is gathered, prepping the chipotle peach BBQ sauce is as simple as tossing it all in a blender. Once the sauce is nice & smooth, adjust to your tastes: add some vinegar for extra tang, add brown sugar for more sweetness, etc. This recipe is pretty flexible, so make it the way you like best!
Store-Bought Shortcut
If you prefer not to start from scratch, use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce as the base of your grilled peach BBQ sauce! Replace the apple cider vinegar & ketchup with a ½ cup of store-bought BBQ sauce. When it comes to BBQ sauce, ALDI always has a few fantastic options. The Burman’s Regional BBQ Sauces are my personal favorite; I always keep a few bottles on hand for convenience!
The Last Step: Grilling BBQ Chicken
Once the grilled peach BBQ sauce is prepped, all that’s left is grilling up some chicken – simple!
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
Grilled chicken prep. While the homemade peach BBQ sauce is the star of the show here, seasoning the chicken adds a worthwhile layer of flavor. I like a simple blend of chili powder, garlic powder, & paprika, but feel free to use whatever dry rub you love most. Rub the spices into the chicken & it’s ready to toss on the grill!
Grill the chicken. Since it’s already preheated for the grilled peaches, all you have to do is toss the seasoned chicken on the grill grates, close the lid, & let the grill do its thing. The chicken should be perfectly charred-yet-juicy after about 4-5 minutes per side.
Finish with peach BBQ sauce. In the last few minutes of cooking, give the chicken a glaze of sweet & tangy peach BBQ sauce. I like to brush each piece with sauce, then flip it over so the glazed sides come into contact with the grill grates. Why? ⇢ The heat from the grill grates caramelizes the BBQ sauce even more, creating richer flavor. So good!
Easy Peach Chicken Variations
Best chicken parts to use? ⇢ I’m partial to chicken thighs since they’re particularly juicy & flavorful, but any cut of chicken works great for this peach chicken recipe. Choose whatever is available & most convenient. Chicken breasts, drumsticks, leg quarters, & wings are all fantastic here – seriously, whatever you love most!
Keep in mind that cook times vary depending on which cut you use. Check this post for a helpful guide to BBQ chicken grill times!
Serving a Taste of Summer: What to Eat with BBQ Peach Chicken
I love this peach BBQ chicken because is simple enough to make on a weeknight, but it’s also the kind of impressive dish that’s perfect for serving a crowd. That’s the best type of summer entertaining recipe, IMO – flavorful, filled with summer ingredients, & also pretty casual.
Serving suggestions. ⇢ Whether you’re serving your family or a summer crowd, my favorite way to serve peach BBQ chicken is on a big platter, family-style! Folks can help themselves to chicken & extra chipotle peach BBQ sauce as they please.
Since no summer dinner is complete without a few sides, here are a few easy ideas for what to serve with peach BBQ chicken…
- More peaches – Because why not?! Grill up some extra peaches for serving & add them to the peach chicken platter.
- Grilled corn – Another fantastic in-season option. Lightly drizzle shucked ears of corn with oil, then toss ’em directly on the grill grates – easy!
- Grilled veggies – Shop the ALDI produce aisle for seasonal vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, or broccolini & toss them on the grill alongside the peach BBQ chicken. Check out our A-Z Grilled Veggies Guide for more guidance, or build a colorful Grilled Veggie Platter.
- A carbalicious salad! Our Hawaiian Mac Salad is always a hit. If you’d like to keep things quick & simple, grab ready-made Park Street Deli Potato Salad or Little Salad Bar Pasta Salad from ALDI!
I can’t wait for you to try this Grilled Peach BBQ Chicken! It’s so simple to make, but packs a big punch of summery flavor. I think you’re going to love it as much as we do! If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!
Love Simple-Yet-Impressive Dinners? They’re kinda our fave! 🙌🏼 Be sure to try our Grilled Bruschetta Chicken, Chimichurri Steak Kebabs, Lemony Greek Chicken Wings with Whipped Feta, or Grilled Tuscan Chicken next. ♡ Happy grilling!
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Grilled Peach BBQ Chicken with Homemade Peach BBQ Sauce
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Dishes, Chicken Recipes
- Method: Grilling & Smoking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
There’s nothing that screams summer quite like the fragrant sweetness of a juicy summer peach, so I’m always on the hunt for creative ways to put them to use – especially savory recipes! This Grilled Peach BBQ Chicken is one of my favorites to date. If you’ve got a bunch of summer peaches on hand, this is the perfect dish to try!
The star of the recipe is a seriously delicious homemade peach BBQ sauce. Toss some peaches & onions on the grill to bring out their caramelly sweetness, then blend them up with a few simple staple ingredients like ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, & some chipotle peppers for a layer of smoky heat. It’s a simple sauce by design – there’s no stovetop cooking involved & it’s very light so the flavor of the peaches really comes through.
From there, all you have to do is slather the peach BBQ sauce on grilled chicken & enjoy! For the ultimate summer meal, be sure to serve with grilled peaches, grilled corn, or a summery salad – check the blog post, above, for some inspiration to get you started!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 teaspoon Stonemill Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Stonemill Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Stonemill Paprika
- chipotle peach BBQ sauce, below
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the chipotle peach BBQ sauce:
- Simply Nature 100% Avocado Oil or high smoke point oil of choice, for grilling
- 1 medium peach, sliced in half & pitted (see Recipe Notes)
- 1/2 small yellow onion
- 3 Pueblo Lindo Chipotle Peppers (from a can, packed in adobo sauce)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Simply Nature Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Simply Nature Organic Ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Burman’s Worcestershire Sauce
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Grill prep: Prepare the grill for medium-high direct heat grilling, about 450-500 degrees F. Once preheated, clean the cooking surface by firmly brushing a wire brush over the grates. (If you do not have access to an outdoor grill, you can also preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.)
- Grill the peaches & onions: Place the peach halves & yellow onion on a large plate or a small baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with avocado oil & toss to coat. Place the peaches & onion directly on the grill grates. Grill 4-5 minutes per side, or until softened & nicely charred. Transfer the grilled peaches & onion back to a plate or small baking sheet. Once cool enough to handle, carefully peel back the peach skin & discard.
- Prepare the chipotle peach BBQ sauce: Place the grilled peaches & onion in a blender with the chipotle peppers, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, & Worcestershire sauce. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Blend until smooth. Taste & adjust seasoning as needed or desired – add a little more chipotle for smoky heat, brown sugar for sweetness, vinegar for tanginess, Worcestershire for richness, etc. Transfer to a jar or bowl & set aside for grilling or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Grill the chicken: Place the chicken on a plate or small baking sheet. Season with chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, & 2 teaspoons kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Use your hands to rub the spices all over the surface of the chicken. Place the chicken on the preheated grill. Close the lid & grill 4-5 minutes per side. About 2 minutes before everything is finished grilling, brush the prepared chipotle peach BBQ over top, flipping such that the glazed sides come into contact with the grill grates. Cook 1 minute to caramelize the sauce. Repeat, brushing & grilling the second side. Transfer the grilled chicken to a plate or small baking sheet.
- Serve the BBQ chicken. I like serving family style, piling the chicken on a large platter & letting folks help themselves to extra chipotle peach BBQ sauce. Serve as desired. This summery chicken is great on its own! If you’d like to go all-in on peaches, grill up some peaches alongside the chicken for serving. For a classic BBQ chicken dinner, serve with coleslaw & grilled corn – you can’t go wrong! Enjoy!
Notes
- Ingredient Notes:
- Chicken breasts vs thighs: You can use either boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts for this grilled peach BBQ chicken recipe. I like to use chicken thighs since they’re more flavorful & juicier – they are a little more forgiving on the grill. If you prefer to use breasts, be sure to either pound the chicken breasts out flat or butterfly them by slicing them in half lengthwise. This helps them grill more quickly & more evenly, keeping your grilled chicken totally juicy. You can easily make this recipe using other bone-in, skin-on chicken parts, like drumsticks, wings, leg quarters, & more. Feel free to grab whatever looks best at the store & refer to the blog post, above, for grilling guidance.
- Choosing the best peaches for grilling: Because they soften up quickly on the grill, it’s best to pick ripe-yet-firm peaches for this recipe.
- Peach BBQ sauce variation – Start with store-bought BBQ sauce: If you’d like to use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce as a base for the peach BBQ sauce, go for it! Grill the peaches & onions as directed, then blend the sauce, replacing the apple cider vinegar & ketchup with 1/2 cup of bottled BBQ sauce. Taste & adjust as needed – add a splash of apple cider vinegar for acidity, Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce for richness & umami, or a sprinkling of brown sugar for sweetness. Simple!
- Storage & Reheating: Store leftover grilled BBQ chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store leftover chipotle peach BBQ sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat the chicken in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through, then serve with chipotle peach BBQ sauce as desired.
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.
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My entire family devoured this chicken, and we used up every last drop of that BBQ sauce. Sweet, with some late heat…totally delicious.
So glad you loved it, Betsy! Such a great end-of-summer dinner! 🙂