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This Grilled Barbecue Chicken and Peach Salad showcases the season’s vibrant flavors, harmonizing savory, sweet, and smoky notes in a delightful way!
Why You’ll 🫶🏻 this Salad
I absolutely adore this summer salad! It combines the smoky, savory flavors of grilled BBQ chicken with the sweetness of juicy peaches for a refreshing, satisfying dish. Adding crumbled goat cheese, a touch of red onion, and some honey-roasted almonds gives it a delightful crunch. It’s simple to make, versatile, and ideal for enjoying during the warm months. Enjoy~ Nicole
Key Ingredients for Grilled Barbecued Chicken and Peach Salad
Chicken Tenders are my choice for this salad. They cook quickly, are a healthy poultry choice, and slice perfectly into pieces.
Smoked Paprika adds a rich, smoky flavor and vibrant color.
Salt and Pepper are the other seasonings. Salt enhances the chicken flavor, and pepper adds just a touch of heat.
Barbecue Sauce adds a sweet and smoky flavor. When basted on chicken, it creates a sticky and deeper flavor.
Peaches add a sweet, fruity flavor that, when grilled, caramelizes and deepens the flavor.
Red Onion adds a mild onion flavor that balances the salad’s sweetness.
Goat Cheese adds tangy creaminess and another layer of texture.
Apple Cider Vinegar adds a tang to the dressing and helps balance the flavors. It’s good for you too!
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil is a key ingredient in the dressing. It adds a rich flavor and texture that helps the dressing coat the mesclun mix.
Honey-Roasted Almonds add a sweet, nutty crunch and another layer of texture.
Mesclun Spring Mix is the choice green mix. It features various young greens that have different flavors and textures.
Equipment Needed
Tips for Making Grilled Barbecue Cicken and Peach Salad
Note: Some tenders still have the tough tender sticking out of the meat. I simply trim it with a pair of scissors.
- Before I begin, I like to soak the thinly sliced onion in cool water for a minute (this removes some of the bite and keeps the onion crisp). Then I drain the slices in a small strainer and set aside.
- Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat and lightly spray with non-stic cooking spray. Once the tenders are seasoned, “grill” them in the pan for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Baste all sides with barbecue sauce and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the sauce is sticky and charred. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil.
- I use a paper towel pinched between tongs to remove some of the char. (I don’t want the peaches to have a burnt taste.)
- “Grill” the peaches cut-side down only until grill marks appear, about 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
- While the tenders and chicken are resting, make the dressing. At this point, you can make the salad ahead. Place the chicken, peaches, and dressing in sepearate containers and bring them to room tmperature before proceeding with the composed salad.
Substitutions and Variations
There’s is alot you can do with salad to suit your own tastes. Here are some ideas.
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce. I use my Western Carolina Sauce.
- Use chicken thighs or pounded chicken breasts.
- Add avocados or tomatos. (I have added Green Zebra tomatoes with delicious results.)
- Substitute feta, grated cheddar cheese, or fresh mozzarella for the goat cheese.
- Add some chopped herbs like chives or cilantro.
- Substitute candied pecans or smoked almonds for the honey-roasted almonds, or omit them if there is an allergy concern.
- Grill thicker onion rings and dice them before adding to the salad.
Serving Suggsetions
Absolutely! Place them over the hot coals or fire and grill until the internal temperature of the white meat reaches 165°F and the internal temperature of the dark meat reaches 175°F.
You can use a non-stick.
Yes, you can make the salad ahead. Place the chicken, peaches, and dressing in sepearate containers and bring them to room tmperature before proceeding with the composed salad.
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Grilled Barbecue Chicken Peach Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½-2 pounds chicken tenders
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ⅖ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons barbecue sauce, divided
- 2 large peaches, halved and divided
- ¼ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 10 ounces mesclun and baby spinach mix
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ small red onion, sliced thin and rinsed
- 1 cup sliced honey-roasted almonds
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with paprika, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. Cook the chicken tenders for about 3-4 minutes per side, until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Brush the chicken all over with ¼ cup barbecue sauce and grill until the sauce is sticky and charred, 1 to 2 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil.
- Using tongs and a paper towel, gently whip out any charred pieces. Grill peaches, cut -side down, in the pan until lightly caramelized, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
- Once cool enough to handle, slice the chicken into ½-inch pieces and cut the peaches into ¾-inch pieces. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce in a large bowl. Add mesclun, goat cheese, onion, and peaches and toss to combine. Top the salad with chicken and honey-roasted almonds. Enjoy!.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
