Peach Poblano Chimichurri Grilled Chicken (GF)

Today is another edition of ImprovCooking, our monthly challenge to take two ingredients and create a recipe that highlights them. This month we had to use peaches and peppers so I made this beautiful and lip smacking Peach Poblano Chimichurri Chicken and it is amazing!

A while ago I made a more traditional chimichurri and served it over flank steak. While this classic sauce is extremely delicious (just ask my friend Debi!) it was fun to take this concept in a totally different direction. That’s what I did today and boy is it good!

What flavors do you think would taste best with ripe peaches and poblano peppers? I used cilantro, parsley, green onions, and garlic. Then I added fresh mint to enhance the sweetness of the fruit and freshly squeezed lime juice to brighten the sauce. Serving this combination over grilled meats is incredible. Sweet and savory all in the same bite.

Living in California, I barbecue all year long, but especially during the hot summer months when I don’t want to heat up my kitchen. Chicken, turkey, steak, pork chops, ribs, vegetables, seafood, you name it and I grill it. You don’t need a lot of fancy seasonings – let the smoke enhance the food’s natural flavors with just a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

If you don’t want to use your barbecue, you can roast the chicken (or other protein) in your oven and serve it with the bright, fresh sauce. Your family will be delighted!

The simply seasoned chicken was the perfect accompaniment to this fruit, pepper, and herb sauce. It sounds funny because a sauce is usually the accompaniment to the meat, but in this case it is the sauce that really shines! I used mild poblano peppers but feel free to add more jalapenos or maybe serrano peppers if you want a spicier bite. 

This Peach Poblano Chimichurri Chicken would be wonderful with duck, turkey, or pork too. And if you really want to add interest and complexity to your fish tacos, use this instead of the typical salsa. It is so good that it would make a great fruit salad – just cut the peaches in slightly bigger pieces and add plums, cherries, pluots, apples, etc. Use whatever fruit you find that is fresh at the market. 

Put this Peach Poblano Chimichurri Chicken on your must make list – it is fabulous! Make sure you check out the other wonderful recipes from the talented bloggers listed below! They are always so creative and inspiring!

Have a fabulous weekend friends, I will see you back here for Chocolate Monday in a few days!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Peach Poblano Chimichurri Chicken:

• Chicken breasts, poblano peppers, olive oil, peaches green onions, mint, parsley, cilantro, vinegar, honey, lime juice and zest, garlic

PRO Tip: 

You don’t have to grill the chicken, you can cook it any way you prefer … roasting, pan-searing, braising, etc. Whatever way you like is fine, the sauce is good with them all! If you don’t use the barbecue for the chicken, you can char the peppers under the broiler until blackened and then peel and chop.

PRO Tip:

If you hate the taste of cilantro, you can replace it with more parsley or just leave it out entirely. The sauce will still be delicious.

How to make Peach Poblano Chimichurri Chicken:

1. Grill the chicken until it reaches 162°F; remove from the heat and tent with foil to finish cooking.
2. Grill the peppers until blackened on all sides, transfer to a bowl and let steam under a towel before peeling and chopping them.
3. To make the sauce, cut up the peaches and chop the onions, mint, parsley, and cilantro; add the chopped poblano peppers.
4. Make the dressing by combining the oil, vinegar, honey, lime juice and zest, and garlic; whisk until emulsified then pour over the peach mixture, tossing to evenly coat everything.
5. Transfer the chicken to a platter, top with some of the sauce and pile the rest alongside; garnish as desired and serve immediately

PRO Tip:

Leaving the peel on the peaches adds beautiful color. But if you have kids who don’t like the fuzzy skin, try using nectarines instead. Peaches and nectarines are essentially the same fruit with one difference – peaches have fuzzy skin and nectarines are smooth. In either case, look for freestone varieties. They have been bred to have pits that nearly fall out when the fruit is cut in half. It makes them so much easier to work with!

PRO Tip:

When you are juicing citrus fruits, you will get more juice out of them more easily if you microwave them for about 10 seconds first. Then roll them on the counter under the palm of your hand to loosen the juice sacks inside. Cut in half and use a citrus reamer to get the most juice out of each piece.

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Chef’s knife and paring knife
• Cutting board
• Zester/Grater
• Citrus reamer
• Charcoal BBQ or gas grill – or your oven
• Instant read thermometer

Gluten-Free Tips:

This recipe is naturally gluten-free except for the BBQ dry rub – you need to watch mixes for gluten ingredients. It is safer and really easy to mix up a batch of your own and keep it on hand all summer long. Here is a link to my gluten-free BBQ Rub recipe that you will love.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Continue to Content

Yield: about 4 to 6 servings

Peach Poblano Chimichurri Chicken (GF)

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Are you looking for a new way to serve chicken or a special occasion dish? Check out this Peach Poblano Chimichurri Chicken! I've combined fresh peaches, peppers, and herbs for a twist on the traditional herb chimichurri sauce. It adds incredible flavor and brightness to poultry and pork dishes!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

Grilled Chicken

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves or 8 bone-in chicken thighs
• Olive or vegetable oil
• Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly grated black pepper, to taste
• BBQ dry rub blend*, optional
• 2 poblano peppers

Chimichurri Sauce

• 5 large Freestone peaches or nectarines (or any stone fruit you like)
• 3/4 cup (177ml) finely chopped fresh mint leaves, lightly packed in the cup
• 2 green onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup (59ml) finely chopped cilantro
• 3/4 cup (177ml) organic olive oil
• 1/4 cup (59ml) champagne vinegar or rice wine vinegar, to taste
• 2 tsp honey or agave syrup
• Zest of 2 limes
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Garnishes

• Fresh peach wedges, brushed lightly with lime juice (to keep them from turning brown)
• Chopped parsley or cilantro
• Fresh mint sprigs

Instructions

1. Set up your BBQ: If you are working with charcoal, build a medium-hot fire until coals are partly covered with ash, then bank most of the coals on one side and about 1/3 scattered over the rest of the surface. This creates a 2-tiered fire that gives you more control when cooking. If you are working with a gas grill, preheat on High for about 15 minutes with the lid closed, then turn half the burners to Low and the rest to Medium.
2. Grill the Chicken: Brush the chicken breasts lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you want you can also rub it with your favorite dry rub. Set the chicken, skin side down, on the hotter side of the grill and cook until you have grill marks and the chicken releases easily. Flip over, move the breasts to the cooler side of the grill, and cook until the chicken reaches 162°F (72°C) on an instant read thermometer inserted in the center (without touching a bone). Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and cover loosely with foil. The chicken will finish cooking as it rests and the juices will migrate back to the center.
3. Grill the Peppers: When you move the chicken to the cooler side of the grill, put the poblano peppers on the hot side and cook, turning to char the skin on all sides. When the entire pepper skin is black, place them in a bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rest for 10 minutes to steam, then peel off the skin (discard it). Do not rinse - you want all that smoky flavor. Remove the stem and seeds, then finely chop the grilled peppers. Set aside.
4. Make the Chimichurri: Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits, peel if you want, and chop into 1/4-inch pieces. Do not use a blender or food processor - you want the sauce to be a little chunky. Place in a medium mixing bowl and add the green onions, mint, parsley, and cilantro. Add the grilled poblano peppers. Toss to combine.
5. Make the Dressing: In another bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, honey, lime zest, lime juice, and garlic. Whisk vigorously until smooth and the oil is emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. If needed, add a little more honey to balance the sourness of the vinegar and lime juice. Pour the dressing over the peach mixture, tossing until all the pieces are evenly coated. Taste again to be sure you have the flavors balanced.
6. To Serve: Transfer the chicken breasts to a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and pile some alongside, sprinkle the top with parsley. Garnish the plate with the peach wedges and tuck a few sprigs of mint around. Serve immediately.

Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

* This recipe is naturally gluten-free except for the BBQ dry rub – you need to watch mixes for gluten ingredients. It is safer and really easy to mix up a batch of your own and keep it on hand all summer long. Here is a link to my BBQ Rub recipe that you will love.

If you dip the measuring teaspoon in the oil first, the honey will slide right out without any hassle. Think ahead whenever you have sticky substances to add to recipes!

You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 844Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 346mgSodium: 827mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 5gSugar: 27gProtein: 88g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

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