This grilled jalapeño peach chicken is a delicious, easy weeknight summer meal. Fresh, juicy peaches combine with spicy jalapeños, cilantro and lime, then are served over sticky grilled peach chicken. Cilantro lime rice on the side is perfect.
This tastes like sunshine!
This jalapeño peach chicken is full of bright flavor. The chicken is brushed with a mix of peach preserves and apple cider vinegar while grilling, creating a sticky, slightly tangy glaze. It’s finished with a crisp peach-jalapeño salsa made with shallot, garlic, cilantro and lime.
It tastes like a big bite of summer.
This is one of my summer staples: grill some chicken, make a fresh salsa or pico de gallo with seasonal fruit, top the chicken and serve with rice, bread or a salad. It’s simple, versatile and always satisfying.
If you enjoyed cilantro lime grilled chicken with peach pico, you’ll love this version. The jalapeños add a touch of heat—seeding them keeps the heat mild while preserving fresh flavor.
This is how it comes together
Start by seasoning the chicken well with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder. For the glaze, whisk peach preserves with apple cider vinegar—this will be brushed on near the end of grilling to create a sticky coating.
For the salsa, dice fresh peaches, jalapeños (seeded if you prefer milder heat), shallot and garlic, then stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice. The mix is bright, sweet, savory and just a little spicy—delicious spooned over the warm chicken.
Grill the chicken until nearly cooked through, then brush the peach preserve mixture onto each side a few times until the chicken develops a sticky, glaze-like finish. Grill halved peaches briefly for a charred, caramelized touch, then let the chicken rest before slicing and topping with the peach-jalapeño salsa.
I like to serve this with cilantro lime rice or coconut rice—both pair beautifully and make the meal feel complete. Leftovers store well: keep the chicken and salsa separate in the fridge and reheat or enjoy cold over a salad the next day.
Juicy, refreshing, light and delicious—totally my kind of meal.
Grilled Jalapeño Peach Chicken
Grilled Jalapeño Peach Chicken
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 3 cups water or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 limes, zest freshly grated
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup chopped cilantro
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 peaches, pitted and halved
- 1/4 cup peach preserves
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Jalapeño Peach Salsa
- 2 peaches, diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 to 2 limes, freshly squeezed
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cilantro Lime Rice
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Bring water or stock to a boil in a saucepan. Add rice, butter and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 12–15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove the lid and stir in lime zest, lime juice and cilantro. Fluff and serve.
Chicken
- Preheat the grill to high.
- Season the chicken all over with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder. Sprinkle the halved peaches with salt and pepper.
- Whisk together the peach preserves and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken on the grill and close the lid. Grill 5–6 minutes, flip and grill another 5–6 minutes. Brush one side with the peach preserves mixture and grill 1 minute, flip and brush the other side, grilling another minute. Repeat once or twice until the chicken is glazed. Grill the peach halves 1–2 minutes per side until slightly charred.
- Remove chicken and peaches from the grill and let rest 5–10 minutes. Slice the chicken and serve with the jalapeño peach salsa and cilantro lime rice.
Jalapeño Peach Salsa
- Combine diced peaches, jalapeños, minced garlic, shallot, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Adjust lime and salt to taste.
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Look at that flavor!