
Summah, summah, summah!
I know it’s August (Already?! Seriously?!), and serving a summery salad seems like a no brainer.

That said, this particular summer salad is a must-share recipe. And definitely a no brainer. It is summery in all the best ways, and you should probably definitely plan to make it as soon as possible. Like, tonight.

I’m feeling a bit dramatic about it because it’s been my most recent favorite thing. I’ve made this chicken two times in the past week and have happily devoured it hot off the grill or chopped up in this salad. It’s all the wonderful flavors of summer in one bite.

We’ve got grilled chicken, sweet peaches, tart cherries, peppery greens, and tangy goat cheese. These things belong together. I’m convinced that there is no better combo in the world. In fact, I’m officially declaring this my new favorite summer salad. Boom!
I went there. Yup.

The chicken is marinated in a sweet and tangy peach concoction that also serves as the glaze AND the salad dressing. It’s THAT good. You will want to use every last drop of it, I promise.

I echo the flavors of the marinade/dressing by throwing some sweet sliced peaches on top of the greens along with all the other aforementioned awesome things, including the chicken.
Can’t forget that sweet, smoky chicken. It is my favorite grilled chicken recipe thus far, and I plan to make it many times over before the summer is done (which, um, is kinda soon… sad face).

I can’t seem to get through a batch of peaches fast enough (they seem to ripen and then overripen at the same rate as avocados), so this type of thing is perfect for using up those peaches that may be on their last legs. The riper the peaches, the better.

I don’t normally get this excited about poultry. Really. It’s just not that thrilling most of the time. It’s a staple in our diet because it’s quick, easy, and healthy…but THIS chicken is making me all giddy and arm-flail-y.
That happens when I get excited. I flail.

What else can I say? Make this chicken as soon as possible. It’s just downright delicious. It’s peachy.
My arms are still flailing around. Can’t stop. Won’t stop. Make this chicken. Make this salad.

Thank me later.
Print
Summer Salad with Peach-Glazed Chicken
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Summer Salad with Peach-Glazed Chicken is the perfect summer salad! Fresh peaches, cherries, goat cheese, and a peach-glazed grilled chicken really make this special.
Ingredients
For the Marinade/Salad Dressing:
- 2 ripe peaches, pitted and chopped (roughly 1½ cups)
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- ½ cup peach jam/preserves
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Water, as needed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Chicken:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- Roughly ⅔ of the marinade (reserve the rest as salad dressing)
For the Salad:
- 8 cups baby greens (use any you like – I did baby arugula here)
- 2 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
- 1½ cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled (feta or blue cheese would also be great)
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- The chicken
- The remaining marinade
Instructions
For the Marinade:
- Place all the ingredients except the oil, water, salt, and pepper into a blender.
- Blend on high until everything is pureed and smooth.
- WIth the machine running, slowly stream the olive oil into the mixture, blending it until the mixture emulsifies and becomes thickened and slightly creamy.
- Thin with a couple tablespoons of water, as needed, to get it to an easy pourable consistency.
- Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
For the Chicken:
- Place the chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish or in a large resealable plastic bag.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour roughly ⅔ of the marinade over the chicken and turn it to coat on all sides. Set the remaining marinade aside in an airtight container in the refrigerator to use as the salad dressing later.
- Place the chicken in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 2 hours (or up to overnight).
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to cook it.
- To cook, preheat a grill or large grill pan to medium-high. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place directly on the grill grates.
- Cook for 2 minutes on one side, brush liberally with the residual marinade, and then cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Continue to brush and flip the chicken until completely cooked through, about 8-10 minutes total (depending on the size of your chicken breasts).
- Remove the chicken from the grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before thinly slicing.
For the Salad:
- While the chicken rests, combine the greens, peaches, cherries, goat cheese, and red onion in a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with some of the reserved peach marinade/dressing and gently toss to combine. Season with a little salt and pepper.
- Add in the sliced grilled chicken and another drizzle of the dressing and toss again. Divide into serving bowls and serve!
- Prep Time: 2 hours (inactive marinating time)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: salads

Oh wow, this looks delightful! You had me at “peach-glazed chicken” – YUM! I don’t have a grill (sadly), but I’m sure this will still be delicious with oven-baked chicken. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I’m sure this would work in the oven just fine!
Ahhhhh GOATS CHESE!! – And Peaches!! The best combination. Ever. Beautifully composed plate, too!
Just so you know, I nominated you for a Liebster award! I’d be so happy if you accepted the award and participated in the Q+A for fun as well! Check out the Liebster post on my blog for more details if you like! Tash x
What a beautiful salad! Looks so fresh and delicious!
Thank you, Annie!
This salad is just perfect! I really love the peach/cherry/goat cheese combo. Sounds wonderful!
Thanks, Crystal! It really is quite a fab combo!
We have made this… And have switched it up with Mango/blueberry. pear/raspberry. Strawberry/grapes
Those combos sound delicious! I’m so glad you’ve been able to make this recipe your own.