The weekend is here and whether you’ll be doing some grilling indoors or out, I think making this Grilled Peach, Chicken & Basil Summer salad most definitely needs to be on the agenda. It’s wow-o-wow good. We’ve got a little less than a month left of summer and thus the gorgeous in-season peaches won’t be around for too much longer. So you can count on me to be making this on repeat until that last juicy, stone fruit goes bye-bye. And I recommend you do the same. Need one more little nudge? My twin bro’s exact words were, “10 stars…off scale perfection” when I recently made it for him.
This salad is a powerhouse when it comes to using the best of the best of summer produce. It’s got the peaches, fresh sweet corn, beautiful vibrant tomatoes and oh so many fragrant basil leaves in not only the salad but the dressing too. The flavors just burst in your mouth with each bite. The grilled chicken is there for a little meaty protein, but no animal protein for you? No worries. Swap it out with some fresh mozzarella, feta or your vegan sub of choice.
And another cool thing about this recipe, while this is a salad and that usually means it’s a one night meal or you’ll have soggy mush, all the parts can be prepped ahead and easily turned into two nights of fabulous dinner, lunch, whatever. Grill the chicken, peaches and corn and slice the tomatoes. Make the dressing and then keep everything separate. Assemble as many individal portions as you need and chill the rest for the next day. Voila. Summer eating at it’s best. And pretty to look at to boot.
Go ahead, get your grilling on this weekend and thank me later. Or just tell me how it went. Happy Friday friends!
Grilled Peach, Chicken & Basil Summer Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 ripe peaches, sliced into thick wedges (about 6-8 wedges per peach)
- 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 ears fresh corn on the cobb
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (I like the mixed color medley)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 4-6 cups fresh arugula
- kosher salt & pepper to taste
For the dressing:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lime, zested & juiced
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- pinch chili powder
Instructions
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Begin by making the dressing. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and blach the basil in the water for 30 seconds & drain. Then squeeze to remove as much of the water as possible. Add it to a small food processor or a large measuring cup (if using an immersion blender.) Add the 1/4 cup oil and the rest of the dressing ingredients. Puree until smooth & taste for salt & pepper. Set aside.
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Drizzle both sides of the chicken breasts with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Grill using your method of choice, about 6-7 minutes per side. (don't move the chicken once you put it down to get those nice grill marks. Set the chicken on a plate.
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Brush the grill or grill pan with the rest of the olive oil, using a little more if necessary so nothing sticks. Place the corn cobbs and carefully lay the peach wedages on the grill. Grill the corn on all sides and just a couple minutes on each side for the peaches to get slightly charred but to still retain a little bite. Set all aside when done.
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Once the corn is cool enough to handle, carefully slice the kernels off. Then slice the chicken breasts.
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To assemble, you can either make one big platter or small individual salads. First arrange the arugula on the plate, drizzle with a small amount of dressing and toss a bit. Then sprinkle the corn all over, followed by the tomatoes, chicken slices, the peaches and tuck the fresh basil leaves throughout. Drizzles on a little more dressing, reserving some on the side for everyone to add as they wish. Season with salt & pepper if needed. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*If making to enjoy for dinner for two nights. Assemble individual portions and store all the components separately in the refrigerator. Pull out the dressing about 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
