Jul 17, 2019

One-Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Peaches

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
The peaches add a sweet taste to the marinated chicken thighs while the tomatoes add fresh and juicy flavor contrasting cooked and fresh ingredients for a thoroughly summer dish.
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The peaches add a sweet taste to the honey balsamic marinated chicken thighs while the tomatoes add fresh and juicy flavor contrasting cooked and fresh ingredients for a thoroughly summer dish. The chicken can be marinated ahead of time for a quick assembly.

One-Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Peaches

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

  • Chicken thighs – Chicken thighs are best marinated overnight if you have the time – the marinade helps the chicken to take on that distinct sweet yet tart flavor of balsamic vinegar when it’s seared in the pan and finished in the oven.
  • Balsamic vinegar – Balsamic adds a slightly sweet, acidic note to this dish. Balsamic is sweeter and more syrupy than other wine vinegars. It’s made from the unfermented juice of grapes, called “must”, and aged for 12 years or more.
  • Heirloom tomatoes – With their superior flavor, heirloom tomatoes come from seeds passed down and are typically at least 50 years old. Look for a variety of colors. If you like heirloom tomatoes check out these other recipes here. In fact, I always recommend salting tomatoes or marinating them before adding them to sandwiches.
  • Peaches – The typical season for peaches lasts from late June to September. Unfortunately the truth is that the season can differ in various parts of the country so the best way to tell when fruit is at its peak is to keep an eye out at the local farmers market.

How to Find Perfect Peaches

Look for peaches that are both vibrant in color and firm to the touch but still “give” just a bit. Keep in mind that peaches ripen and thus sweeten over time after being picked. I prefer them on the firmer side for this recipe so they hold up slightly when cooked.

Peaches should be stored at room temperature so leave them on the counter. I’ve found keeping my fruits on the counter also makes me more likely to eat them since I can’t forget about them when they are right in front of my face.

seasonal summer peaches and honey balsamic marinated chicken thighs

How to Make One-Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Peaches

  1. Make the honey balsamic chicken marinade. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil, honey and vinegar then add to a large plastic bag with the chicken thighs.
  2. Marinate the chicken. Refrigerate in the marinade for at least an hour and up to overnight to marinate the chicken thighs.
  3. Sear the chicken thighs. Heat oven to 400ºF. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through then add the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook until the chicken easily lifts from skillet without sticking, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until browned, about an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Finish cooking the chicken in the oven. Move the pan to the oven and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and set aside on a covered plate and return the pan to heat. Add the butter and allow to melt then add the shallots and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
  5. Cook the peaches. Add the peaches to the pan and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock then add the spinach and cook until wilted about, 2 minutes.
  6. Assemble and serve. Arrange the chicken back in the pan and arrange the tomatoes around the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and top with basil. Serve with crusty bread.
Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Peaches and tomato recipe garnished with basil

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this honey balsamic chicken recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

One-Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Peaches

balsamic skin on chicken thighs in a saute pan with peaches and basil
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the honey balsamic marinade:

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

For assembly:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium yellow peaches, pitted and sliced
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 packed cup baby spinach
  • 1 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced
  • Kosher salt, as needed
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ packed cup basil leaves
  • Crusty torn bread, for serving

Instructions:

For the honey balsamic marinade:

  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil, honey and vinegar then add to a large plastic bag with the chicken thighs. Refrigerate in the marinade for at least an hour and up to overnight.

For assembly:

  • Heat oven to 400ºF. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through then add the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook until the chicken easily lifts from skillet without sticking, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until browned, about an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Move the pan to the oven and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and set aside on a covered plate and return the pan to heat. Add the butter and allow to melt then add the shallots and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the peaches to the pan and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock then add the spinach and cook until wilted about, 2 minutes. Arrange the chicken back in the pan and arrange the tomatoes around the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and top with basil. Serve with crusty bread.

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  1. 5 stars
    Made this last night and it was delicious! It was super easy to make. I made it with cauliflower rice and used the extra juices to pour on top of it. I was considering leaving out the tomatoes because I thought it would be a weird addition with the peaches, but it worked so well! Definitely a great end of summer meal with the pears, tomatoes and spinach!

    • So happy you enjoy the recipe!! I know the tomato and peach sounds odd but it really is the best juicy summer combo! Glad you gave it a try! Thanks for sharing Katie!!