Peach Chicken in a White Wine Sauce with Mozzarella
Today is Wednesday, which means yesterday was Tuesday. And these days Tuesday is my favorite day of the week. I look forward to Tuesday every week because that’s the day I drop the kids at camp (or school whenever the hell that happens) and go to the farmer’s market.
Farmer’s Market
I love going to the farmer’s market. These days it’s one of the few things that keeps me sane. Even though we have to wear masks and stand in line, I still look forward to it every week. I get to see all the vendors I know, and smell all the wonderful fresh produce. Yes, I said smell. Since they are no longer serving samples at the market, the only senses left to be titillated are my senses of smell and sight. While I do miss being able to taste all the wonderful summer fruit, the beautiful colors almost make up for it. There aren’t just yellow peaches. There’s a rainbow’s worth of plums, green and red grapes, purple carrots, white corn, yellow and green tomatoes, the list goes on and on. Everywhere I look is a different color or smell and it always, always puts a smile on my face.
One of the biggest smiles I get, is when Tenerelli Orchards returns to the market. I’ve talked about them before, as I love them so much. While there are plenty of other peach vendors at the market, none compare to Tenerelli. I don’t know why their peaches are so good, they just are. Even now, when I can’t sample anything, I know their yellow peaches will be the perfect combination of sweet and tart; which means the recipes in which those peaches are used will be even better.
Peaches
It’s because of that punch of peach flavor that I use peaches as often as I can when they’re in season. I use them in savory dishes, sweet dishes and even cocktails. So, since I showed you a sweet option last time, today I’m showing you a savory option inspired by Half Baked Harvest. Today I roasted a couple peaches with some chicken, bacon and mozzarella. I know it doesn’t seem like peaches fit in with those other ingredients, but let me tell you, I cannot imagine this recipe without them. Adding the sweet peaches to a savory dinner dish not only adds depth, it brings the whole dish up to another level.
But if chicken and peaches weren’t enough, Tieghan throws some bacon and mozzrella in there as well. While all those ingredients on their own would make for an amazing dinner, there’s a little something extra that makes this recipe so damn good – all of the ingredients are fresh! Using fresh mozzarella, fresh herbs and fresh, right-off-the-tree peaches, makes you feel like you’re eating a meal at a fine restaurant instead of your own home. The combination of flavors really make your tastebuds stand up and sing and remind you why summer stone fruits are absolutely the best fruits in the world!
Notes
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 3/4 cup dry white wine, like a Pinot Grigio
- 2 peaches, sliced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Whisk together the oil, rosemary and zest in a small bowl and set aside.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the chicken, then rub the chicken all over with the oil mixture. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the chicken and toss to coat.
- Cook the bacon in a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels.
- Add the chicken to the same pan and sear on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the wine and 1/4 cup water. Simmer the chicken for 5 minutes, until cooked through.
- Add the bacon, peaches and mozzarella evenly around the chicken and drizzle the honey over the peaches. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve the chicken topped with peaches and drizzle over any pan sauce.
