Peach Salad {with Grilled Basil Chicken and White Balsamic-Honey Vinaigrette}
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This Fresh Peach Salad is topped with grilled basil chicken and a sweet and tangy white balsamic vinaigrette. This grilled chicken salad can be served as a side dish or an entree and is the perfect way to use up end-of-summer peaches!
Fresh Peach Salad with Basil Grilled Chicken
While there’s still about a month left of summer, it really is just starting to feel like it’s over. We had our last beach day today, so basically that’s my goodbye to summer.
One thing I love about the end of every summer is the abundance of fresh peaches everywhere. I had two neighbors bring me a bag full of them and I also had bought a bunch of local ones at the store.
So we have been eating peaches in everything and drinking them in just about every smoothie for the last two weeks. And no one is complaining about that around here, we all absolutely love peaches! Who could resist them? They’re sweet, juicy and perfectly tender.
I just love biting into a freshly picked peach. The other thing I love (and if you’ve been reading for a while I’m sure you’ve caught on by now) is grilled chicken salads.
They are so versatile and you can add just about anything to them, and if we are going to go all out on a salad we may as well make it into a meal, right? Since it’s peach season of course I had to do a peach salad recipe, and this one does not disappoint!
I can almost guarantee that, like me, you’ll love everything about this peach and basil chicken salad! From the chicken marinated and infused with fresh garlic-basil flavor, to the combination of fresh peaches, corn and goat cheese and of course how well it is all complemented by the white balsamic vinaigrette.
I could pretty much live on this peach salad! It might just become one of your favorite summer salads, just be sure to try it before summer is over!
Grilled Chicken and Peach Salad Ingredients
For the grilled basil chicken, you’ll need:
- Chicken breasts
- Olive oil
- Fresh basil
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
For the white balsamic dressing, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- White balsamic vinegar
- Honey
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
And for the peach salad base, you’ll need:
- Spring mix lettuce
- Fresh peaches
- Corn
- Chopped pecans
- Red onion
- Goat cheese
How to Make Peach Salad with Grilled Chicken
- Marinate chicken for 2 to 5 hours, then grill over medium-high heat. Slice grilled basil chicken and set aside.
- Whisk together white balsamic vinaigrette ingredients in measuring cup.
- Prep veggies for the peach salad, then add to large bowl.
- Drizzle dressing over top and toss to combine, then top with grilled chicken.
Can I Use Canned Peaches in This Salad?
I wouldn’t use canned peaches in this grilled chicken salad. They contain a lot more liquid and have a mushy texture.
Can I Use Regular Balsamic Vinegar Instead of White?
Yes, but know that regular balsamic vinegar is much stronger than white balsamic vinegar. So you may need to add a little more honey to the vinaigrette to balance out the flavors.
Tips for the Best Peach Salad with Grilled Chicken
- I wouldn’t recommend substituting dried basil for the fresh. But as a last resort if it’s winter, I would use 1 tablespoon dried basil. Even though the general rule is to use 1/3 the amount of fresh, I think that would be far too much here.
- Let the grilled basil chicken rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing it. This gives the juices time to redistribute and makes for a moister slice of chicken.
- Feel free to play around with the ingredients in this salad — use a different lettuce blend, soft cheese, etc.
More Peach Recipes You’ll Love:
- Three Cheese Peach and Prosciutto Pizza with Basil and Honey Balsamic Reduction
- Balsamic Peach Chicken Skillet
- The BEST Peach Cobbler
- Grilled Peaches with Vanilla Bean Mascarpone
- Peach Crisp
Follow Cooking Classy
Peach Salad {with Grilled Basil Chicken and White Balsamic-Honey Vinaigrette}
Ingredients
Grilled Basil Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 Tbsp olive oil , plus more for brushing grill
- 1/3 cup slightly packed chopped fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 10 oz Spring Mix lettuce
- 1 lb peaches , sliced (about 3 small)
- 2 ears corn , husked and kernels cut from cob
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans , toasted
- 1/2 small red onion , sliced thin (about 3/4 cup), rinse under water to remove harsh bite
- 4 oz Goat cheese , crumbled
Instructions
For the chicken:
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, basil, garlic, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp of each). Using the back of a spoon, press basil against sides and bottom of bowl (to help extract flavor from basil). Place chicken in a resealable bag and pound thicker parts of chicken to even thickness with a meat mallet, then pour basil mixture over chicken and evenly distribute basil over chicken. Seal bag while pressing excess air out, rub marinade over chicken and transfer to refrigerator and marinate 2 - 5 hours.
- Preheat a grill to 425 - 450 degrees over medium high heat. Brush grill grates lightly with olive oil then place chicken on grill. Grill until cooked through, rotating once halfway through cooking, about 4 - 5 minutes per side (chicken should register 165 degrees in center of chicken on an instant read thermometer). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes then slice into strips or dice into cubes.
For the vinaigrette:
- Whisk together all ingredients until well blended and season with salt and pepper to taste. Store in refrigerator until ready to use, stir again before pouring over salad.
For the salad:
- In a large salad bowl gently toss together lettuce, peaches, corn, pecans, onions, and grilled chicken. Sprinkle goat cheese over top and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately after adding dressing.
Notes
- I wouldn't recommend substituting dried basil for the fresh. But as a last resort if it's winter, I would use 1 tablespoon dried basil. Even though the general rule is to use 1/3 the amount of fresh, I think that would be far too much here.
- Recipe source: Cooking Classy