This time of year, we always have an abundance of peaches on hand. I can’t pass up peaches at the farmers’ market, even if I already have some on hand. They’re just too special! (And the season is fleeting!) When we can’t eat them fast enough, I love to come up with savory ways to use them, like in this flavorful Braised Chicken and Peaches. It’s a cozy one-pan meal that’s equal parts savory and sweet, easy enough for a weeknight, but special enough to serve guests for Sunday dinner!
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One-Skillet Braised Chicken with Peaches
My favorite thing about this peach chicken recipe is that it’s actually really simple to make (even though it feels fancy!). Braising is just a cooking method where you sear something (in this case, chicken thighs) to get it golden and flavorful, then let it finish gently cooking in liquid until tender.
Everything for this easy dinner recipe happens in one pan: you brown the onions and chicken, sauté the collards and garlic, then tuck in those juicy peaches with broth and basil before sliding it into the oven. The chicken is perfectly tender, the flavors concentrate, and the peaches turn so soft and jammy. This braised chicken and peaches is classic comfort food with a seasonal twist, and everyone I make it for LOVES it!
Braised Chicken and Peaches
Servings 5 servingsIngredients
- 1-2 Vidalia onions (12 oz total, $1.29)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled and sliced very thin, $0.16)
- 3 fresh peaches (pitted and cut into hearty slices, (11.2oz) $1.74*)
- 2½ lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skinless (5 thighs) $7.85**)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes ($0.12)
- 1 tsp salt (divided, $0.01)
- 1 tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, (divided) $0.08)
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil ($0.15)
- 3 cups collard greens (chopped, $0.66)
- ¼ cup fresh basil (torn, (divided) $0.89)
- 1½ cups chicken broth ($0.13)
- 1 Tbsp honey ($0.15)
- ½ lemon ($0.32)
Instructions
- Gather ingredients. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare fresh ingredients; peel and half Vidalia onions, slice garlic, and slice peaches into hearty slices.
- Pat chicken dry with a clean paper towel and then rub chicken thighs with smoked paprika, chili flakes, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, add vegetable oil, onions, and remaining ½ tsp salt. Sear onions on medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes until they begin to soften and show some color.
- Add chicken to the skillet and sear on each side for 5 minutes until golden brown. Move the onions off to the side or scooch them to another spot in the pan. You want the chicken to lie flat in the pan so it gets a good sear on it.
- Remove chicken from the pan and cover it off to the side. It will finish cooking in the oven.
- Add sliced garlic and collard greens to the pan. Remove the onions once they are golden brown. You'll add them back later.
- Stir collards and garlic to cover them with the remnants of juices and seasonings.
- Add chicken back to the pan with sliced peaches, cooked onions, and half of the freshly torn basil. Pour chicken broth over the top, sprinkle with the rest of the black pepper, and gently cover with tinfoil or a lid. Transfer to a 350°F oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven. The peaches should be soft and tender, and the internal temperature of the chicken should be at 165°F at a minimum. Drizzle honey and squeeze lemon over the top to serve. Serve with additional fresh basil, salt, and pepper.
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Equipment
- Large Oven-Safe Skillet
Notes
Nutrition
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Gather all of your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prep the fresh ingredients: Remove the dry skin and halve 1-2 Vidalia onions, peel and slice 4 garlic cloves very thin, and remove the pit and slice 3 fresh peaches into hearty slices.
Season the chicken: Pat 2½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (5 thighs) dry with a clean paper towel. Rub the chicken thighs with 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper.
Sear the onions: Add 3 Tbsp vegetable oil, the prepped onions, and the remaining ½ tsp salt to a large oven-safe skillet. Heat the pan over medium-high heat and sear the onions for 5-8 minutes until they begin to soften and show some color.
Brown the chicken: Now add the chicken to the same skillet and sear on each side for 5 minutes until golden. I move the onion halves off to the side to allow the chicken thighs to lie flat in the skillet.
Once seared on both sides, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. It will finish cooking in the oven later.
Cook the greens and garlic: Now add the sliced garlic cloves and 3 cups chopped collard greens to the pan. Remove the onions once they’re golden brown (you’ll add them back in later).
Stir the collards and garlic to cover them with the juice and seasonings in the skillet.
Assemble the chicken and peaches: Add the chicken thighs back to the pan with the slices of peaches, cooked onions, and half the freshly torn basil. Now pour 1 ½ cups chicken broth over top and sprinkle with the remaining ½ tsp black pepper. Gently cover the skillet with aluminum foil or a lid and transfer to your preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes.
Serve: After 30 minutes, remove the skillet from the oven. The peaches should be tender, and the internal temperature of the chicken should read 165°F (at a minimum) on a meat thermometer. Drizzle everything with 1 Tbsp honey and squeeze ½ a lemon over top before serving. Serve with the leftover torn basil, salt, and black pepper to taste (if needed).
Recipe Success Tips & Suggestions
- When braising, you want a gentle simmer in a mostly sealed, steamy environment, with just enough venting for flavor concentration. A tiny bit of venting (so a little steam can escape) is good because it lets the sauce slowly concentrate while in the oven into something rich and flavorful. I gently place the lid or foil on top of the pot so it isn’t sealed completely tight. If too much steam escapes, the chicken can dry out, and if none escapes, the sauce can turn watery and the flavors won’t be as concentrated.
- Lay the chicken thighs flat when you’re searing. The golden crust that forms adds a lot of flavor to this braised chicken and peaches recipe!
- The firmer the peach, the better it will hold up in the braise. I like peaches that are ripe but not too soft. Softer ones still add a yummy peachy flavor, but they’ll likely break down more into the sauce.
- Make sure the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165°F (minimum) so they’re fully cooked and tender. A quick check with an instant-read thermometer takes out the guesswork!
How to Serve Braised Peach Chicken
Since this one-pan chicken and peaches recipe is already loaded with flavor (and veggies), I usually just add a carby side to bring the meal together. White rice is quick and perfect for weeknights, quinoa keeps it a little lighter and is my favorite for meal prepping, and mashed potatoes turn it into a super cozy dinner option. I also love this dish with my spaghetti aglio e olio!
Storage & Reheating
You can store leftover braised chicken and peaches in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove until heated through. If it looks a little dry, you can add a splash of broth during reheating.
To freeze this recipe, portion out the chicken, veggies/fruit, and sauce into individual freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating. Just note the vegetables and peaches will be softer the second time around!
