Peach Bruschetta with Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs

mgabriele

Jun 15, 20206 min read

Yum yum yum! Thanks so much for reading my blog. I am positive that you are going to love this recipe! It is so healthy and fresh for summer. It incorporates the taste of fresh peaches with the creamy goodness of Burrata cheese, which is a recent discovery of mine!

I have some great memories of driving with my family from West Virginia to Myrtle Beach in our big blue Honda Odyssey 🚙. We make the trip every single year in July. There used to be seven of us smushed in a van with coolers full of homemade sauce, pepperoni rolls, local Italian sausage, and meatballs. Not kidding. My family travels like no other. What is a week at the beach without homemade spaghetti and meatballs from Nonna's kitchen?!?

When I was younger, my dad used to make us get up at the crack of dawn to head on the road. The car ride was 10 hours long, and we HAD to beat that "Myrtle Beach Traffic". One of the most promising signs that we were almost there was the abundance of fruit stands and farmer's markets on the sides of the Route 17. When Dad stopped to let us stretch and get some peaches for lunch, we KNEW THE BEACH WAS NEAR. The peaches and watermelons from those fruit stands are some of the best I have ever tasted. In reminiscing about my family vacations to North Myrtle Beach, the southern peaches inspired this dish!

This dish is so easy! It only takes about 1 hour to prepare altogether, and there are many ways to make it work with what you have in your refrigerator. The PEACH BRUSCHETTA is the main feature of this dish. It pairs well with grilled chicken thighs, a fresh arugula salad, and some fresh cilantro. I have outlined all of those components in this post. Serve it with a glass of red wine and you will have yourself an awesome meal! For those who are gluten free, use the bread of your choice. And for those who are watching their carbs, omit the bread altogether and double the peaches. Peaches are one of the lower carb fruits to choose from.

The meal starts with the chicken thighs. I used four bone-in skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. I had them in the freezer and thawed them overnight. Immediately before cooking, I tossed them in some olive oil, salt, pepper, one clove of minced garlic, and some balsamic vinegar. I had a balsamic vinegar in the pantry from Aldi. If you do not already have some, Target sells one for about $4. You can use it throughout the summer to make fresh salad dressings or other marinades for vegetables and meats.

The chicken is first pan seared over medium high heat. Cook for five minutes on each side, being careful not to burn. I use a splatter screen to keep the heat and juices in the pan. It also prevents a mess in the kitchen. I would highly recommend this as a worthwhile kitchen gadget. Once the chicken is cooked on both sides, transfer it to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Cook in the oven for another 30 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees when well done.

Now time for the bruschetta! I always start with the peaches and slice them into thinly. I want them to really cook down and absorb all of the flavors. For four people, I used two peaches. My peaches were small, so add more peaches as desired! With the peaches, I sautétwo chopped green onions and two cloves of minced garlic. Fresh garlic is always my preference. I cook these three ingredients in the same pan that I just removed the chicken from. But you can always start with a fresh pan if you burn the chicken a little. I am definitely guilty of messing that up. To the peaches, I add another tablespoon of olive oil and another tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper are added for taste. Cook over low heat until the peaches are soft.

When it comes to bread for any bruschetta, you want something crunchy and without holes. I like to go to the "manager's special" section of Kroger and pick from the bread selection that is a few days old. Chances are there are some pre-sliced options to choose from. I try to find a whole grain bread. You want the pieces to be about 1/2 inch thick so they will toast easily. I drizzle the pieces of bread in some olive oil before putting them in the oven. 5 minutes per side on 350 degrees.

Last but not least, the Burrata cheese! Burrata cheese is a type of mozzarella with some creamy goodness inside. It is a fresh Italian cow milk cheese formed into balls. The outer part is a harder mozzarella and the inner part is soaked in heavy cream. It just melts in your mouth. I top each piece of toast for this recipe with a dollop of burrata and put it in the oven to melt for a few minutes. It is so good! Burrata is my new favorite cheese! It comes with a little cost, but really adds an important flavor and texture to this dish.

Topping off the meal with a fresh arugula salad and some fresh cilantro. Arugula is a great green to pair with this dish. It is more of a bitter tasting green, so pair it with a sweet dressing. I prefer a sweet balsamic dressing! Or if you wanted to make your own, just toss together some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and fresh pepper. You cannot go wrong with that!

Cilantro is an interesting herb. To some people, it tastes tangy and to others, very bitter! It can make or break a meal for someone! I love cilantro, so I top this dish off with a good bunch. Substitute it for parsley or omit it completely if you have a guest who is not a cilantro fan. We want all tummies to be very happy here!

I promise you that this meal does not disappoint. As summer continues to roll by, the fresher peaches will be sold at the markets! The fresher the peach, the sweeter the meal.

If you make this dish and enjoy it, let me know! I love when people send me pictures of my recipe recreations. It is also a great way to keep in touch and let me know how you are doing. Happy summer!

Bon Appétit!