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3-Ingredient Pesto-Grilled Chicken with Peaches

3.7

(21)

A plate of grilled peaches and chicken with char marks and dollops of pesto.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson

In Epi's 3-Ingredient Recipes series, we show you how to make great food with just three ingredients (plus staples like oil, salt, and pepper).
Find a great prepared pesto and you can have dinner in no time! In this easy grilled dinner, the pesto works as both a simple marinade for the chicken and a finishing sauce. Grilling the peaches caramelizes their natural sugars and adds a smoky flavor to the stone fruit, turning them into a delicious side.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hour, 20 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups store-bought or homemade pesto, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided, plus more for grill
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
8 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
4 ripe peaches, halved

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Whisk 1 1/2 cups pesto, 1/2 cup oil, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Add chicken to bowl and slide your hand between skin and meat to loosen skin. Rub half of pesto mixture under skin, then half over outside. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

    Step 2

    Prepare a grill for medium-high heat or heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high; oil grate or pan. Season chicken with remaining 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Grill chicken, skin side down, covered, until golden brown and lightly charred, 7–9 minutes. Turn and grill until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 5–7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

    Step 3

    Brush peach halves with oil. Reduce heat to medium and grill peaches, cut side down, until warmed through, 2–3 minutes.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1/4 cup pesto and 2 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl. Arrange chicken and peaches on a platter and drizzle pesto sauce over. Serve remaining sauce alongside.

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