Baked Peach Chicken Recipe
Hi! We made this tonight and everyone loved it. Five stars all around the table! There aren’t any real peaches in the store yet so I had to use frozen. I’m sure it will be even better when peaches are in season again! ~Kurt
Quick Look: Ginger Peach Baked Chicken
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 40 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 55 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 🔥 Calories: 720kcal per serving
- 🥘 Cook Method: Sear chicken thighs in a skillet, then bake them in a fresh peach ginger sauce.
- 🍑 Flavor Profile: Salty, savory soy sauce balanced by sweet fresh peach and warm ginger, with a touch of cayenne heat.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, beginner-friendly.
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Table of Contents
Why Is My Baked Peach Chicken So Good
- It’s an easy peach chicken recipe to use with chicken thighs or any other chicken cut.
- Searing the chicken first develops deep golden crust and more flavor for the peach sauce.
- Everything cooks in one pan: the chicken, the peaches, and the sauce.
- Sweet peach, spicy ginger, and salty soy sauce balance each other instead of one overpowering the other.
- A pinch of cayenne keeps the sauce from tasting flat or one-note sweet.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skin-on thighs is what I like to use for peach chicken. The meat is beautifully juicy and more flavorful. Boneless thighs or chicken breasts work too, just watch the cook time since they’ll finish much faster (about half the time).
- Peaches: Use ripe peaches that give slightly when pressed. Overripe peaches turn mushy and hard to slice, while underripe ones won’t puree smoothly and not as sweet and flavorful.
- Frozen peaches work in a pinch or off season, just make sure to thaw them first. Nectarines are an easy swap if that’s what you have. I personally don’t recommend canned peaches as the are a too sweet but can work if you don’t mind.
- Shallots: Shallots bring a milder, sweeter flavor than regular onion and break down nicely in the sauce. If you need to substitute, I recommend a small sweet onion, like a Vidalia.
- Fresh ginger: Fresh ginger gives the sauce a bright, aromatic, slightly spicy edge. Dried ginger doesn’t come close to the same flavor effect but you can substitute if absolutely needed. Start with 1 tsp and taste he sauce.
- Soy sauce: Use low sodium soy sauce so the sauce doesn’t turn overly salty as it reduces. For a gluten-free option, swap in gluten free soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos.
How to Make Baked Peach Chicken: A Visual Step by Step Guide
Prepare all your other ingredients first so that there is no hassle when you start cooking. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
The peach puree comes together fast: grate the peach flesh (not the skin) on the large holes of a box grater until it turns to a thick, juicy pulp. Skip the blender, it’s more cleanup for the same result.
Whisk that puree together with the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger until the sugar dissolves and the sauce turns smooth and glossy. Taste it here. It should hit sweet, salty, and a little sharp from the ginger all at once. Adjust if more salt is needed.
Personal preference: I like to trim all the excess fat off the chicken thighs but it not necessary.
Pat your chicken thighs dry and then season them right before adding to the skillet to sear.
Always preheat the pan before searing. Add oil and place chicken thighs skin side down first to sear. When you sear the chicken, give it room in the pan and resist the urge to move it. You’re listening for the sizzle to mellow out a bit, which tells you a real crust has formed. Take chicken out after searing.
Once you take the chicken out, add the sliced peaches and shallots straight into that same hot pan. Let them cook until they turn glossy and start to soften at the edges, even some golden caramelized edges.
Then, it’s time nestle the chicken back in and pour the sauce over everything. Give it a gently share to spread the sauce and off to the preheated oven. Let it bake at 375°F for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size.
For doneness, I recommend double checking using a meat thermometer. Bone-in chicken thighs are ready at 170-175°F in the thickest part, away from the bone. Thicker thighs will need closer to 40 minutes, while smaller ones can be done sooner.
Ways to Serve Baked Peach Chicken
- Rice: Rice pilaf is an easy upgrade from plain rice, and it soaks up the peach ginger sauce beautifully.
- Coconut rice: Coconut rice works just as well here, since its subtle sweetness echoes the peach.
- Other grains: Quinoa, farro, and couscous are all good swaps if you want a change from rice.
- Lighter option: Cauliflower rice does the same job with fewer carbs.
- Something cold and crunchy: Asian cucumber salad plays well off the same ginger and soy flavors already in the chicken.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Peach Chicken
- Refrigerator: Store the chicken and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave, or reheat everything in a covered skillet over medium-low heat so the chicken doesn’t dry out.
Baked Peach Chicken Recipe FAQs
Yes, frozen is the best option of the two. Thaw them first and puree some while slicing others if needed. Canned peaches I would only recommend as last resort since they are canned in syrup and are sweet. Drain off syrup before using.
Yes. Boneless chicken breasts cook faster than bone-in thighs, so start checking the temperature around the 15-20 minute mark to avoid drying them out. Chicken breast is done at 165°F internal temperature at the center.
Tamari or coconut aminos both work as a gluten-free swap and keep the same savory depth. If neither is available, I’d swap for Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar. For Worcestershire, 2 Tbsp is enough and for Balsamic, 3-4 tablespoons.
Yes. Cook the chicken fully, let it cool, then freeze it in the sauce for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently in the oven.
More Recipes You’ll Love
For more chicken thigh dinners, try Asian baked chicken thighs, they are very tasty! If you love what fresh peaches do in a savory sauce, my roasted pork chops with peach sauce is a must-make. My mango chicken and rice is a popular sweet and savory fruit pairing and so as my tropical shrimp rice bowl.
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Baked Peach Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado or canola oil for cooking
- 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs (about 4 chicken thighs)
- coarse kosher or sea salt
- black pepper
- 2 large shallots
- 1 large peach sliced thinly
- 1 large peach pureed
- 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- Pinch of cayenne
Instructions
Sauce:
- No need to take out the blender or food processor, easiest way to make peach puree is to take a fine cheese grater and grate the peach meat. (Not the skin.)
- Add peach puree into a small mixing bowl.
- Add soy sauce, brown sugar, pressed garlic, and fresh grated ginger. Whisk together and set aside.
Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Preheat cast iron skillet (or another oven-safe cooking pan) over medium-high heat.
- Slice onions and a peach thinly. Set aside.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season them with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Add a little oil to the cooking pan and place chicken thighs in it. Sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side and take the chicken out of the pan.
- Add sliced onions and peaches to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until softened.
- Add chicken thighs back to the pan and nestle it with peaches and onions in between.
- Spread sauce all over chicken and around. Gently shake to spread sauce evenly.
- Place pan into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until chicken is completely cooked. (Time will depend on thickness of chicken thighs. Internal temperature of cooked chicken thighs should be 170-175℉.)
Video
Notes
- No fresh peaches? Frozen peaches work, just thaw them first. The sauce will taste a little less bright. Canned can work but they are sweeter. Drain the syrup off well.
- No shallots? A small sweet onion, like Vidalia, works the same way.
- Need it gluten-free? Swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
- No soy? Substitute 2 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce or 3-4 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar.
- Prefer chicken breast? Use boneless chicken breasts and start checking for doneness after 15-18 minutes in the oven.
Nutrition
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I had some fresh Colorado peaches that were calling out for me to try this recipe. With the addition of fresh sage and some orange marmalade (only because I wanted to try these additions), the chicken tuned out amazing! I can’t wait to make this again. My only other change was using green onions in place of shallots.
Hi! We made this tonight and everyone loved it. Five stars all around the table! There aren’t any real peaches in the store yet so I had to use frozen. I’m sure it will be even better when peaches are in season again!
Hi! I’m so happy to hear that everyone loved the recipe—five stars all around is fantastic! Using frozen peaches is a great idea when fresh ones aren’t available, and I’m sure it’ll be even more delicious with fresh, in-season peaches. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Hi! I am literally about to cook this ..but cannot include soy sauce …any suggested alternatives ?
Some sort of combination of paprika (with garlic/onion powder?!) perhaps with live oil? Thanks in advance for a quick response!
Sory, I am just seeing your comment. If it is a gluten allergy you can use a gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos.
Also good with mangos
Yes, that would be a good alternative to peaches!
Loved this recipe! Delish! I added a nectarine too (because I had one). Served it with sauteed green beans. I will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Yum! So glad you liked it!
I have made this with thighs and love it but I have a bunch of chicken breast I need to use, could this be made with chicken breast?
Yes, you absolutely can! Just adjust bake time as chicken breast cooks so much faster than thighs.
Another winner!
Thank you, Tracie!
Just made this and love it! Didn’t have fresh peaches,, shallots, or fresh ginger… but I was determined – LOL. Used canned peaches, an onion, and ground ginger spice. Just letting you know it still tasted wonderful!!!
Eileen, I am so glad it turned out well! 🙂
I would like to make this dish ahead of time and freeze for a small dinner party. Do you think it would work?
Hi, Ronda! Sorry for the late response! Yes, You could cook this ahead of time and then heat it back up in the oven at 350 degrees.
Can you use can peaches
Nelvis, you could but the texture would be slightly different because they are softer then fresh peaches. They may even become mushy.
Easy to make and delicious! I bought every ingredient but soy sauce (forgot) so I used Worcestershire sauce with a bit of paprika to add some boldness and flavor. My cast iron wasn’t an option, so after searing I baked the chicken, softened peach slices and grilled onions at the recommended temp for an extra 5-10min and cooked the puree in a sauce pan. Paired with jasmine rice it was a hit.
Thank you, Sly! So glad you liked it!
How many peaches do you use for the puree?
Hi, Connie! I use one large peach! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Where does the cayenne come in?
Hi Tabitha, thanks for for letting me know I accidentally left it out, I will fix that! But it’s at step 3 you add it to the sauce.
I made this and enjoyed it very much indeed. I was surprised how quick and easy it was to prepare. Next time, I would add another peach and make the slices larger. Thank you for a new keeper.
I’m SO happy you liked it, Alexandra! Thank you for letting me know that 🙂