Herbs de Province Chicken & Grilled Peaches

Have you grilled your peaches yet?? You are going to love it if you haven’t - the grill caramelizes the sugars in the peach and it’s so good. This dinner is so simple because it relies on good ingredients and it takes almost no time.

It’s ridiculous to learn that if you have good ingredients, then you don’t need a lot of ingredients. I read an article by Ruth Reichl recently where she talked about the joy of discovering what good fresh ingredients taste like. She grew up in a non-foodie household where the joys of canned foods of the 1950’s reigned in her house. As she left home and explored the world, she uncovered the delights of French cheeses, Italian wines, Swiss chocolate, and everything else the world has to offer. But the central theme of her essay was when she discovered Americans making high quality products that rivaled or beat the imported versions.

I grew up in a ‘quality ingredient’ household but got to eat at friends houses where Tuna Casseroles and Chicken Ala King were on the table. I was so jealous. I worked to make some of those comfort recipes when I first started cooking on my own. As I got better, and ate more, I realized that the fewer ingredients, the easier it was and the better it tasted. And the quality of the ingredients is critical when you’re using fewer.

Simple summer grilling dinner - Herbs de Province Chicken on the grill | Ali Hedin

This dinner requires the best ingredients you can find. Good organic peaches - find them at a farm stand - local zucchini - find a friend that grows it - and very good chicken. I like to get the herbs at Market Spice because they are the best. The ones I used making this dish came directly from France when a friend brought them home for me from their trip.

Herbs de Provence Chicken

Serves 4

1 large split fryer, breasts, thighs, and drumsticks

¼ cup herbs de Provence

¼ cup olive oil

4 peaches, sliced in half

4 zucchini, sliced in half

2 tbs parmesan cheese

salt & pepper

STEP 1

Sprinkle Herbs de Provence and salt over the chicken pieces. Rub in to coat completely.

STEP 2

Grill chicken, peaches, and zucchini together in a grill pan or on the barbecue – brush with a few tablespoons of olive oil so it doesn’t stick. If the chicken pieces are thick, start them first and grill the peaches and zucchini at the end for 5 minutes each.

*Cook the chicken until a thermometer reads 160 degrees.

STEP 3

Sprinkle parmesan and salt & pepper over hot zucchini. Serve everything together.