This chicken and peaches dish makes really a delicious summer meal, and feels a little bit decadent. I love the balance between the sweetness of the peaches, and the salty goodness of the prosciutto and capers. The peaches are marinated before adding them to the chicken, which makes them just a little less sweet. Normally I remove the skin from chicken thighs, just so they are a little healthier, but on this one it’s really necessary to leave the skin on so it can get nice and crispy.
I served this with a baguette and salad. Delicious!
This recipe comes from “Fine Cooking” magazine no.136.
What you need for the marinated peaches:
- 3 medium ripe peaches
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 & 1/2 tablespoons spiced dark rum
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- pinch of salt
- pinch of sugar
What you need for the chicken:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- about 30 grams thinly sliced prosciutto
- 3 pounds / 1.4 kg chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, coarsely chopped
What you do:
- To marinate the peaches, begin by slicing them into wedges about 2 cm thick.
- Combine the rest of the marinade ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and gently coat the peaches with it. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to 24 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- On medium heat, pour a little olive oil into a large dutch oven or frying pan that can go in the oven. Slice the prosciutto and cook it until crisp, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the pan. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper on all sides. Brown the chicken on both sides in several batches, about 12 minutes each batch. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot, and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook the leek and garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until they begin to soften.
- Add the flour to the pot and cook while stirring for 1 minute. Pour the peach marinade in and cook until the liquid thickens, scraping the browned parts from the bottom of the pan. This should take about 2 minutes.
- Add the broth and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the chicken back in the pot with the skin facing up, and bring the liquid to a boil again. Place the pot in the oven with the lid off and braise for about 25 minutes, until the chicken has cooked through.
- Remove the pot from the oven and turn the broiler on high. Put the chicken skin-side up onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the oven. Broil for about 3 minutes, until the skin is crispy.
- While the chicken is crisping up, continue to watch it carefully, and place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Stir the sauce occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. (Of course part-way through your chicken will be crisped up, so you can just switch the oven off, and maybe keep it slightly ajar so the chicken doesn’t burn).
- When the sauce has thickened, add the capers and peaches, stirring with a gentle touch until the peaches have warmed. Stir in the butter and 1 tablespoon of tarragon, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken on a serving platter and spoon the sauce over it. Garnish with the prosciutto and remaining tarragon.
Enjoy!
All the ingredients for this recipe were purchased at Vancouver’s famous Granville Island Market, which happens to be a short walk from my home. The amazing chicken was from Jackson’s Poultry. The prosciutto, plus a delicious Manchego cheese as part of an appetizer, came from Oyama Sausage. A Bread Affair makes my favourite baguette in the city. The organic Okanagan peaches were also purchased from one of the day vendors at Granville Island. I love shopping for everything in one market, and knowing that it will all be of the best quality.
Trust in Kim (she will guide thee) 