Buttermilk Chicken with Peach-Tomato Salsa
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 30 mins, plus marinating time
Active: 30 mins
Makes: 6 servings
By Aida Mollenkamp
Some of our favorite Southern flavors combine in this easy yet impressive dish.
Game plan: We made this in a grill pan, but you could also cook it on an outdoor grill over medium heat (about 350°F) for 10 minutes per side.
This recipe was also featured as part of our Cooking with Summer Ingredients story.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups well-shaken low-fat buttermilk
- 6 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Olive oil, for brushing the pan
- Peach, Tomato, and Sweet Onion Salsa
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans (about 3 ounces), toasted, for garnish
- Whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, pepper, and salt in a large, shallow nonreactive dish. While whisking, pour in buttermilk and mix well. Add chicken breasts and turn to coat in marinade; cover and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
- To make the chicken, heat a grill pan over medium heat and lightly brush with olive oil. Remove chicken from marinade, let excess drip off, and place in the grill pan (you may have to do this in batches). Cook until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear, about 10 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, make the salsa.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove from heat, top with salsa and toasted pecans, and serve.
Beverage pairing: Edna Valley Chardonnay Paragon Vineyard, California. Even though purists tend to malign this wine, there’s a time and place for a fruity, generous California Chardonnay. Edna Valley makes a really nice one, with crisp, fine fruit and an underlying minerality. Its notes of peach and citrus will match with the salsa, while the body is just right for the chicken breast.
COMMENTS | ADD YOUR OWN
Looks interesting but I keep thinking I want some kind of cheese mixed in there - maybe a goat's cheese, only slightly softened.