Barbecued Chicken Breasts with Spicy Peach Glaze

My living room looks like a battlefield.  We had laid a sleeping pallet and pillows down upon the floor and camped there all day Saturday.  The Baking Tot had once again fallen ill from a stomach virus and we all piled together for snuggles, comforting hugs and movie time.

Initially, I was hoping for a different kind of weekend-one with family time, a day trip and a big family dinner, but as I was leaning against my son, who was laying on my husband, while the cat was curled up at my feet, it hit me...this is what I wanted after all.  Unfortunately it was at the expense of the Baking Tot's stomach.

As our night drew to a close, my husband and I heard an all too familiar sound.  A sound we hadn't heard in months...rain.  I ached to go outside so I could feel it, listen to it spatter upon the concrete, smell it, but it was late and my son was drifting asleep in my arms.  According to a neighbor, many did convene on their porches to witness this rarity, some may have even cheered.

Poor central Texas has fallen to a nasty, blazing, dry summer with temperatures in the triple digits.  We have only whipped out the barbecue pit once this summer and it was well worth it.  We deserve a perfect summer meal just like the next person and here is what we had:  pasta salad, corn fricasse, barbecued chicken breasts with spicy peach glaze and ice cold lemonade.  I suppose grilling this summer is as much a rarity as the rain, but at least we had one perfect summer meal on the coolest day of the season (I think it was 99 degrees).

Here's hoping for more rain and maybe a cooler day for grilling.


Barbecued Chicken Breasts with Spicy Peach Glaze
Great Parties, The Best of Martha Stewart Living

serves 8

1 cup peach preserves or jam
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
4 chicken breasts, split (about 5 pounds)
4 ripe peaches, cut in half and pitted

1. Heat a grill to medium hot  In medium mixing bowl, combine the preserves, garlic, olive oil, soy sauce, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper, and mix well to combine.
2. Sprinkle chicken breasts with additional salt and pepper, and place skin-side down, on the grill.  Cook the chicken about 10 minutes on each side before brushing the upturned side with glaze.  Continue cooking the chicken for another 10-12 minutes, turning it every 3 to 5 minutes and brushing each upturned side with glaze every time, until chicken is cooked through.  Move chicken to oven or a cooler part of grill if it gets too dark before it is cooked through.
3. Place peach halves on grill, cut-side down, and grill for 2 minutes.  Turn, and brush tops with glaze.  Grill 3 to 4 minutes more, until  peaches are soft and cavities fill with juices. Transfer cooked chicken and peaches to a serving platter.

***We used 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts and omitted the grilled peaches, cutting cooking time just a tad...it's just too darn hot out there!!!
****This chicken is even better served cold the following day!