Grilled Chicken Thighs with Peach and Cherry Salsa

Toss together a lively peach and cherry salsa, and serve on top of grilled chicken thighs. We wait all year for fresh stone fruit, so take advantage of the abundance and dish up a slightly different take on salsa. Grilling chicken thighs seems to be a bit more forgiving than white meat. The marinade for the chicken is tasty, too!

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Calories: 215 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 lime, juiced
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons seeded and minced jalapeno pepper
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 orange, juiced
• ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 ½ cups peeled and diced fresh peaches
• 1 cup pitted and diced red cherries

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Add olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, paprika, salt, and pepper to a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Seal and gently squeeze the ingredients together until combined. Add chicken thighs, press out most of the air, and seal.

Step 2

Lay the bag flat in the refrigerator so that the chicken thighs are in a single layer. Marinade for at least 4 hours, turning the bag over every 2 hours.

Step 3

Prepare the salsa before lighting the grill. Combine peaches, cherries, cilantro, jalapeno, red onion, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Toss gently and refrigerate.

Step 4

Clean and preheat a gas grill to medium heat, about 20 minutes.

Step 5

Brush grill grates with olive oil. Remove chicken thighs from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Grill chicken in a single layer until no longer pink in the center, 5 to 7 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Serve with salsa.