Chipotle-Peach Barbecue Chicken with Cilantro Chimichurri

This barbequed chicken is yummy I promise! Unfortunately none of my pictures seemed to do it justice and I was too eager to eat it to concentrate on taking a lot of photos, but the taste was well worth it! I found the recipe not too long ago and decided to make it while summer fruit are still around. The original recipe actually called for mango but I couldn't find any at the grocery store and we already had peaches at home so that's what I used.

I decided to use the grill pan that I bought way back in February in order to cook the chicken. I hate to admit it but I have actually only used it twice since buying it, once on the grill side for grilled chicken satays with a peanut sauce and once on the griddle side for making pancakes. The problem with using the grill is that it takes so long to clean afterward! Not only are you left with little pieces of chicken on the grill but, as I've just found out, you are not supposed to use soap on cast iron as it ruins the finish. What the heck! To top it off, you are not supposed to scrub too hard either otherwise that can ruin the finish as well. It seems my mom may have been wise when she warned me of the inconvenience of my purchase.

Regardless of my cleaning difficulties, I don't regret using the grill to cook the chicken because it turned out delicious. It was juicy and moist and the flavor was amazing. The kick from the chipotle balanced perfectly with the sweetness of the peaches and the cilantro added extra freshness. After eating the chicken my mom asked if I could just make the sauce on its own and use it for dips or other dishes. I agreed and will probably make another batch to try with a vegetable stir-fry.

Chipotle-Peach Barbeque Chicken with Cilantro Chimichurri

• 1½ cups peaches, chopped in large pieces
• ¾ cup (about ½ bunch) cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo + 1 tbsp adobo sauce (can use less if not wanting it to be too spicy)
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 lbs chicken (breast, thighs, or drumsticks)

1. Combine the peach, cilantro, chipotle, rice wine vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
2. Set aside half of the mixture into a small container for a sauce. Coat the chicken with the other half of the mixture and cover and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, though preferably overnight to allow the chicken to absorb more flavor.
3. Once ready to cook, grill the chicken on a grill or grill pan pre-heated over medium-high heat. Turn and reposition the chicken pieces about every 5 minutes for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and is no longer pink inside.
4. While the chicken is cooking, put the reserved mixture into a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. Serve the sauce alongside the grilled chicken.