30-Minute Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Peach Salsa is not only a healthy dinner but also a great way to take advantage of the Summer's produce! This family-friendly meal combines sweet and savory flavors of fresh yellow peaches, cilantro, lime juice, and skinless boneless chicken breasts.
Chicken with peach salsa - easy and quick summer meal
If you think that Summer peach salsa is just a snack to go with chips and crackers, think again! Peach salsa works great as a topping over the chicken to create a quick, delicious, well-balanced dinner that a whole family will love! My other favorite chicken dinner this Summer is one-pan garlic butter chicken with zucchini and corn.
- The skinless boneless chicken breasts are sliced into strips and then browned on the outside while remaining tender and juicy on the inside.
- Coated with freshly squeezed lime juice, honey, and chopped fresh cilantro, the chicken pairs beautifully with the sweet and savory peach salsa to create a satisfying family-friendly summer dinner! Follow it with a peach dessert, such as this gorgeous blueberry peach skillet cake.
One-pan, 30-minute chicken dinner
- This quick and incredibly flavorful peach salsa chicken comes together in under 30 minutes and requires only one cooking pan!
- The cleanup is minimal - perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!
- As simple as this recipe is, it tastes like a restaurant-quality dish and looks sophisticated enough to serve company or entertain guests.
- Say Goodbye to boring chicken! Both kids and adults alike will love the savory and sweet flavor combo of tender and juicy cilantro-lime honey chicken topped with colorful and vibrant peach salsa!
Ingredients you need for the chicken
- Chicken. I used skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into strips. You can also use skinless, boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins.
- Chili powder will add flavor and spice to your chicken.
- Lime juice - squeeze ยฝ a lime. Start with 2 tablespoons, and add more if you like.
- Honey adds sweetness and provides contrast to the acidity of the lime juice. Start with only 2 tablespoons of honey to coat the chicken, and then add more if you like.
- Fresh cilantro. Use the freshest and the greenest herbs you can find!
Peach salsa ingredients
- Yellow peaches. Using fresh yellow peaches is key! Be sure to buy yellow peaches (not white ones), as the yellow peaches will look much more appealing in a salsa recipe.
- Pineapple is a tropical fruit that will elevate any salsa!
- Sweet red bell pepper will add texture, flavor, and color. You can also use green bell pepper if you like.
- Green onions have a milder taste than regular onions and not only add flavor to the salsa, but also vibrancy and color!
- Red onions have many health benefits. They add texture and a ton of flavor.
- Lime. Use only freshly squeezed lime juice, not the bottled kind.
- Fresh cilantro adds a ton of flavor, so be sure to use the freshest herbs.
- Chili powder will add pungency and spice to peach salsa.
- Salt and pepper. Add those to taste to bring out the flavors, but don't overdo it. I often just skip the salt.
How to make chicken with peach salsa
- First, you will make the peach salsa by combining together in a large bowl the following ingredients: chopped peaches, chopped pineapple, diced bell pepper, chopped green onions, and chopped red onions. Add freshly squeezed lime juice, chopped fresh cilantro, and chili powder, and season with salt and pepper.
- Next, you will season the chicken with salt, pepper, and chili powder.
- Then, cook the chicken in a cast iron skillet until completely cooked through, adding freshly squeezed lime juice, and honey halfway through. Next, mix in butter and chopped fresh cilantro with chicken.
- Finally, assemble the dish by spooning the peach salsa over the cilantro-lime honey chicken.
- Note: More detailed instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Recipe variations
- What kind of chicken can you use? Use skinless boneless chicken breasts or skinless boneless chicken thighs. You can also use chicken tenderloins. I do not recommend using bone-in, skin-on chicken as it will take longer to cook and will definitely not be a 30-minute meal.
- Use grilled chicken - coat the already cooked chicken with cilantro-lime and honey sauce and spoon the peach salsa over it!
- What other fruit can you use instead of peaches? Fresh yellow peaches are the best choice here. If you can't find them, use fresh apricots or fresh nectarines.
- Salsa variations. If you can't find peaches, use mango instead. Or, you can make pineapple salsa.
- Freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice can be used.
What to serve with it
- Pasta. Peach salsa chicken tastes amazing when combined with simple pasta (tossed with fresh herbs, olive oil or butter, cooked minced garlic, salt, and pepper). I recommend long pasta, such as spaghetti, fettuccine, pappardelle, or bucatini.
- Rice. Serve cilantro-lime honey chicken with salsa over plain jasmine rice or wild rice. Or, make flavored rice, such as cilantro-lime rice, cilantro-lime rice with black beans, or sun-dried tomato basil rice.
- Cauliflower rice, roasted cauliflower, or mashed cauliflower are all great side dishes for this meal.
- Pasta salad is another delicious choice. Take a look at this corn pasta salad with bacon or try summer pasta salad with peaches, prosciutto, spinach, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.
How to store it
Store leftover peach salsa chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing this dish, because it will dry out the chicken breasts, and the peach salsa will have a mushy texture once thawed.
Other recipes with peaches
Take advantage of the peach season and try other recipes with fresh peaches:
- Blueberry and Peach Skillet Cake
- Chicken with Peaches - 30-Minute One-Pan Meal
- Peach Pasta Salad with Arugula and Tomatoes
- Peach Mozzarella Salad with Basil and Prosciutto
Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Peach Salsa - One-Pan, 30-Minute Meal
Ingredients
Peach Salsa
- 3 yellow peaches medium size, pitted and diced
- ยฝ cup pineapple chopped
- 1 sweet red bell pepper diced
- ยผ cup red onion diced
- 3 green onions finely chopped
- ยฝ bunch cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice or more
- ยผ teaspoon chili powder or more
- ยผ teaspoon salt or more to taste
Cilantro-Lime Honey Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breasts skinless, boneless, sliced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ยผ teaspoon salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (juice from ยฝ lime)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ยผ bunch fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 green onions chopped
Instructions
How to make peach salsa
- Note about peaches. Wash them thoroughly to get rid of any debris. There is no need to peel the peaches. Chop them carefully to keep the skin on.
- In a large mixing bowl combine diced peaches, chopped pineapple, diced red bell pepper, diced red onion, finely chopped green onions, and chopped fresh cilantro. Toss to combine.
- Add freshly squeezed lime juice and chili powder. Toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Add more lime juice and chili powder, if you like.
How to make cilantro-lime honey chicken
- Generously season the sliced chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and chili powder.
- Heat an empty cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. This allows the cast-iron skillet to heat through.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add sliced skinless boneless chicken breasts. Cook, undisturbed, for about 4 minutes, to let chicken sear.
- Flip the chicken strips over and cook for 2 more minutes. Lower the heat to low, add freshly squeezed lime juice and honey. Cook for another 2 minutes or more, frequently stirring, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and stir, off heat, to coat the chicken. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley.
Assembly
- Spoon the peach salsa over the cilantro-lime honey chicken.
- Top with the chopped green onions and extra fresh cilantro, if you like.
Notes
- Grill the chicken instead - and then coat the already cooked chicken with cilantro-lime and honey sauce using this recipe and spoon the peach salsa over it!
- What other fruit can you use instead of peaches? Use fresh yellow peaches (not white). If you can't find them, use fresh apricots or fresh nectarines.
- Salsa variations. If you can't find peaches, use mango instead. Or, you can make pineapple salsa.
- Pasta. I recommend long pasta, such as spaghetti, fettuccine, pappardelle, or bucatini.
- Rice. Serve cilantro-lime honey chicken with salsa over plain jasmine rice or wild rice. Or, make flavored rice, such as cilantro-lime rice, cilantro-lime rice with black beans, or sun-dried tomato basil rice.
- Cauliflower rice, roasted cauliflower, or mashed cauliflower are all great pairings with this chicken.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Marcy Lawrence
I am looking to make a peach & chicken meal for my book club. Since it is winter and only jarred peaches now, would I be able to use jarred or frozen peaches in your recipes?
Julia
Marcy, yes, you should be able to use thawed peaches or jarred ones in my recipes. Just make sure the peaches are really well drained from any liquid. Enjoy - I love peaches as you can tell! ๐ โค๏ธ
Eric
Made this tonight! It was delicious!
Julia
Glad you liked it! And, thank you for the 5-star rating! ๐
Judy
I didn't make any changes. It was quick and tasty. Served it with rice and an Italian style salad. Thanks for a great recipe.
Julia
Love your side dishes. Glad the recipe was enjoyed! ๐