We’ve said it before, but sweet, fresh peaches stand up to spicy flavors like nothing else. This recipe further proves that point. We’ve included a recipe for jerk seasoning, but you could use a store-bought jerk seasoning mix for your chicken if desired. But make no mistake, it’s the peach chutney that’s the star of this show. Once made, it will keep for a couple weeks in the refrigerator - assuming you don’t eat it all before then!
PEACH CHUTNEY
1 cup finely-diced onion
1 cup finely-diced red bell pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 T minced garlic (about three cloves)
1 T grated fresh ginger
½ cup golden raisins
6-8 peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into cubes
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
1 T fresh lemon juice
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
2 T honey
CHICKEN
2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins
jerk seasoning (store bought or use recipe below)
JERK SEASONING
⅛ cup firmly-packed brown sugar
1 ½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp salt
1 T ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
2 T olive oil
Prepare the peach chutney first. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and brown sugar to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add all remaining chutney ingredients except peaches and stir. Bring this mixture back to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add the peaches and stir to combine. Let the mixture return to a simmer and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until liquid is thick and syrupy. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature for serving. If making in advance, transfer to a glass container and refrigerate until needed.
For the chicken, begin with making the jerk seasoning. Blend all the ingredients for the jerk seasoning together in a small bowl until fully combined. Coat the chicken breast tenderloins with the seasoning and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place on skewers. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken skewers to a serving platter and serve with peach chutney.
