Grilled Chicken and Peach Salad with Corn and Avocado

If I could instill one thing in anyone who will ever cook a chicken breast, just one practice I firmly believe makes all the difference that everybody needs to learn, it would be this: Brine your bird. Oh, you would not believe how much better your chicken will turn out with just a 15 minute soak in the salty solution. It’s easy and worth the extra effort every time. Trust me.

Now that I’ve spoken my peace, let’s talk about the actual star of this salad. I was a skeptic when I went to the farmer’s market last week. There they were sitting in cartons next to the beans and zucchini. I picked up a container and inspected it cautiously. The fuzzy exterior, the beautiful rosy-golden-rod-hued exterior; they were peaches alright. But they had to be from Georgia or Kentucky, right? No way Michigan couldn’t have produced these gorgeous stone fruits yet.

‘Where are these from?’ I questioned the vendor.
‘Here.’
‘So Georgia?’
‘No, like an hour away.’
‘Like, in Michigan?!’

Apparently, it was the first day they were available so my shock wasn’t too out of place. I am an absolute sucker for fresh peaches. My plan is to gorge on them this summer until I can’t stomach them anymore so I don’t miss them throughout the winter. I’ll let you know how that goes. But in the meantime, I’m using them at every opportunity like in this salad. Paired with the brined chicken, avocado, and roasted corn, this salad needs little more than a simple balsamic dressing to make it one of the best thing you’ll eat all summer.

I cannot get enough summer produce so I put my favorites in one salad. Try it our and tell me about it in the comments below!

Grilled Chicken and Peach Salad with Corn and Avocado

Serves 3

For the Chicken

• 3 Boneless Chicken Breasts
• 2 Cups Water
• 2 Tbsp Salt
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tbsp Dried Mustard
• 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/4 Tsp Pepper

Combine the water, salt, and brown sugar in a large bowl and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Submerge the chicken in the brine and place in the fridge for 15 minutes or up to an hour. In the meantime, whisk together the olive oil and spices in a medium. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Place the chicken in the spice mixture and use your hands to rub the mixture in until the chicken is coated. Preheat the grill or large sauté pan to medium heat and cook the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 160. Remove the grill and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing.

For the Dressing

• 1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (Use more for a creamier dressing)
• 1-2 Tbsp Maple Syrup, to taste

Whisk together the vinegar and yogurt. Add maple syrup to taste.

For the Salad

• 2 Ears of Corn, husks removed
• 2 Peaches, Sliced
• 2 Avocados, sliced
• 6 Cups Romaine
• Fresh Basil Leaves (Optional)

Grill the corn with the chicken over medium heat until char marks develop on each side. Alternatively, you can cook the corn in a large skillet or on a grill pan over medium heat. Allow to cool then remove the kernels by holding the corn vertically with the base of the ear on a cutting board. Carefully run your knife along the sides and collect the kernels.

Add your lettuce to a large bowl and layer with chicken, corn, peaches, and avocado. Top with the dressing and basil (optional) and enjoy!