BBQ Chicken Salad with Grilled Peaches and Burrata – an epic summer dinner party salad that is absolutely loaded with flavor and texture.
BBQ Chicken Salad with Grilled Peaches and Burrata
Flavor-packed barbecue chicken thighs, with sweet and juicy grilled peaches, creamy burrata, crispy prosciutto, flaky homemade croissant croutons, and fresh basil layered on a bed of fresh arugula tossed with balsamic vinaigrette. My friends and family have been going crazy for this salad! I created this salad for a book club dinner party inspired by Emily Henry’s book, Great Big Beautiful Life. I let elements of the story inspire the recipe and it turned out so beautifully I wanted to share it for anyone to enjoy. The best part is, all the components can be made ahead and the salad assembled right before serving. Impress your guests with this absolutely beautiful salad!
Salad Components
- Balsamic Vinaigrette and Marinade – this serves as the dressing and a marinade for the chicken. Note: the vinaigrette should be divided and used separately. The portion used for the marinade is to be discarded after use.
- BBQ Chicken – boneless skinless chicken thighs are grilled and brushed with a combination of your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce and apricot preserves.
- Grilled Peaches – ripe fresh peaches that have been lightly grilled for a sweet and smokey flavor.
- Croissant Croutons – buttery, flaky homemade croutons add a wow factor and pair beautifully with the burrata cheese.
- Crispy Prosciutto – one of my favorite parts of the salad! I love how the salty crispy prosciutto pairs with all the elements, especially the chicken and the burrata.
- Arugula – the bold peppery greens are a great base for this layered salad.
- Burrata – creamy spoonfuls of burrata are so delicious, especially with the grilled peaches.
- Fresh Basil – sprinkled over the salad and used as a garnish.
How to Make Ahead
All the components can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled for serving.
- Up to Three Days Ahead – make balsamic vinaigrette/marinade
- Day Before – prepare croutons, store in an airtight container at room temperature. Make crispy prosciutto, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Mix barbecue sauce and apricot preserves, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Marinate chicken up to 24 hours ahead, but no longer for best results. Keep tightly covered in the refrigerator.
- Day Of – Grill Chicken and Peaches. Can be made earlier in the day and served cold.
Serving Suggestions
Stick with a southern inspiration and serve with:
- Buttermilk Biscuits served with homemade honey butter
- Sweet Tea
- Corn Casserole
Recipe Inspiration
I created this recipe to serve at our book club dinner party for Emily Henry’s Great Big Beautiful Life, which I loved reading! One of the characters propensity to order salads inspired me to serve a big beautiful salad as the main dish. The picturesque Georgia location steered the menu to a southern theme with barbecue chicken and fresh Georgia peaches. The croissant croutons are a nod to the charming coffee shop and bakery the characters frequent. I’ll include our dinner menu below the recipe if you are looking for similar inspiration!
BBQ Chicken Salad with Grilled Peaches and Burrata
Ingredients
Balsamic Vinaigrette and Marinade
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
BBQ Chicken and Grilled Peaches
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves
- 4 large peaches
- olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Croissant Croutons
- 2 large bakery style croissants cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil more as needed
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crispy Prosciutto
- 3 oz prosciutto
- olive oil
Salad
- 5 oz baby arugula
- 8 oz burrata
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- fresh basil
Instructions
Balsamic Vinaigrette and Marinade
- Whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Stream in olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Divide vinaigrette and use 1/2 of mixture as dressing and 1/2 of mixture as marinade for chicken. Regrigate until ready to use. Can be made ahead.
BBQ Chicken and Grilled Peaches
- In a medium sized bowl, combine chicken thighs with reserved 1/2 of balsamic vinigeratte. Season with additional 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cover and let marinate between 30 minutes and 2 hours before grilling. While chicken is marinating, prepare croutons and crispy prosciutto.
- Whisk together barbecue sauce and apricot preserves and divide. Serve 1/2 of sauce alongside salad for additional topping and use 1/2 for brushing chicken at the end of grilling.
- Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess marinade fall off before placing on medium-high grill. For best results and texture, grill chicken thighs to an internal temperature between 175℉ and 195℉. Brush chicken with barbecue sauce only during the last minute or two of grilling. This will allow the barbecue sauce to caramelize without burning. Let chicken rest and slice before adding to salad. Chicken and peaches can be served at room temperature or chilled on salad.
- Instead of trying to remove the pit from the peaches, which can be messy, cut the peach around the pit by slicing the the two rounded sides (the cheeks) off the peach. Then cut the remaining sides off. Brush all cut sides with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat 3-5 minutes, or until grill marks form and peach have started to become tender. After grilling, cut peaches into smaller slices.
Croissant Croutons
- Preheat oven to 425℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, lightly toss croissant cubes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 5-8 minutes until golden brown. Watch carefully to avoid over browning. Can be made ahead.
Crispy Prosciutto
- In a large non stick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Fry prosciutto, in single layer, turning until golden brown on both sides. Work in batches to avoid over crowding the pan. Transfer prosciutto to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Let cool and chop into pieces.
Assemble Salad
- Right before serving, toss arugula with just enough dressing to lightly coat the arugula. Arrange chicken, peaches, and spoonfuls of burrata over arugula. Top with crispy prosciutto, croissant croutons, fresh basil, and a drizzle of the balsamic vinaigrette. Serve with reserved barbecue sauce and vinaigrette.
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