Name: Grilled Peach Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 11 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 heads Romaine lettuce, base removed, washed and patted dry; 3 medium ripe peaches, pits removed and cut into wedges; 16 oz. rotisserie chicken, preferably breast meat; 4 oz. pecans, chopped; 4 oz. goat cheese; 3 T. champagne vinegar; 1 T. fresh lemon juice; ½ cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 t. shallot, very finely minced; 1 T. Dijon mustard; 1 T. honey; Salt and pepper, to taste

The grilled peach salad has become a staple for summer entertaining. It’s an easy dish to prepare and is sure to please everyone at the table. The grilled peaches are tender with a light smoky flavour, while the champagne vinaigrette provides just enough acidity that compliments the sweetness of the grilled fruit. Whether you’re hosting friends and family or need something quick for your own dinner, this dish will be loved by all!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and sometimes recommend products from other sellers at no extra cost you. For more details see my disclosure policy and privacy policy.

How to Pick a Perfect Peach

The first step in a grilled peach salad is picking the perfect peach. You want your peaches to be ripe and ready for consumption, but not so soft that they will become bruised or browned when grilled. If you’re feeling unsure about how a particular peach looks, give it a firm squeeze with both hands. A good-quality fruit should be firm, but not rock hard.

The next step to picking the perfect peach is to smell it. Smell your peach. If it smells like “a fresh, summer breeze” then you’re on the right track.

If you’re not satisfied with how your peach smells, don’t worry! You can also smell its stem. A ripe fruit will have a light, almost peppery fragrance. If the stem has no smell at all, that’s a signal that the peach might be overripe and sour!

How to Grill Peaches

Peeling peaches is a time-consuming and sometimes tricky task, so instead of the traditional approach to a grilled peach salad where you peel them after grilling, try something different.

To grill peaches using this method place your washed fruit on a cutting board, and then cut them in half with a sharp knife. Now remove the pit (or stone) from each fruit by using a spoon to scoop it out while leaving as much of the peach flesh intact on both pieces.

Now brush the cut fruit with olive oil, and grill it on a hot grill for about three minutes. Flip them over using tongs (or another type of implement) to cook for an additional two or so minutes on the other side.

Can I make Peach Salad ahead of time?

You can make this ahead of time. You grill the peaches and toss together all ingredients in a large bowl, store for up to 24 hours until you are ready to eat it.

TIP: It’s important not to add any dressing on top until just before eating!

What you need to make Grilled Peach Salad

2 heads Romaine lettuce, base removed, washed and patted dry
3 medium ripe peaches, pits removed and cut into wedges
16 oz. rotisserie chicken, preferably breast meat
4 oz. pecans, chopped
4 oz. goat cheese

Champagne Vinaigrette:

3 T. champagne vinegar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 t. shallot, very finely minced
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. honey
Salt and pepper, to taste

Kitchen equipment

Medium bowl
Wire brush
Serving platters
Salad drizzler

How to make the recipe

To prepare the vinaigrette, combine the first 6 ingredients in a non-reactive glass salad bowl and whisk to combine thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Clean grill grates with a wire brush and then spray with a non-stick cooking spray. Grill peach wedges over medium-high heat for approximately 3 minutes per side until the grill marks show. For best results, flip wedges only once while grilling. Remove from heat and set aside.

Tear Romaine leaves into bite-sized chunks and place on 4 serving plates. Divide grilled peaches, chicken, pecans, and goat cheese evenly among the plates. Drizzle each plate with champagne vinaigrette and serve. (If you prefer more evenly distributed dressing, toss the salad ingredients with the dressing in a large bowl prior to arranging on plates).

Storing the recipe

The salad can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container as well, or if you’re short on time, it will stay fresh for 24 hours after being tossed together with the dressing.

Recipe tips

If you want to try substituting or adding ingredients to this peach salad recipe, you can definitely try things like red onion, feta cheese, candied pecans and even diced avocado. To add some different protein, used some already cooked and cooled sliced turkey.

Yield: 2 portions