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Grilled Chicken with Peach Chipotle Sauce

Grilled chicken with peach chipotle sauce featuring a smoky-sweet, deep red-orange glaze that caramelizes on charred chicken thighs. A quick peach-chipotle simmer thickens into a pourable chipotle peach glaze for spicy-sweet BBQ-style flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and seasoning
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Keep skin on for best char and juiciness.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Use to taste; also season the sauce.
  • 0.5 tsp pepper Use to taste.
Peach chipotle sauce
  • 3 ripe peaches Peeled and diced; use fully ripe for natural sweetness.
  • 2.5 chipotle peppers in adobo 2–3 peppers plus remaining adobo from the can, as desired.
  • 1 tbsp adobo sauce From the chipotle can.
  • 1 4 cup honey Stirs into the sauce for glossy caramelization.
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar Adds tang to balance sweetness.
  • 2 clove garlic Minced.
  • 0.5 tsp cumin Smoky, warm spice.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Use to taste for the sauce.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the peach chipotle sauce
  1. Blend the peaches, chipotle peppers in adobo, adobo sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic, cumin, and salt until smooth, with no visible peach chunks.
  2. Simmer the blended mixture in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until thickened and glossy like a glaze.
Season and grill the chicken
  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with salt and pepper.
  2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, then place chicken thighs on the grates and grill for 20–25 minutes, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Glaze, rest, and serve
  1. In the last 5 minutes of grilling, baste the chicken generously with the peach chipotle sauce so it caramelizes on the char marks.
  2. Transfer chicken to a plate or sheet pan and let rest for 5 minutes to keep juices inside.
  3. Spoon any extra sauce over the top and garnish with fresh cilantro for a fresh finish.

Notes

Pro tip: For the thickest glaze, let the sauce simmer until it coats the back of a spoon, then baste during the final 5 minutes so it caramelizes instead of burning. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid drying out. Freezing is not recommended for the best texture, but you can freeze cooked chicken (sauce separately) for up to 2 months. For a less-sweet option, reduce honey by 1 tablespoon and add an extra splash of vinegar.