This Grilled Peach Avocado Chicken Salad is pure summer on a plate. Juicy grilled peaches, creamy avocado, tender grilled chicken, crumbly feta, fresh basil, and Marcona almonds on a bed of crisp butter lettuce create a bright, balanced salad perfect for warm-weather meals and entertaining.
This salad works beautifully for company yet is easy enough for a weeknight lunch. A sweet-tangy fresh peach dressing—made with ripe peach, Dijon mustard, and white balsamic—elevates the flavors and pairs especially well with the grilled fruit and savory cheese.
California Peaches
California grows the majority of the United States’ stone fruit, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley. When peach season arrives, take advantage of the peak sweetness — ripe yellow peaches are especially flavorful and ideal for grilling.
Tried and true tips
- Clean the grill grates or grill pan thoroughly so the peaches don’t pick up old flavors.
- Choose ripe but not overripe peaches so they hold their shape on the grill.
- Yellow peaches tend to be sweeter than white varieties and work well here.
- Freshly grilled chicken is best; baste it lightly with the peach dressing for extra flavor. A rotisserie chicken is a convenient substitute.
- Assemble the salad just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp and the avocado fresh.
How to grill peaches for salad
Grilling intensifies the peaches’ natural sweetness and adds caramelized grill marks and a slight smoky flavor. The aim is to warm the fruit and develop color without turning it mushy.
If peach skins sometimes loosen during grilling and that bothers you, peel them before cooking. Many people enjoy them unpeeled for texture and color.
- Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium heat.
- Halve the peaches and remove the pits.
- Brush each peach half with a little extra virgin olive oil or a light coating of the peach dressing.
- Place cut-side down on the hot grill for about 2 minutes. Rotate 90 degrees and grill a couple more minutes to create crosshatch grill marks.
- Peaches should be warm, slightly tender, and nicely marked. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
Ingredients for this peach salad recipe
- 2 chicken breasts, pounded thin or chicken cutlets (rotisserie chicken can be used)
- 1 large head butter lettuce (or baby spinach, arugula, or spring mix)
- 2–3 ripe yellow peaches
- 1–2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for brushing peaches
- 1 stalk celery, chopped for crunch
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- 8 large fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta (or goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, or burrata)
- 1/4 cup chopped Marcona almonds (walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts are fine)
- Fresh peach salad dressing (or a white balsamic honey mustard vinaigrette)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Step-by-step directions for the salad
- Preheat the grill pan or outdoor grill.
- Grill the peaches:
- Halve and pit the peaches.
- Brush cut sides with a little oil or peach dressing.
- Grill cut-side down about 2 minutes, rotate 90 degrees and grill another 2 minutes until marked and warmed through.
- Remove and set aside.
- Season the chicken with salt and grill until cooked through (165°F internal temperature). Let rest, then slice.
- Arrange butter lettuce on a large platter.
- Scatter chopped celery over the lettuce for texture.
- Arrange sliced avocado and sliced grilled peaches on top.
- Add sliced or sliced chicken breasts to the platter.
- Tear fresh basil over the salad, then sprinkle with feta and chopped Marcona almonds.
- Drizzle with fresh peach dressing and finish with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Variations
- Make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken and adding grilled halloumi or extra beans for protein.
- Stir in cooked quinoa for a heartier grain-based salad.
- Use agave instead of honey in the dressing if preferred.
- Swap in vegan feta for a plant-based version.
- If you don’t have a fresh peach dressing, a poppyseed, apple cider vinaigrette, or champagne vinaigrette complements the salad nicely.
- Try different cheeses—goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, burrata, or blue cheese all pair well.
- Swap Marcona almonds for walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts; candied spiced nuts also make a great sweet-savory contrast.
Peaches and plums, oh my!
If you enjoy stone fruit in savory and sweet dishes, this salad will be a favorite. The same grilling technique and dressings work well with cherries, plums, and other summer fruit for vibrant seasonal recipes.
If you make this salad, consider leaving a comment to let others know how it turned out — feedback helps fellow cooks and supports the recipe creator.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Grilled Peach Avocado Chicken Salad
Ana Coronado
August 13, 2025
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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outdoor grill or grill pan
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large platter
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless pounded thin or chicken cutlets
- 1-2 large Butter lettuce leaves washed and dried
- 2-3 ripe yellow peaches see note above about peeling peaches.
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to brush on peach halves
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 large avocado sliced
- 8 large basil leaves fresh
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup Marcona almonds chopped
- 1/2 cup Fresh Peach Salad dressing
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
How to grill peaches for the salad
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Pre-heat the grill pan or outdoor grill.
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Grill peaches: halve and pit, brush with oil or dressing, and place cut-side down on the hot grill about 2 minutes. Rotate and grill a couple more minutes until marked and warmed through.
Grill chicken
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Season chicken with salt and grill until cooked through (165°F internal temperature). Let rest, then slice.
Assemble the peach salad
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Arrange butter lettuce on a platter, scatter chopped celery, top with sliced avocado, peaches, and chicken.
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Tear basil over the salad, sprinkle feta and chopped almonds, drizzle dressing, and finish with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com