Summertime is all about low stress cooking and big, bold flavors. This Grilled Bourbon Chicken with Peaches is a light, slightly sweet, summery dish that's just right to feed hungry crowds at your next barbecue.
This post was originally published on June 16, 2017. It has been updated with new photos, more helpful recipe content, and details, and republished most recently on May 22, 2025.
Jump to:
Grilling season is here!
Summertime eating means lighter meals packed with fresh seasonal fruits and veggies that are easy and fast to put together.
We love making this Grilled Salmon in Foil Packets with Lemon and Herbs, BBQ Bacon Burgers, and Hawaiian BBQ Chicken.
This Grilled Bourbon Chicken with Peaches recipe is just the thing to serve up to friends and family for summer picnics, and really, any outdoor entertaining occasion.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe!
This grilled chicken recipe is one the whole family will love!
- Perfect finger foods for outdoor picnics and parties
- The chicken is tender and moist.
- Peaches lend a touch of summer sweetness and pair so well with rich flavors of bourbon.
- It's an excellent main dish that can go with a wide variety of side dishes
🍑 Ingredients
Here's a quick look at what you'll need to make this peach bourbon chicken recipe:
- Peaches - When peaches are in season, they are extra juicy and delicious in this recipe! But you can use canned or frozen peaches, too.
- Chicken - This recipe calls for chicken drumsticks and wings, which are cuts that are great for entertaining. But you can also use the marinade on chicken breasts or thighs. Just adjust the cook time.
- Bourbon - Use your favorite bourbon here.
- Apple cider vinegar - For a hint of tangy flavor.
- Ginger - Love the zesty, uplifting flavor garlic adds to this!
- Garlic - If you're a garlic lover, try using one more garlic than what the recipe calls for.
- Salt and pepper - Use kosher salt if you can!
FLAVOR NOTE: You can add spices like nutmeg and paprika to make this sauce less sweet and more of a balanced smoky/sweet sauce. I like the sweetness of this sauce for wings and drumsticks, but would probably add spices if I were grilling larger cuts of meat, such as chicken breasts or thighs.
How to make this delicious grilled chicken
You'll find the fill ingredients list along with more detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a quick guide:
- Make the marinade. You can mix the marinade up in a big bowl to marinade the chicken. Save ¼ of the marinade in a separate bowl for later.
- Marinate the chicken. You'll want to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
- Grill the chicken. Place the wings and drumsticks on a greased or nonstick foil in the top rack of your grill. Grill for about 30 minutes; flip and baste with reserve marinade halfway through until fully cooked.
Grilling Tip: the wings will likely be done before the drumsticks, and so watch those carefully and remove when a meat thermometer reads the internal temperature of the wings at about 165 degrees. The drumsticks should be done at about 175 degrees.
Serving suggestions
For this grilled bourbon chicken dish, I would suggest pairing it with sides that are similar in lightness and seasonal freshness. Dishes like:
🍷 Best wine pairing for grilled chicken
A stainless steel Chardonnay would pair well with this grilled bourbon chicken dish. The Stoller Dundee Hills Chardonnay has hints of summer peach and nectarine, which help bring out the peach bourbon flavors of the chicken.
It's a nice, crisp white wine with low residual sugar that drinks beautifully on a hot summer day.
More chicken recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Grilled Bourbon Chicken with Peaches
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken wings
- 1 pound chicken drummettes
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup honey
- 3 large yellow peaches peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic about 2 medium garlic cloves, or 1 large + 1 small garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a blender, puree together the bourbon, apple cider vinegar, honey, and diced peaches until well blended.
- Pour pureed bourbon peach mixture into an extra large plastic bag and add the minced ginger and garlic. Mix together, then pour about ¼ cup of the marinade into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Add chicken to the bag, seal, and gently shake and move the bag to coat all of the chicken pieces. You can then either refrigerate the entire bag to marinate the chicken, or you can pour everything out into a big bowl or a glass baking pan. I prefer to do the later because it's easier to ensure the chicken gets evenly coated and turned. Refrigerate the marinating chicken for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator and heat up your grill to 450 degrees.
- Spray foil with cooking spray, place foil onto the top rack of your grill, and place chicken evenly. You may need to grill in batches, depending on the size of your grill.
- Grill for about 15 minutes, turn over, and baste with reserve marinadee. Grill for another 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is completely cooked and at 175 degrees.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes then serve.
Notes
-Remember to watch the grill time after about 20-25 minutes. Some grills will cook wings and drumsticks at 30 minutes, while others may take up to 45 minutes total.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Rosa Mitchell says
Wow, so many fantastic recipes. They all look so wonderful. I am so very grateful to have found you and your blog, keep the recipes coming! Always, I will try to make the delicious food. Thanks for sharing your experience I always like to read health tips and food recipe. Seriously thank you for all this awesomeness!
Sheila says
This looks really good. I love that it's healthy, flavorful and easy to prepare. Will definitely try this on our next barbeque weekend.
Mackenzie @ Food Above Gold says
I love your flavors notes for rounding out the flavor of this she sauce. Even though i think I'd like it sweet as-is, it's like having a bunch of different sauces in one! Can't wait to try this!
Molly Kumar says
The Bourbon Chicken sounds sooooo yummm! I've never cooked chicken with bourbon but I'm totally loving the flavor combination and the spices used in the recipe. Will have to try soon.
Soniya says
What a delightful combination!! I have tried chicken with mango and now this is on my to make list !! Yummilicious!
Jessica (Swanky Recipes) says
I love a good sweet wing and even more so since it's grilled! The hubs just got a new grill and I can't wait to share these with him. Tell love grilling these up for the family, yum!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
Well all you had to say was bourbon...and you know it would be a winner. These look delicious...and the flavour profile is fantastic. What a great way to grill some chicken....party perfect for sure.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
WE love to grill out! I swear hubby would wear boots to get to the grill if we had snow. Chicken is one of our favorites on the grill - really like the flavors that are going on in this dish. I'm pinning!
Mari says
Such a great idea to pair chicken with peaches! And pics are so vibrant and inviting... :)
Noel Lizotte says
Everything about this screams summertime! This is a great flavor combination... and I love that you use wings and drums - lots of marinade to meat ratio ... always a good thing in my book.
Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman says
Yum! I love the combination of peaches and chicken, and bourbon makes everything better, right?!? I'm so happy that grilling season is Finally here in the PNW. I'm so ready to move the kitchen outside!
Pech says
I'm with you, wings over drumsticks!!
Veena Azmanov says
I love the combination of peaches with chicken. But I've never tried to combine it with bourbon. Love the sound of that.. Yum!!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
It really is a delicious combo! Thanks, Veena :)
Mark says
Yumm! I love this, I have similar recipe with bourbon and ginger that I use. I'm going to try this one this week!
Adriana Lopez Martn says
What a great combo love to use fruit with meats and this combination of peached and chicken sounds delightful wish I could have a bite
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Glad you like the flavor combo, Adriana! I do too! Thanks :)
Catherine @ Ten Thousand Hour Mama says
Yay grilling season! The summer has barely begun (and it's STILL raining, gah!), but we have been using the BBQ a lot more often lately. I just can't handle heating up the house when it's warm outside!