Peachy Chicken

A five-ingredient chicken dinner (plus flour and water) that pairs bone-in chicken pieces with a generous pile of sliced peaches and walnuts in a buttery white wine sauce. Simple enough for a weeknight, impressive enough for company.

The chicken gets rolled in whole wheat flour before baking, which gives the skin a nutty, rustic crust that’s heartier than regular flour. The wine, butter, and water melt together into a braising liquid that keeps the chicken moist during the first 30 minutes, then concentrates into a rich, slightly sweet sauce once the peaches go in for the second half.

Adding the peaches and walnuts halfway through is important. Peaches that bake for the full hour turn to mush. A 30-minute bake softens them just enough to release their juice into the sauce while keeping some shape. The walnuts toast in the oven heat and stay crunchy against the tender fruit.

Kitchen Tips

• Use ripe but firm peaches. Overripe peaches dissolve into the sauce entirely and you lose the fruit texture.
• Pat the chicken pieces dry before rolling in flour. Wet skin makes the flour coating clumpy and uneven.
• Baste the chicken with the pan juices when you add the peaches. This keeps the top from drying out during the second bake.
• Serve over rice or with crusty bread to soak up the peachy wine sauce.

Variations

• Use nectarines instead of peaches for a slightly tangier, firmer fruit that holds its shape even better.
• Swap walnuts for pecans or sliced almonds.
• Add a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary to the wine-butter mixture for an herbal note.