By The engagement news has traveled through the Henderson network at the speed of gossip, which is faster than light and approximately as unstoppable. Earl Jr. called: "Welcome Devon to the family officially." Patricia called: "When's the wedding?" Denise, who already knew because Denise always already knows: "I'm planning the engagement party." Monique: "Can I be in the wedding?" Gladys, who is not family but operates as if she is: "Tell that girl to have the reception at the church. I'll make the cobbler."
I told Gladys: "If there is cobbler at this wedding, it will be mine." She said, "We'll see." Some rivalries are eternal. Some rivalries are what keep you alive.
Kayla wants the wedding at First African Baptist Church. Of course she does — it's where Earl and I married in 1976, and it's where Devon's mother Mrs. Brooks would feel at home, and it's where Kayla was baptized and where she sat beside me at Earl's funeral and where the choir sings hymns that hold the whole history of Black worship in Savannah in every note. The church is the only possible venue. Everything else is just a building.
The wedding is planned for spring 2024 — next year, not this year, because Kayla wants time to plan and Devon wants time to save and I want time to make approximately seventeen thousand dishes for the reception. That gives me fourteen months. Fourteen months is not enough time. It will have to do.
Made celebratory fried chicken tonight. The engagement chicken. Buttermilk soak, seasoned flour, cast iron skillet. Every piece golden, every piece perfect, every piece an offering to the future that Kayla and Devon are building. The skillet approves. The skillet has always approved of Devon. The skillet knows.
Now go on and feed somebody.
The cast iron skillet had already done its best work of the year by the time I sat down to write this — the engagement chicken was golden, perfect, and gone before the plates were even warm. If you want to carry that same celebratory spirit into your own kitchen but add a little brightness to the occasion, this Chicken with Peach-Avocado Salsa is the recipe I reach for when joy needs a crown: the warmth of seasoned, seared chicken, softened by sweet peach and cool avocado, all of it tasting like a reason to gather. Kayla would approve. Devon would ask for seconds. Gladys would be nowhere near this one, because the cobbler is a separate battle entirely.
Chicken with Peach-Avocado Salsa
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ripe peaches, pitted and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Rub the spice blend evenly over both sides of each chicken breast.
- Sear in the skillet. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken breasts and cook undisturbed for 6–7 minutes, until the underside is deep golden brown.
- Finish cooking. Flip the chicken and reduce heat to medium. Cook for another 6–8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165°F at the thickest part. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Make the peach-avocado salsa. While the chicken rests, gently combine diced peaches, avocado, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Drizzle with lime juice and honey, season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and fold together carefully so the avocado holds its shape.
- Serve. Slice or plate the chicken whole, then spoon the peach-avocado salsa generously over the top. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 370 | Protein: 39g | Fat: 15g | Carbs: 17g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 430mg