Grilled Chicken with Peaches — The Saturday I Made Ga Nuong for Ma

COVID cases are surging again in Houston. The reopening stalled. Restaurants that opened at 50% are pulling back. The restaurant space on Washington Avenue sits empty and the question of when to open has shifted from "fall" to "who knows." I'm not panicking. I've made peace with the delay. The space costs me nothing during the shutdown (David Chen's force majeure clause is saving me $4,500 a month). The build-out paused at a natural stopping point — the major work is done, the finishing touches can wait. The dream is on ice, not in the ground. Meanwhile, the internet keeps growing. Bobby Tran BBQ Instagram: 82,000 followers. The rub company launched the "Bobby Tran Vietnamese Fusion Rub" this week — online only, $14.99 per jar. They sold 800 jars in the first week. My royalty: $1,200. Not life-changing. But real. I tasted the commercial version of my rub. It's close. Not identical — commercial production can't replicate the specific brands of spices I use, and the five-spice blend is slightly different. But it's close. Mr. Clarence's legacy, in a jar, sold on the internet. I hope he'd think it's funny. Emma applied for a part-time job at Thuy's restaurant — they've reopened for takeout only. Thuy hired her on the spot. Emma now works Friday and Saturday evenings, 4-9 PM, running the takeout operation. She's sixteen, working in a professional kitchen during a pandemic, and she comes home smelling like pho and happiness. Tyler's HCC program adapted to COVID by doing hybrid — online lectures, in-person lab work (with masks and distancing). He says working on engines with a mask is like "performing surgery through a screen door" but he's managing. He's also been helping me with the restaurant space on weekends — touching up paint, checking the equipment, keeping the place from feeling abandoned. Lily has been creating content aggressively — three posts per week, one video, two photos with recipes. Her content calendar is busier than my work calendar. She asked me to buy her a ring light. I said, "What's a ring light?" She sighed the sigh of a fourteen-year-old whose father is technologically hopeless. I bought the ring light. Made ga nuong for Ma on Saturday — the lemongrass grilled chicken. She's eating well. Her appetite is fully back. The walks are up to three-quarters of a mile. She says she'll be at the temple by month's end. I believe her. I've stopped not believing her about anything.

The ga nuong I made for Ma on Saturday wasn’t complicated — it never is — but watching her eat well, knowing her walks are getting longer and the temple is back in reach, made it feel like the most important meal I’ve cooked all year. Grilled chicken and the smell of a backyard fire have a way of cutting through everything else: the empty restaurant space, the Instagram numbers, the royalty checks. This version with peaches captures that same spirit — something sweet and smoky from the grill, the kind of plate you put in front of someone you love when words aren’t quite enough.

Grilled Chicken with Peaches

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Preheat the grill. Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Clean and lightly oil the grates.
2. Season the chicken. Brush chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the spice mixture evenly over all sides of the chicken.
3. Grill the chicken. Place chicken on the grill and cook for 6–7 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and grill marks are deep and caramelized. Transfer to a plate and let rest 5 minutes.
4. Grill the peaches. While chicken rests, brush peach halves with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place cut-side down on the grill and cook 3–4 minutes, until grill marks form and the fruit softens slightly. Remove and slice each half into thirds.
5. Make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together honey and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle over the grilled peach slices.
6. Plate and serve. Arrange chicken breasts on a serving platter and top with the glazed grilled peaches. Scatter fresh basil over the top and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 16g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 380mg