Peach Chicken Charlotte

Summer; and fruit trees leaning heavily with sweet peaches.

Virginia; and purple mountain majesty above the fruited plains.

Just west of Charlottesville, Virginia, in Crozet, you will see what Katherine Lee Bates meant penning America the Beautiful. Inspired originally by Colorado's Pikes Peak, the wonder she describes is equally revealed by the Great Smokey Mountains bounding Charlottesville.

Now to put those peaches to good use.

Our dear Aunt Charlotte, used to bake a wonderfully simple chicken dish with salsa and white wine.  Here is a version of her dish using Peach Salsa from nearby Charlottesville.

12-16 oz peach salsa, or other hot and sweet salsa
1/3 cup white wine
6 chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
4 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced, or 8 oz frozen sliced peaches
2 tsp herbes de Provence, or Italian herbs

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Mix the salsa and the wine together and pour into an oiled 13x9 casserole.  Nestle the chicken thighs into the salsa, distribute the peach slices about the chicken and into the salsa.  Spray the thighs lightly with oil.  Salt and pepper generously and sprinkle with the herbs.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Serves 4.