Prague’s Iconic Peach Chicken: A Rainy Day Treat along the Vltava

ALONG THE VLTAVA RIVER – A Photo Essay on a Journey to Prague

Berlin Central Train Station

The location is the Berlin Central train station, also known as Berlin Hauptbahnhof. It looks more like an international airport than a railway terminus. There are several tiers of platforms, both above and below the main concourse; everything is shiny and spotlessly clean, large shafts send streams of sunlight in, and there’s the smell of coffee in the air. From here, you can take the express train to Prague. The coupes are cosy and comfortable, and we had only one co-passenger—an immaculately dressed elderly person who seemed to have emerged out of the sketches found in nineteenth-century novels like Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers. He sat quietly like a statue throughout the journey (perhaps because he did not speak English, and we did not speak German) and got off at Dresden, a picturesque border town in Germany famous for farmers’ carnivals, like the melas at Pushkar in Rajasthan and Santiniketan in West Bengal.

A Scenic train journey along the River Vltava

After Dresden, the journey took on dream-like qualities, as we glided through the charming Czech countryside. I picked up a couple of well-known Czech beers and a couple of hamburgers from the restaurant car to pay respect to the wonderful and idyllic scenes framed by our large windows. We were all alone in the coupé, with our burgers and beer, as the river Vltava began flowing next to the tracks, flanked by rolling meadows stretching away as far as the eye could see and, in places, dotted with cute countryside cottages or a distant church. On either side of the river, the banks presented a rich and varied landscape, rendered more beautiful by the changing shadows that passed swiftly across it as thin and half-formed clouds skimmed away from the light of the afternoon sun. The Vltava, reflecting the clear blue of the sky and the soothing beauty of the Czech countryside, glistened and sparkled and flowed noiselessly on. It ran in a winding course all the way up to Prague. Romantic, tiny stations ran past. It was still full daylight when the train approached Prague. The view changed completely—houses jostled with imposing palaces and castles, with red-tiled roofs like fairy-tale illustrations. When we got off, we felt the thrill of stepping into this romantic and beautiful city, where over the years, Bohemian kings, masterful composers, invading Nazis, Soviet tanks, and Velvet Revolutionaries have all left their footprints on cobblestone. 

Hotel Top Garni

We were booked at Hotel Top Garni, which was approachable by metro on the C or red lines. We bought the tickets and boarded the metro towards Haje station and got off at Chodov station. The No. 115 bus to the Archive. Just opposite the archive stood our hotel. It was all smooth and easy-going, thanks to Anita, a close friend and professor at Calcutta University who is a frequent visitor to Prague for research purposes and calls it her second home. She loves the city so much that it is on her insistence that we made the trip. By the time we checked in, the light had started to fade. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and enjoying the wide view of Prague from our hotel balcony, watching the lights come on.

Prague Castle

After a giant breakfast the next morning, we went back to the Chodov metro station. Following Anita’s advice, we kept to the Green or Line A, disembarking at Malostranska. It had begun to drizzle outside, and the wet cobblestones glistened under the traffic lights. We strolled along the Vltava bank, crossed a bridge to the other bank, and took a tram. On our way, we saw one of Prague’s famous opera houses and the Kafka museum at the other end. The tram journey was wonderfully refreshing as it clambered up to the hilltop where the castle is situated. Prague wore the appearance of a hill station, with the sweet fragrance of the moist earth and a cool breeze wafting through the windows of the tram car. The fourteenth-century Prague Castle has a majestic facade, almost undamaged by World War II. Starting from the Castle Garden to the St Vitus Cathedral inside, it was all exceptionally beautiful. We were also fortunate to see the change of guard event. The guards stood like statues at the gate. A group of fun-loving elderly ladies were trying to distract their attention by singing and cracking jokes, but the guards continued to stand perfectly still, not even batting their eyelids, if that’s possible. 

Recreating the Iconic Peach Chicken

On our way back, we got off at a market square near Charles Bridge in Lesser Town. It was cloudy again, and there was a light drizzle. On the other side of the street where we got down, we were greeted by a romantic scene of an amorous couple engaged in kissing each other under their umbrella, like a timeless scene from an old Hollywood classic. Sitting safely under the awning, with a crisp glass of Pilsner Urquell in hand, we enjoyed the rain misting over the cobblestones, a true embodiment of Czech comfort. It was there that we first savoured peach chicken (Broskvemi Plněná Kuřecí Prsa)—perhaps the most delicious meal we had on this European journey. At first glance, the combination of poultry and poached fruit might seem like a relic of European retro-dining, but one bite changed everything. The saltiness of the pan-seared chicken, the mellow melt of the Edam cheese, and the sudden, sweet burst of peaches created a warm, savoury harmony that was the perfect antidote to the damp Prague air. 

Charles Bridge

After lunch, we walked towards the famous Charles Bridge, the oldest of the eight bridges over the Vltava River. An esoteric but important aside—Prague is full of public loos, with the legend 'WC' boldly and prominently displayed—a fantastic bonus for travellers, perhaps keeping in mind that the Czechs love beer. As we entered through the enormous gate at the Lesser Town side and passed the massive walls of the Charles Bridge sentry point, we were awed by the might and strength of the structure built some seven hundred years ago by Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor and the King of Bohemia. Both sides of the bridge are lined with statues, including that of Charles IV, under whose rule the city of Prague had flourished. On Charles Bridge, I spent some time relaxing and leaning over the balustrades, contemplating nature and observing the magical city of bridges, cathedrals, church domes, and old architectural complexes mirrored in the surface of the river. It was all so wonderful! Dusk set in as we arrived at the Old Town end of Charles Bridge. Traditional bugles resounded from the tower in Lesser Town, as they did during King Charles’ time, bringing to life the history of Prague. We took a tram ride along the Vltava to reach Wenceslas Square, the commercial hub and modern entertainment centre of Prague. During our stay, we also visited the National Museum, Charles Museum, Torture Museum, and the Old Fort, which offers a panoramic view of the city, as well as all eight bridges after a short walk from Vyšehrad Station; concert halls; and opera houses. Overall, Praha and Vltava were a wonderful experience, save for a momentary nightmare experienced while going down the steep, hurtling escalator many metres deep and running at breakneck speed at the Florence metro station. Even today, it causes me a shiver when I think of it. If you have vertigo, avoid that escalator!

Photo credit: Arundhati Sengupta

General Recipe: Prague-Style Peach Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken breasts (butterflied and lightly pounded)

• 1 can of Peach halves (in light syrup)

• 4 slices of Gouda or Edam cheese

• Butter and a splash of oil for frying

• Salt and white pepper

• Optional: A splash of white wine or peach syrup for the pan sauce.

Instructions:

1. Prep the Meat: Season the chicken breasts with salt and white pepper.

2. Sear: Heat butter and oil in a pan. Fry the chicken for about 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.

3. Assemble: Place one or two peach halves (flat side down) on each chicken breast while the chicken is still in the pan.

4. Melt: Top the peaches with cheese slices. Cover the pan with a lid for 1–2 minutes until the cheese is perfectly melted and "hugs" the peach.

5. The Sauce: Remove the chicken. Deglaze the pan with a little peach syrup or white wine, swirling to create a light glaze to pour over the plate

Peach Chicken (Prague Style)

From the Collection of Ruby's Kitchen

Prep Time: 10 Mins Cook Time: 15 Mins Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 2 Large chicken breasts (butterflied and pounded)
• 1 can (400g) Peach halves (drained, reserve 2 tbsp syrup)
• 4 slices Edam or Gouda cheese
• 30g Unsalted butter
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Season: Season the flattened chicken breasts with salt and white pepper.
2. Sear: Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken until golden and cooked through (about 5 mins per side).
3. Assemble: Place two peach halves on each breast. Cover with cheese slices.
4. Melt: Add 1 tbsp of peach syrup to the pan and cover with a lid for 90 seconds until the cheese blankets the fruit.
5. Serve: Garnish with parsley and serve with a fresh salad or potato croquettes.

Berlin Central Train Station

Berlin Station Concourse

Platforms located at different levels

Shopping Areas in Berlin Station

Waiting for train to Prague

In the train to Prague

Train journey to Prague

Train journey to Prague

Train journey to Prague

Train journey to Prague

Train journey to Prague

Train journey to Prague

A wayside station

Train journey to Prague

Train journey to Prague

Train journey to Prague

Train to Prague

Train to Prague

Prague Station

A band playing on Charles Bridge in Prague

A band playing on Charles Bridge in Prague

A Horse drawn carriage in Prague

On Charles Bridge in Prague

Entrance Gate to Charles Bridge in Prague

Prague Castle premises

PRAHA / Prague

Change of Guard at Prague Castle

Prague City

Another view of Charles Bridge

Kafka Museum as viewed from Charles Bridge

A creek from Charles Bridge

Market in Prague

A sentry of Charles Bridge in 12th century uniform

Charles Bridge Gate

Downtown Prague

A panoramic view of Prague

Prague Castle

St Vitus Cathedral Prague

Prague Castle

Vltava river in Prague

Downtown Prague

Downtown Prague

Prague Peach Chicken