Zesty Cilantro Lime Chicken with Creamy Avocado Salsa: Your Go-To Healthy Dinner
Are you searching for a healthy, delicious, and easy-to-prepare dinner that can fit into even the busiest of schedules? Look no further! This incredible Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa is exactly what your dinner menu needs this week. Whether you’re juggling work, family activities, or just a hectic daily routine, finding time to cook a wholesome meal can be a challenge. We understand the struggle, especially during seasons like baseball season, which means non-stop practices and games for many families. This recipe is designed to be your culinary savior, proving that a busy schedule doesn’t mean compromising on flavor or nutrition.
When life gets hectic, the first thing to suffer is often dinner. It’s easy to fall into a rut of repetitive, less-than-inspiring meals just to maintain sanity. That’s why having a repertoire of dependable, delightful recipes like this Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa is essential. This recipe, proudly sponsored by the California Avocado Commission, has become a cherished staple in many households for several compelling reasons:
- Universally Appealing Chicken: Chicken is a lean protein that is almost universally loved, especially by children. This makes it a stress-free option for families, eliminating the dreaded “what’s for dinner?” debate.
- The Magic of Marination: The secret to truly tender and flavorful chicken lies in the marinade. Marinating not only infuses the chicken with incredible taste but also tenderizes the meat, ensuring every bite is succulent. For busy evenings, you can prepare the marinade and let the chicken soak up all those zesty flavors in the refrigerator overnight, making dinner prep a breeze the next day.
- Healthy & Irresistibly Delicious: This dish strikes the perfect balance between being incredibly healthy and unbelievably tasty. Packed with lean protein, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats from California Avocados, it’s a meal you can feel good about serving.
Why Marinating Your Chicken is a Game Changer
A good marinade is more than just a flavor booster; it’s a vital step for achieving truly delicious and moist chicken. Our Cilantro Lime Chicken marinade is a vibrant blend of fresh lime juice, fragrant cilantro, rich olive oil, a touch of honey for balance, and a carefully selected mix of spices including kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, minced garlic, cumin, onion powder, and ground coriander. This combination not only adds a zesty, herbaceous depth to the chicken but also helps break down the muscle fibers, resulting in that “incredibly tender” texture promised. Allowing the chicken to marinate for even 30 minutes can make a noticeable difference, but for maximum flavor infusion and tenderness, an overnight soak is highly recommended. This simple step elevates plain chicken breasts into a gourmet experience.
The Star: Fresh California Avocado Salsa
While the marinated chicken is undoubtedly fantastic, it’s the Avocado Salsa that truly makes this recipe shine and elevates it to a memorable meal. This isn’t just any salsa; it’s a creamy, tangy, and wonderfully fresh accompaniment that perfectly complements the zesty chicken. The California Avocado Commission’s theme for the month, “Impress in 30 Minutes or Less,” perfectly encapsulates the spirit of this dish, especially the quick-to-assemble yet show-stopping salsa.
Our Avocado Salsa is a simple yet exquisite mixture of perfectly ripe California Avocados, juicy Roma tomatoes, finely diced shallots, fresh cilantro, and a touch of lime juice, seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. The creamy texture of the avocados, combined with the acidity of the lime and tomatoes, and the aromatic kick of cilantro and shallots, creates a symphony of flavors and textures. Each spoonful offers a delightful contrast to the warm, grilled chicken, making it truly a match made in heaven!
Cooking Your Cilantro Lime Chicken to Perfection
One of the beauties of this Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe is its versatility in cooking methods. While grilling over medium-high heat is ideal for achieving a beautiful char and smoky flavor, you can easily adapt it to your preferences and kitchen setup. If grilling isn’t an option, a stovetop grill pan or a heavy-bottomed skillet can yield equally delicious results, providing a nice sear and ensuring the chicken cooks evenly. For those who prefer hands-off cooking, baking or air frying the chicken are also excellent choices, often resulting in wonderfully tender meat with minimal effort. The key is to cook the chicken until it’s no longer pink inside and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), ensuring it’s juicy and safe to eat. No matter your chosen method, the vibrant marinade guarantees a burst of flavor in every bite.
Serving Suggestions & Perfect Pairings
This Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa is incredibly versatile and can be served in numerous ways to create a complete and satisfying meal. For a light and healthy option, pair it with a simple side salad or a bed of fluffy quinoa. If you’re looking for something more substantial, it’s fantastic alongside black beans and rice, or even tucked into warm tortillas for delicious chicken tacos or fajitas. Roasted vegetables, such as bell peppers and onions, also make a wonderful complement, adding extra nutrition and color to your plate. Don’t be afraid to get creative! The fresh flavors lend themselves well to almost any Mexican-inspired side dish.
Health Benefits of this Vibrant Dish
Beyond its incredible taste and ease of preparation, this Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa boasts an impressive array of health benefits. The boneless, skinless chicken breasts provide a lean source of high-quality protein, essential for muscle repair and satiety. The marinade ingredients, like lime juice and cilantro, are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. The star of the salsa, California Avocados, are nutritional powerhouses. They are packed with healthy monounsaturated fats, which are known to support heart health. Avocados also provide significant amounts of fiber, potassium, and essential vitamins like K, C, B6, and E. Combined with fresh tomatoes and other vegetables, this meal is a fantastic way to nourish your body with vibrant, wholesome ingredients without sacrificing flavor.
More Reasons to Love California Avocados
California Avocados are renowned for their superior quality, rich flavor, and creamy texture, making them the perfect choice for this vibrant salsa. Grown in the ideal climate of California, these avocados are picked at their peak, ensuring optimal taste and nutrition. By choosing California Avocados, you’re not only getting a delicious ingredient but also supporting local farmers and sustainable agricultural practices. They add a luxurious creaminess and healthy fats to the salsa, which balances the zesty chicken beautifully. Their versatility extends far beyond salsa – enjoy them in salads, sandwiches, smoothies, or simply sliced with a sprinkle of salt.
Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa
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Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4-6)
- Juice of 3 limes
- 1 cup cilantro roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. honey or more to taste
- 1 tsp. kosher salt or more to taste
- fresh cracked pepper
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
Avocado Salsa:
- 2 avocados diced
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
- 1/4 cup shallot finely diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- fresh cracked pepper & salt to taste
Instructions
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Combine the marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a large resealable bag or shallow dish, add the chicken breasts, ensuring they are fully coated, and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or for best results, refrigerate overnight.
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While the chicken marinates or shortly before cooking, mix together all the Avocado Salsa ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Gently toss to combine, being careful not to mash the avocados too much. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. If cooking on the stovetop, heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat with a little olive oil. Cook the marinated chicken breasts for 5-7 minutes per side, or until they are no longer pink inside and reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the chicken. Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve the tender Cilantro Lime Chicken immediately, generously topped with the fresh, creamy Avocado Salsa, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Chef’s Notes & Recipe Variations
This Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa recipe is wonderfully adaptable to suit various tastes and dietary needs. For an extra kick, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to your chicken marinade or a diced jalapeño to the avocado salsa. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, parsley can be a mild substitute, though the unique flavor of cilantro truly defines this dish. You can also experiment with other proteins like fish (cod or tilapia would be fantastic) or shrimp, adjusting cooking times accordingly. This recipe is also fantastic for meal prepping! Cook a larger batch of chicken at the beginning of the week and store it in the fridge. Prepare the avocado salsa fresh just before serving to ensure the best texture and color, as avocados can brown over time once exposed to air. A squeeze of extra lime juice over the salsa can help prevent browning if made a few hours in advance.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy these fresh and healthy avocado-inspired dishes:
Southwest Zucchini Noodle Mason Jar Salad with Avocado Dressing
Avocado Chicken Salad Wrap
Baked Avocado Fries
(A special thank you to the California Avocado Commission for sponsoring this post and supporting fresh, healthy cooking!)
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