Lime Chili Chicken with Avocado Tomato Salsa. Smoky grilled chili and lime marinated chicken gets a cool and refreshing topping of avocado tomato salsa. This one will be a family favorite!
Don't you love a meal with lots going for it? My Lime Chili Chicken with Avocado Tomato Salsa has a dazzling combination of spicy and subtle flavors, bright and muted colors, crunchy and soft textures and hot and cool temperatures.
Contrasting tastes, colors, textures, and temperatures add deliciousness to any recipe.
Ingredients you'll need
- onion and garlic
- limes
- extra virgin olive oil
- Worcestershire sauce
- chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika
- brown sugar
- cilantro
- boneless skinless chicken breasts
- avocado
- cucumber
- tomatoes
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Cotija cheese
- tortilla chips
- tortillas
The easy to make spice rub adds a complex layer of flavor to the chicken. Try it on steak, pork and fish too. This recipe has a quick marinating time. Plan on only 30 minutes for the chicken to soak up all the delicious rub flavors.
Amy's tips
- Use a resealable bag to marinate the chicken ~ Add the marinade ingredients to the bag along with the chicken and seal it up. The marinade completely covers the chicken so it marinates evenly. And just toss the bag along with the marinade for easy clean up.
- Cut the chicken breasts into 3 to 4 strips ~ The lime chili marinade ingredients will infuse the smaller chicken pieces. Also, they are the perfect portion size.
- Make sure the grill is hot hot hot ~ The chicken will be less likely to stick to a hot grill.
- Start to make the salsa while the grill is preheating ~ As avocados start to brown soon after they are cut, you don't want to make the salsa too far in advance. Toss the diced avocado in lime juice before adding it to the other salsa ingredients to slow down the browning.
The cool and crunchy salsa is a delicious topper for the hot and spicy grilled chicken. Creamy avocados. Vine ripe red tomatoes. Crisp cucumbers. Add bright, fresh cilantro and tangy lime juice. Sprinkle with of salty Mexican Cotija cheese. And accompany the dish with crispy tortilla chips and soft tortillas.
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Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
Lime Chili Chicken with Avocado Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
- for the marinade and chicken --
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 3 chopped garlic cloves
- juice of 2 limes or ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in 1 ½ inch strips
- for the salsa -
- 1 avocado chopped and tossed with juice of ½ of a lime
- ⅓ cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 2 cups chopped tomato
- juice of ½ of a lime
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- for serving ~
- Cotija cheese for sprinkling
- Tortillas
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first 10 marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in the bag. Seal and squish around the contents to mix well.
- Let chicken marinate for about 30 minutes. Squish around the contents of the bag occasionally.
- Heat a grill to medium high heat.
- While the grill is heating, prepare the salsa.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the salsa ingredients. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
- Grill the chicken strips for about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through. It should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from the grill to a platter.
- Top the grilled chili lime chicken with the salsa and the Cotija cheese.
- Serve with tortillas and tortilla chips.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken in a large resealable bag. Add all the ingredients to the bag along with the chicken and seal it up. The marinade completely covers the chicken so it marinates evenly. And just toss the bag along with the marinade for easy clean up.
- Cut the chicken breasts into 3 to 4 strips. The chili lime marinade ingredients will infuse the smaller chicken pieces. Also, they are the perfect portion size.
- Make sure the grill is preheated. The chicken will be less likely to stick to a hot grill.
- Start to make the salsa while the grill is preheating. As avocados start to brown soon after they are cut, you don't want to make the salsa too far in advance. Toss the diced avocado in lime juice before adding it to the other salsa ingredients to slow down the browning.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in July 2017. Updates in July 2020 include photos, recipe instructions and cooking tips.
Did you make the recipe? Leave a comment.