Juicy Grilled California Avocado Chicken (Printable Version)
Tender grilled chicken crowned with avocado-tomato salsa, lime, and cilantro — a light, summery gluten-free main.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Avocado Salsa
09 - 2 ripe California avocados, diced
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
11 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - Juice of 1 lime
14 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
15 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Mix thoroughly until well blended.
03 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Brush both sides of each breast evenly with the prepared marinade.
04 - Place the chicken on the preheated grill and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
05 - While the chicken grills, gently toss the diced avocados, quartered cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, sea salt, black pepper, and jalapeño if using in a medium bowl. Combine carefully to keep the avocado intact.
06 - Serve each grilled chicken breast topped generously with the fresh avocado salsa.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The smoked paprika crust on the chicken creates this gorgeous caramelized exterior that tastes like you spent hours over a wood fire.
- That avocado salsa is so fresh and versatile you will start putting it on everything from tacos to plain rice.
02 -
- Do not skip the five minute rest after grilling because cutting into the chicken immediately lets all those juices escape and you end up with dry meat.
- Toss the avocado salsa gently with a folding motion rather than stirring aggressively because mashed avocado salsa looks unappetizing and loses that fresh chunky texture.
03 -
- Pound thick chicken breasts to an even thickness between plastic wrap before marinating so they grill uniformly instead of drying out on the thin end while the thick end is still raw.
- Add the lime juice to the salsa at the very last second and gently fold it in because the acid starts breaking down the avocado texture immediately.