Juicy Grilled California Avocado Chicken (Print version)

Grilled chicken with creamy California avocado, tomato and lime - bright, fresh flavors ready in 30 minutes.

# What goes in:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Avocado Topping

09 - 2 ripe California avocados, diced
10 - 1 medium tomato, diced
11 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
14 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Cooking steps:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
02 - Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish or a resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, turning each piece to coat evenly. Allow to marinate at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours for more pronounced flavor.
03 - Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F.
04 - Grill the chicken breasts for 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until fully cooked through and the internal temperature registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
05 - While the chicken grills, combine the diced avocados, tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Toss gently to avoid mashing the avocado.
06 - Transfer the grilled chicken to serving plates and spoon the avocado mixture generously over each breast. Serve immediately, garnished with additional cilantro or lime wedges if desired.

# Tips from flavorandfeast:

01 -
  • The lime and cumin marinade makes the chicken taste like something you would order at a coastal restaurant, not something you threw together on a Tuesday.
  • That avocado tomato topping is basically a chunky guacamalo that melts into the hot chicken and creates its own sauce.
  • Start to finish in half an hour, and most of that is hands off grilling time.
02 -
  • Do not press down on the chicken with your spatula while grilling, you are squeezing out every drop of juice and there is no getting it back.
  • Make the avocado topping right before serving because even with lime juice it will start browning after about an hour and looks unappetizing.
03 -
  • Dry your chicken breasts with paper towels before marinating so the spices adhere instead of sliding off wet meat.
  • Press a thumb indent into the thickest part of each breast before grilling to help it cook flat and evenly instead of puffing up in the center.

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