Honey Lime Chicken Avocado (Printable Version)
Tender spiced chicken with fresh avocado in zesty honey-lime dressing
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 2 large chicken breasts (about 1.1 lbs), boneless, skinless
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
04 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ For the Honey Lime Marinade
07 - 2 tablespoons honey
08 - Zest and juice of 2 limes
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ For the Salad
11 - 2 ripe avocados, diced
12 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
13 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
14 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
→ To Serve
16 - Lime wedges
17 - Extra chopped cilantro (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lime zest and juice, minced garlic, and olive oil for the marinade.
02 - Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish or ziplock bag. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken, turning to coat. Reserve the remaining marinade for later. Marinate for at least 10 minutes.
03 - In a small bowl, mix cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle evenly over both sides of the chicken.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
05 - While the chicken rests, combine diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño (if using) in a salad bowl.
06 - Add sliced chicken to the salad. Drizzle with reserved marinade and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately with lime wedges and extra cilantro if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The honey lime marinade doubles as the dressing, saving you time and cleanup
- Everything comes together in 30 minutes but tastes like you spent all day planning it
- The combination of warm spiced chicken against cool creamy avocado hits every texture crave
02 -
- Reserving half the marinade for the dressing is non-negotiable—do not reuse what touched the raw chicken
- Letting the chicken rest for those full 5 minutes prevents all the juices from running out onto your cutting board
- The salad needs to be served right after tossing or the avocado starts to brown from the lime juice
03 -
- Pat the chicken completely dry before adding the spice rub or it will not form that beautiful crust
- Zest your limes before juicing them—much easier and you get more zest that way