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Fiesta Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Fiesta Lime Chicken is juicy chicken seasoned with lime, chili powder, cumin, and smoky spices.
Cook it on the stovetop or grill until it reaches 165°F, then let it rest.
Serve with fresh avocado corn salsa made with avocado, tomatoes, corn, peppers, and lime.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican-inspired

Ingredients
  

Chicken

  • 1 pound chicken breasts pounded to an even thickness

Fiesta Lime Rub

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ –½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder optional
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Avocado Salsa

  • 2 medium ripe but firm avocados chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered, or 2 seeded Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • Fresh corn from 1 ear of sweet corn
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
  • ½ red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper diced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the chicken rub. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, brown sugar, salt, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chipotle chili powder, and black pepper.
  • Coat the chicken. Add the chicken breasts to the rub and coat thoroughly on all sides.
  • Marinate. For the best flavor, let the chicken sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature if cooking immediately, or refrigerate it for up to 8 hours. If refrigerated, let it sit out briefly before cooking.
  • Make the salsa. Combine the tomatoes, corn, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
  • Cook the chicken on the stovetop. Heat a lightly greased grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook undisturbed for about 3–5 minutes, until browned.
  • Finish cooking. Flip the chicken, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for another 5–7 minutes, depending on thickness, until the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C) on a food thermometer. USDA guidance recommends 165°F as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry.
  • Or grill the chicken. Preheat a greased grill to medium heat, approximately 375–450°F. Grill the chicken for about 5–7 minutes per side, or until it reaches 165°F internally.
  • Rest the chicken. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
  • Finish the avocado salsa. Just before serving, gently fold the chopped avocados into the prepared salsa. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and jalapeño seeds as desired.
  • Serve. Slice the Fiesta Lime Chicken and spoon the avocado salsa generously over the top. Finish with an extra squeeze of fresh lime juice if desired.

Notes

Serve this chicken with extra lime wedges, warm tortillas, cilantro rice, black beans, or a simple green salad.
For meal prep, keep the chicken and avocado salsa separate until serving. You can also replace some of the sweet corn with black beans for a heartier salsa.
For a milder version, remove the jalapeño seeds and skip the chipotle chili powder. For extra smoky heat, increase the chipotle gradually rather than adding a large amount at once.