Honey Lime Chicken Avocado (Printable)

Tender spiced chicken paired with fresh avocado, cherry tomatoes, and tangy honey-lime dressing for a quick healthy meal.

# What You Need:

→ 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

→ Honey Lime Marinade

07 - 2 tablespoons honey
08 - Zest and juice of 2 limes
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ 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)

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lime zest and juice, minced garlic, and olive oil until well combined.
02 - Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish or ziplock bag. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken, turning to coat evenly. Reserve the remaining marinade for later. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes.
03 - In a small bowl, mix cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 6-7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
05 - While the chicken rests, combine diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño (if using) in a large salad bowl.
06 - Add sliced chicken to the salad bowl. Drizzle with the reserved marinade and toss gently to coat evenly.
07 - Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side and extra chopped cilantro if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in thirty minutes flat, including the time it takes to marinate the chicken while you prep everything else
  • The honey lime marinade does double duty as the dressing, saving you an extra step and cleanup
  • Perfect for those nights when you want something healthy but refuse to eat another boring salad
02 -
  • The chicken needs those five minutes of resting time or all those delicious juices will end up on your cutting board instead of in the salad
  • Reserving half the marinade for the dressing is crucial, but don't use what touched the raw chicken for food safety
  • Avocados oxidize quickly, so toss them with a little extra lime juice if you're not serving immediately
03 -
  • Pound your chicken breasts to even thickness so they cook uniformly without drying out at the edges
  • If you hate cilantro, fresh parsley or basil make respectable substitutes without changing the dish's character

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