Taco Chicken with the Best Avocado Corn Salad

Break out the grill because this chicken is out of this world - and the bright, fresh avocado corn salad is the perfect compliment!

I absolutely adore cilantro lime foods and this recipe has cilantro lime in every element of it. The chicken is marinated and grilled - cilantro lime plus extra seasonings. The avocado corn salsa is so so good. It has a teeny bit of cilantro lime to it, but honestly, I just love how fresh it is and all the colors and textures make this dish fun to eat. And then all of this is served on top of a bed of cilantro lime rice (or in my case, lime rice because I ran out of cilantro because I am a little extra when any recipe calls for cilantro).

What You Need:

For the Grilled Chicken:

• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half to thin

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 1 tsp. lime zest

• 2 tsp. minced garlic cloves

• 2 tsp. ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp. paprika

• 1 1/4 tsp. chili powder

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. ground pepper

For the Corn & Avocado Salsa:

• 2 cups corn (canned or frozen)*

• 2 large avocados, diced

• 1 small red onion, diced

• 1 small red bell pepper, diced

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped

• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic cloves

• 1 tsp. cumin

• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

For Serving:

• 2 cups prepared white or brown rice

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• Chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. For the Chicken: Place chicken in a large zipper bag.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt, and ground pepper.

3. Reserve 2 to 3 Tbsp. and place the rest in the zipper bag with the chicken. Seal and gently knead to coat chicken.

4. Marinate for at least 45 minutes and no longer than 5 hours.

5. Preheat your grill on medium-high heat and grill chicken for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning once. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

6. For the Salsa: While chicken is cooking, toss corn, avocado, red onion, red bell pepper, and cilantro together in a large bowl.

7. Add olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8. For Serving: Mix lime juice and cilantro in with cooked rice.

9. Serve chicken on a bed of rice with corn & avocado salsa on top.

*Alternatively, you can take 4 ears of sweet corn, coat with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill on a well-oiled grill at medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping every 3-5 minutes.

Recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron