Healthy Avocado Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
A simple, nutritious meal of avocado cilantro-lime chicken and rice that elevates healthy eating to a whole new level.
Equipment
- Cast iron grill pan optional
Ingredients
Cilantro-Lime Chicken
- 1½ lbs raw chicken breast trimmed & tenderized
- 2 medium limes juiced
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 pinch sea salt
Cilantro-Lime Crema
- 2 to 3 medium limes juiced
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 tbsp sour cream or plain greek yogurt
- 1 medium avocado
- Sea salt to taste
Additional Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice cooked
- 2 medium avocados sliced
Instructions
- First, prepare the cilantro-lime chicken. Combine the juice from 2 limes, 1/2 bunch chopped cilantro, avocado oil, and minced garlic in a medium bowl. Then, add the chicken to the bowl and stir until chicken is evenly coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- While the chicken marinates, prepare the Cilantro-Lime Crema. Combine the lime juice, chopped cilantro, sour cream, avocado flesh, and sea salt in a blender. Blend on medium speed until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom of the blender with a rubber spatula to ensure all the chunks of avocado break up. Transfer crema to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Next, cook the Cilantro-Lime Chicken. Preheat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat and lightly grease with cooking spray. Transfer marinated chicken to the pan and grill until cooked through, flipping every 3 minutes, about 9-12 minutes total. Then remove the chicken from the grill pan and let rest for 2-3 minutes.
- Finally, plate the dishes. Create a bed of brown rice (about a half cup per plate), then top with fresh slices of avocado and chicken. Drizzle with cilantro-lime crema and serve immediately.
Notes
Lime juice for the crema: Use enough lime juice so that the crema is pourable but still creamy. You can also make adjustments within this range based on your preference for flavor and texture. You really can't go wrong!
Cilantro-Lime Crema: You'll make more than enough crema for this dinner with the amounts the recipe calls for. Refrigerate whatever's leftover and use it on tacos or in other Mexican dishes!
Refrigerating the crema: Put the crema in the fridge while the chicken marinates/cooks so it solidifies just enough to get a nice, creamy texture. This step is important!
Grilling the chicken: We like to grill on our Lodge cast iron grill pan, so the instructions are based on this method - but this chicken can also be done on a regular grill.
Nutrition
Calories: 653kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 1115mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 332IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg