Chili-Lime Chicken Bowl with Cilantro Rice & Avocado Salsa
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the Chili-Lime Chicken:
1½ lbs (700g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice (fresh)
1 tsp lime zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cayenne (optional, for heat)
1 tsp honey or brown sugar
Salt & black pepper to taste
For the Cilantro Rice:
1½ cups jasmine rice
3 cups water or chicken broth
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Salt to taste
For the Avocado Salsa:
2 ripe avocados, diced
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of ½ lime
Salt to taste
Optional Toppings:
Extra chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Hot sauce
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Marinate the Chicken
In a bowl, mix olive oil, lime juice/zest, garlic, spices, honey, salt, and pepper.
Add chicken and toss well.
Marinate at least 20 minutes (or up to 4 hours in the fridge).
2️⃣ Cook the Rice
Rinse rice until water runs clear.
Bring water/broth to a boil, add rice and salt.
Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and let sit 5–10 minutes.
Fluff with fork, stir in butter, lime juice, and chopped cilantro.
3️⃣ Cook the Chicken
Heat a skillet over medium-high.
Add marinated chicken in a single layer.
Cook 4–6 minutes per side until charred and cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 75°C).
Let rest a few minutes.
4️⃣ Make the Avocado Salsa
Gently combine avocado, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
Mix carefully to avoid mashing the avocado.
🍽️ Assemble the Bowls
Add a generous scoop of cilantro rice.
Top with chili-lime chicken.
Spoon avocado salsa over the top.
Garnish with extra cilantro and lime wedges.
🔥 Optional Variations
Make it spicy with chipotle in adobo.
Swap rice for cauliflower rice for low-carb.
Add black beans or grilled corn for extra texture.
Turn it into tacos with warm tortillas.
