Mango Avocado Salsa Smothered Chicken over Cilantro-Lime Rice

This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and corn-free. Switch out the chicken for salmon, tofu, or tempeh for a pescatarian/vegan recipe.

Cilantro-lime chicken with mango avocado salsa is the perfect meal to get you in the summer mindset. This fruity and zesty chicken topped with the fresh and juicy mango avocado salsa will make you want to cook this over and over! Although this meal does take about 1 1/2 or 2 hours to make, it is definitely worth it if you’ve got a little time on your hands. As I mention below, I typically will double the salsa recipe because I add a lot to my meal. Plus, having some leftover can make for a great snack with some tortilla chips!

Marinade

• 1/2 cup fresh OJ
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• ⅓ Cup lime juice plus green zest, ~2 limes
• 1 ½ tbs honey
• 1 ¼ tsp cumin
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 ½ liquid aminos
• ¾ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 ½ lbs chicken breast (skinless)

Cilantro-Lime Rice

• 1 ½ cups Basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbs lime juice & zest, 1 lime
• 1 tsp EVOO
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Mango Avocado Salsa – (I double this recipe because I add a bunch of it to my meal, but this serving size below is just fine too) 

• 1 ripe mango
• 1 ripe avocado
• ¼ cup red onion, chopped
• ¼ cup red pepper, chopped
• 1 tbs jalapeno, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tb EVOO
• 2 tbs lime juice, 1 lime
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method of Prep:

For the marinade & chicken – 

1. Whisk together all marinade ingredients
2. Remove ½ cup of the marinade for later
3. Slice the chicken breasts in half and coat them in the marinade (let them sit in the marinade in the fridge for at least 30-minutes, but the more time spent marinating the better!)
4. When chicken is done marinating, cook in a grill if possible, or cook on a stove-top until internal temp is 165 degrees F

For the rice – 

1. Bring water to a boil
2. Add rice
3. Reduce heat to a simmer & cover pan
4. Let simmer for about 10-12 minutes
5. Once rice is fully cooked, add fresh cilantro, lime juice, EVOO, salt & pepper to taste and mix
6. Serve chicken over cilantro-lime rice and top with mango avocado salsa and extra sauce & enjoy!

For the salsa – 

1. Chop mango and avocado into bite-sized pieces
2. Chop onion, jalapeno and red pepper, add cilantro, a drizzle of EVOO, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste
3. Mix all contents together