I love a good chicken recipe. Our family eats chicken far more than any other protein. It’s just such a versatile ingredient that it’s a great addition to Indian recipes, Mexican recipes, and even Asian-inspired recipes. This grilled chicken taco bowl with avocado salsa is a great ( and mostly healthy ) addition to your chicken repertoire!
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Now, if you’ve been around here for a while you most likely know that I’m not a stickler for ingredients. While I prefer to use healthier ingredients when possible I totally understand that this may not be your thing. Chicken, however, is one that I definitely recommend getting natural and free-range if possible.
But what does natural or free-range chicken mean? In many cases, this means that the chickens just lived happier lives and yes, that can have a huge impact on the taste and safety of what you’re feeding your family!
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How to Make Grilled Chicken Taco Bowls with Avocado Salsa
If you’re not a fan of avocado you can leave it out of this recipe. I know in some families that can be a hit or miss. If you’re new to avocado I highly recommend trying it! It’s a great addition to this recipe, and not overpowering when used as part of salsa.
If you are looking for a healthier alternative you can skip the cilantro lime rice and use plain brown rice or even quinoa. This recipe would even do well on a bed of lettuce if that’s your thing!
For the Rice:
1/2 medium lime, juiced
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
2 C brown rice
For the Salsa:
2-3 ears fresh sweet corn
1-2 avocados ( learn how to tell if an avocado is ripe )
1/2 small red onion
1 medium bell pepper
1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
1/2 lime, juiced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
pinch of salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
For the Chicken:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 C coconut oil
2 1/2 limes, juiced
1/4 C olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp cumin
Combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and spices for the chicken marinade in a sealable freezer bag. Place the chicken breast in the marinade and allow it to chill in the fridge for about an hour.
Combine the rice ingredients in the bowl of an Instant Pot pressure cooker and use the rice cooker setting to cook the rice. Let the steam release naturally ( about 10 minutes ) and then use a wooden spoon to lightly stir the rice and fully incorporate the cilantro and lime juice.
Pan sear or grill the corn while you chop the other vegetables for the salsa. You just want to get a little bit of char on the outside of the corn. This will give it a slightly smoky flavor that really adds so much to the salsa. Combine the ingredients for the salsa in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Bake the chicken in a glass baking dish for about 20 to 25 minutes. Oven times can vary here so always be sure to check your chicken with a meat thermometer to be sure that it has reached at least 165 degrees ( Fahrenheit ).
Remove the chicken from the oven and place in a grill pan to finish cooking. This will give you the grill marks and a lovely char to the outside of the chicken. Of course, if you prefer you can just cook the chicken on the grill. I was first putting this recipe together around the middle of winter so that was not an option for me. While they can be a little smoky, I find that grill pans on the stove work just as well in most cases.
Plate this dish by adding the rice to a bowl. Add sliced chicken to the top of the rice and then top with the salsa.
How to Store Grilled Chicken Taco Bowls
This recipe will need to be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It is best to keep the rice, chicken, and salsa in separate bowls. This is a great recipe to use in a weekly meal prep container. This recipe should stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
I don’t recommend freezing this recipe as it’s just not as good once it’s thawed out. If you do find yourself needing to freeze it I would recommend freezing the chicken and rice but making the salsa fresh.
Grilled Chicken Taco Bowls with Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
For the Rice
- ½ med lime juiced
- ¼ C fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 C brown rice
For the Salsa
- 2-3 ears sweet corn fresh
- 1-2 avocados
- ½ small red onion
- 1 med bell pepper
- ½ C cilantro fresh
- 1 Tbsp fresh garlic minced
- ½ lime juiced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper freshly ground
For the Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast boneless, skinless
- ¼ C coconut oil
- 2½ limed juiced
- ¼ C olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tsp fresh garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp paprika
- 2 Tbsp cumin
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, juice of 2½ limes, paprika, and cumin for the chicken marinade. Place the chicken in a sealable bag to marinate 1-2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425° F once the chicken has finished marinating.
- Put rice, juice of ½ lime, and chopped cilantro in the Instant Pot or rice cooker of your choice and cook on the rice cooker function ( times may vary)
- Pan sear or grill the corn as you chop the other vegetables for the salsa. Use a sharp knife to cut the corn from the husk and add to the salsa once it has been cooked and cooled slightly.
- Add olive oil and spices to the salsa and toss to combine.
- Bake chicken pieces in a glass baking dish for 20-25 minutes or until it reaches about 165° F.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and place in a pan or on the grill for about 2 minutes per side just to add the char marks. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before slicing diagonally.
- Add rice to a bowl to plate, top with sliced chicken and then with the salsa.
