Baked Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa is one of those dishes that combines very simple ingredients to make something versatile, classic and delicious. The spice rub is an easy way to add flavor to the chicken without any added fat or calories, keeping things nice and light.
The avocado salsa topping is also a combination of simple, fresh ingredients. The creamy avocado cools the spicy chicken, and the red onion complements everything quite nicely. While delicious as-is, I can also envision adding some black beans or corn to the salsa or served as a simple side.
The chicken can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake, and the recipe halves easily to serve dinner for two.
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus additional for salsa
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper, plus additional for salsa
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (4 to 6 ounces each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided (approximately from 1 lime)
- 1 avocado, diced
- Cooking spray
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper and cayenne pepper (adjust amounts to taste preference). Rub all over chicken and place in prepared baking dish.
- Squeeze 2 tablespoons of lime juice over chicken. Bake uncovered for approxmiately 30 minutes, or chicken is cooked thoroughly.
- In the meantime, prepare the salsa. Put red onion and remaining lime juice in a medium bowl and let sit. Just before serving, mix in avocado and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve salsa over chicken.
Adapted from Everyday Food Light
What a gorgeous, luminous meal! Well done.
Sounds and looks amazing!
This looks fantastic! What a great idea for a healthy and easy weeknight meal. Love the photos!
Looks like a great summer BBQ recipe, definitely will have to try!
Great looking recipe! Can’t wait to give this one a try!
This does look tasty, I really like the idea of the avocado salsa. Also, the method of baking does keep chicken from becoming too dry. Stunning picture! All in all I think I would really enjoy this dinner-thanks for posting this Alida!
The lime and avocado cool that cayenne down perfectly! Like you said, so simple…but so good!
Love the idea of using cayenne pepper to add flavor to the chicken. I can imagine the delicious spicy taste it would give. It would be awesome. =)
Oooh, avocado salsa sounds like dream with spicy chicken. Love this!
Yum, I love avocados so this would be a great dinner for tonight.
This looks mouthwatering! Congrats on the top 9, well deserved.
Congratulations on making the foodbuzz Top 9!
Those pictures just scream fresh! Yum:)
Your photography is as fresh as your recipe! Loving the look & sound of this, terribly!
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.com/
This dish sounds great and I love the photos you took. Thanks for sharing.
That looks really good. I love avocado.
This looks wonderful!! Can’t wait to try!
Have read the recipe several times, sounds delish, but what is the olive oil for? I am a novice cook and would like to try this one….
Hi – I drizzled a little olive oil over the chicken before squeezing the lime juice over it. I will update the directions accordingly…thank you for bringing that to my attention!
Beautiful dish, you also have a great eye for color!