Blackened Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

• 🍗Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless1 breast
• 🥑Avocado, ripe, diced1 avocado
• 🍋Lime, juiced1 lime
• 🌿Cilantro, leaves chopped2 sprig
• 🌶️Jalapeño, seeded and finely diced1 pepper
• 🧅Red Onion, finely diced¼ onion
• 🧄Garlic, minced1 clove
• 🌶️Smoked Paprika1 tsp
• 🧂Cumin (ground)½ tsp
• 🌶️Chili Powder½ tsp
• 🧄Garlic Powder½ tsp
• 🧅Onion Powder½ tsp
• 🧂Black Pepper (ground)¼ tsp
• 🧂Kosher Salt½ tsp
• 🫒Vegetable Oil, for the skillet1 tbsp

Contains Garlic, Onion. AI-generated, checked against common allergens; always check labels.

Method

1. 1

   Slice the chicken

   Lay the Chicken Breast flat on a chopping board and slice it horizontally into two thin cutlets, then lightly score the surface with the tip of a sharp knife so the spice crust grips better. Keep the cuts even over about 2 minutes, and stop when the meat looks thinner and more uniform with no thick hump in the centre; if it starts to tear, slow down and use a smoother sawing motion.

   2 min
2. 2

   Mix the blackening spice

   Stir the Smoked Paprika, Cumin, Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, and Kosher Salt together in a small bowl until the colour is even and the spices look like one rusty-red blend. Work it for about 1 minute so there are no pale streaks; if you see clumps, break them up with the back of the spoon so the coating lands evenly on the chicken.

   1 min
3. 3

   Build the salsa

   Finely dice the Avocado, Red Onion, and Jalapeño, then chop the Cilantro and mince the Garlic Clove straight into a mixing bowl. Take about 3 minutes and keep the pieces small and even so the salsa spoons cleanly over the chicken; if the avocado starts to look bruised and mushy, use a gentler rocking cut and toss it right away with the lime juice later.

   3 min
4. 4

   Finish the salsa

   Squeeze the Lime over the avocado mixture and fold it through gently with a spoon for about 30 seconds until the cut surfaces glisten and the smell turns bright and citrusy. This keeps the avocado fresh and helps the salsa taste lively; if the bowl looks dry, add another little squeeze from the same lime before you move on.

   1 min
5. 5

   Heat the skillet

   Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and pour in the Vegetable Oil, then swirl it so the base is coated and the oil shimmers in a thin, fast-moving film, about 1 minute. If the oil starts to smoke hard, lift the skillet off the heat for a few seconds; you want hot and glossy, not acrid.

   1 min
6. 6

   Coat the chicken

   Press the Chicken Breast cutlets into the spice mix and rub the blend over both sides with your fingertips, turning them until every surface is stained deep red and the spices cling in a dry, even layer. Spend about 1 minute here; if any bare pale spots remain, dust them with the bowl leftovers so the crust blacks uniformly in the skillet.

   1 min
7. 7

   Blacken the chicken

   Lay the coated Chicken Breast cutlets into the hot skillet and press them down with a spatula for full contact, then leave them alone for about 3 minutes until the bottom is almost black at the edges and the spices smell smoky and toasty. Flip carefully and cook the second side for about 2 minutes more; if the crust sticks, give it another 20 seconds rather than forcing it, because a good blackened crust releases when it is ready.

   5 min
8. 8

   Serve with salsa

   Transfer the Chicken Breast to plates and spoon the avocado salsa over the top while the crust is still hot, letting the lime juice and herbs drip into the cracks for about 30 seconds. Serve immediately so the outside stays crisp and the avocado stays cool and bright; if the salsa seems to slide off, pile it down the centre line of each cutlet instead of spreading it thin.

   1 min

Nutrition per serving