Fresh Honey Lime Chicken & Avocado Rice Stack
Build a vibrant Honey Lime Chicken & Avocado Rice Stack! This easy recipe features tender honey-lime marinated chicken layered with cilantro-lime rice and fresh avocado slices.
Ingredients
(Based on 1x column, serves approx. 2-3)
For the Honey Lime Chicken:
- â–¢ 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- â–¢ 1/4 cup honey
- â–¢ 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (plus more for avocado)
- â–¢ 1 teaspoon lime zest
- â–¢ 2 cloves garlic, minced
- â–¢ Salt and pepper to taste
- â–¢ (Optional: 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking)
For the Cilantro Lime Rice:
- â–¢ 1 cup dry white or brown rice, cooked per package (yields ~2-3 cups cooked)
- â–¢ 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- â–¢ 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- â–¢ Salt to taste
For the Avocado Layer:
- â–¢ 2 ripe avocados, sliced
- â–¢ 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- â–¢ Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare and Marinate the Chicken:
- Pat the chicken breasts dry. If thick, pound them to an even thickness (about 3/4 inch).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, 2 tablespoons lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of this mixture in a separate small bowl to use later as a drizzle (ensure this reserved portion never touches raw chicken).
- Add the chicken breasts to the remaining marinade in the medium bowl. Turn to coat evenly. Let the chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature (or longer in the refrigerator, up to 2 hours).
2. Cook Rice and Prepare Avocado:
- If you haven’t already, cook the rice according to package directions. Once cooked, fluff it with a fork. While still warm, stir in the chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and salt to taste. Set aside.
- Just before assembling, peel, pit, and slice the ripe avocados. Place the slices in a small bowl and gently toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of lime juice and a pinch of salt and pepper to prevent browning and add flavor.
3. Cook the Chicken:
- Heat a grill or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a touch of olive oil to the skillet if using.
- Remove the chicken from its marinade, letting excess drip off (discard the marinade the chicken sat in).
- Cook the marinated chicken for 6-7 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and nicely browned or has grill marks.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the heat and let it rest on a cutting board for a few minutes. Once rested, slice the chicken into strips or cubes.
4. Assemble the Stack:
- To assemble each stack on individual plates: Start by placing a base layer of the prepared cilantro-lime rice. You can use a ring mold or a small bowl packed with rice then inverted onto the plate for a neater stack, or simply create a mound.
- Arrange slices of the cooked honey-lime chicken over the rice layer.
- Carefully layer the seasoned avocado slices on top of the chicken.
- Drizzle the reserved (clean) honey-lime dressing/marinade from step 1 over the top of the stack.
5. Serve:
- Enjoy your vibrant and delicious Honey Lime Chicken & Avocado Rice Stack immediately!