Fiesta Lime Bowl

I love, Love, LOVE fresh avocado salsa!!! You may call it guacamole, but my Granny Sue calls it avocado salsa, and I dig it! This week, the local grocery had avocados on sale. To my surprise they were actually ripe enough to eat straight out of the store, so I thought a little Tex-Mex was in order. This recipe packs some fresh lime and cilantro flavors making it a perfect summer time meal!

Ingredients:

3 lbs chicken breast
3 cups cooked rice (I like a quick cooking rice blend - cook in chicken broth for more flavor)
2 ripe avocados, cubed
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro
4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced and divided
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 10oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 10oz can sweet corn, drained
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp + 1.5 tsp ground cumin, divided
1 Tbsp ground Chili
1 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp salt, divided (more or less to taste)
1.5 cups warm water

Recipe:

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch thick strips.

Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a warm skillit. Add chicken strips. Season with 1/2 tsp salt. Cook over medium high heat until done, about 10 minutes.

(Cook rice according to directions, set aside.)

Add black beans to a heavy sauce pan with 1 cup water, 1 Tbsp cumin, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 diced onion. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and add 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, mix cubed avocado, diced tomato, 1/2 diced onion, 2 Tbsp roughly chopped cilantro, 2 cloves minced (or grated) garlic, 1/2 lime juiced, and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir until combined. Let rest.

Once chicken is cooked through, add remaining 1.5 tsp cumin, 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, and remaining 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes (or until water has evaporated).

To the warm cooked rice add zest and juice of the remaining 1/2 lime, remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, and 1 Tbsp butter. Stir until combined.

Assemble rice bowl: cilantro lime rice, drained corn (fresh is best!), black beans, and chicken. Top with avocado salsa.

Enjoy!!!