Grilled Salsa Verde Chicken (Printable View)

Tender grilled chicken topped with tangy salsa verde and melted pepper jack cheese for vibrant flavors.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
07 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Toppings

08 - 1 cup salsa verde
09 - 4 slices pepper jack cheese
10 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

→ Optional Garnishes

12 - 1 avocado, sliced
13 - ½ cup diced tomatoes

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Heat your grill to medium-high, approximately 400°F.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Combine olive oil, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture evenly over each chicken breast.
03 - Place chicken on the preheated grill. Cook for 6-7 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
04 - During the final 2 minutes of cooking, spoon ¼ cup salsa verde onto each chicken breast and top with a slice of pepper jack cheese. Close the grill lid to allow the cheese to melt completely.
05 - Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges. Add avocado slices and diced tomatoes if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The spice rub creates this incredible crust that locks in all the juices
  • Melting pepper jack over salsa verde is one of those flavor combinations that just makes sense
  • Everything happens on the grill so cleanup is basically nonexistent
02 -
  • Closing the grill lid while melting the cheese traps the smoky flavor right against the chicken
  • Letting the meat rest prevents all those juices from running onto your cutting board instead of staying in the chicken
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly, so take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before grilling
  • Keep a spray bottle of water handy for flare ups when you add the oily salsa verde

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