Lime Pepper Chicken
Bright, peppery chicken cutlets paired with a tangy tomatillo-serrano salsa, fresh pico, roasted poblano, and creamy avocado. A versatile weeknight meal that comes together quickly and delights with vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds thin chicken cutlets (boneless chicken breast) or pound breasts to ¼ inch
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns, crushed or 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons coarse pink salt or to taste (sub: kosher salt)
- 1 teaspoon chile piquin or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried onion
- 1 large lime, zest and juice
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil split between marinade and cooking
For the Salsa
- 1 pound tomatillos, washed and roughly chopped
- 3 pieces serrano peppers, chopped adjust for heat
- 2 pieces red Fresno peppers, chopped optional — milder, fruity
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced (for blender salsa)
- 1 handful cilantro with stems, roughly chopped (for blender salsa)
- ½ lime juice (for blender salsa)
- pinch oregano (for blender salsa)
- to taste salt (for blender salsa)
For Pico de Gallo and Toppings
- ⅓ cup white onion, diced
- 1 large jalapeño, diced seeds removed for milder pico
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 handful cilantro with stems, finely chopped
- 1 large roasted poblano, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 large avocado, diced or mashed tossed in juice of ½ lime, salt & pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Make the marinade: In a small bowl combine crushed peppercorns or ground pepper, salt, chile piquin, dried onion, lime zest and juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Marinate chicken: Rub the mixture into both sides of the cutlets. Cover and chill for 10–30 minutes.
- Blitz salsa: In a blender add chopped tomatillos, serranos, Fresno peppers (if using), sliced garlic, cilantro, juice of ½ lime, a pinch of oregano and a pinch of salt. Pulse to your preferred texture; taste and adjust salt and lime.
- Make pico de gallo: Combine diced roma tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño, minced garlic and chopped cilantro. Squeeze a little lime and add salt. Let sit at room temperature 10–15 minutes to marry flavors.
- Roast poblano: Char the poblano over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened. Place in a bowl, cover tightly to steam 10 minutes, then peel, seed and dice.
- Prepare avocado: Dice or mash avocado and toss with juice of ½ lime and a pinch of salt; set aside.
Cooking
- Cook chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil. When oil shimmers, add cutlets and sear 2–3 minutes per side until cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Remove and let rest 3–5 minutes.
- Assemble: Spoon tomatillo-serrano salsa over each cutlet. Top with pico, roasted poblano pieces, and avocado. Serve immediately.
Notes
For best results, use thin cutlets and rest the chicken after cooking. Serve with warm corn tortillas, rice, or salad. Store chicken and salsa separately; chicken lasts 3-4 days, salsa 3-4 days, pico de gallo best used within 24-48 hours.