Grilled Chicken Breast with Pico de Gallo

By davidv

Pico de gallo is a fresh salsa and it complements this chicken beautifully. You can also use it to top steaks, tacos, quesadillas, or nachos, so keep the recipe handy!

Tip: There's a fine line between chicken that's done and chicken that's overcooked. Use a timer and an instant-read thermometer and follow these directions closely. You'll have flavorful, perfectly prepared chicken for dinner.

Ingredients

• Pico de Gallo:
• 4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1 ⁄2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1-1/2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Chicken:
• 4 (5–6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Zest of 1 lemon

Preparation

Step 1

To prepare the pico de gallo, toss all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl until evenly combined. Place into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

To prepare the chicken, place the breasts between 2 pieces of wax paper. Use a meat mallet to pound them to a 3/4" thickness.

Place all the ingredients into a large zip-tight bag. Gently toss so the marinade evenly coats the chicken. Place in a bowl in the refrigerator and marinate at least 8 hours, or up to 12 hours.

Preheat the grill to high. Place the chicken breasts onto the hot grill and cook for 4–5 minutes until char marks appear. Flip the chicken and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the chicken reads 165°F, about 4-5 more minutes. Top each chicken breast with Pico de gallo before serving.