If there’s one thing I learned when my kids became involved in weeknight activities was that any form of “gourmet” cooking is out. Easy, quick and healthy recipes, such as these chicken thighs with a quick cucumber avocado salsa, fit the bill. Complicated meals won’t do when we are trying to squeeze dinner between soccer practice and kung-fu class, my husband and I playing tag-team drivers as we tote water bottles, herd kids into separate cars and try to keep our cool as our kids search for their misplaced shin guards and kung-fu belts. Good times.
The most difficult part of this recipe is not tossing every second piece of avocado into your mouth while making the salsa. Other than that, there is nothing more complicated than tossing boneless, skinless chicken thighs into a simple spice mixture and chopping up some fresh vegetables for the salsa. If you line the baking sheet with foil before you cook the chicken (10 minutes, tops, under the broiler), then clean-up will be just as easy as the cooking. Prepare the salsa while the chicken cooks.
Have you done the math yet? Yep, 15 minutes or less, from start to finish. Pair the chicken with some cooked quinoa or rice, which can be prepared earlier in the day. Not only is this dish quick, easy and darn tasty, but it is also very healthy.
I’d wax on a little longer about the slight spiciness of the chicken and the fresh, slightly sweet and tangy salsa, but I need to rush off to soccer practice. Over and out.
The recipe:
The chicken:
Preheat broiler and set the oven rack in the upper third of the oven.. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top of the foil. Lightly coat the rack with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, stir together ancho chile pepper, cumin, lime zest, salt and pepper. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat. Space the chicken thighs evenly on the wire rack.
Place the chicken under the broiler and cook until the chicken is just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
The salsa:
In a medium bowl, stir together cucumber, red bell pepper, avocado, lime juice, cilantro and honey. Set aside.
Serve the chicken with the salsa.
Other quick and easy chicken thigh recipes:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Grilled Lemon & Rosemary Chicken
Creative Culinary’s Spiced Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs
Simply Delicious’ “Butter Chicken” Grilled Chicken Thighs
Dine & Dish’s Oven Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
From the kitchen of Cookin Canuck. www.cookincanuck.com
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups diced cucumber (1/4 inch pieces)
- 3/4 cup diced red bell pepper (1/4 inch pieces)
- 1 avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 tsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp minced cilantro
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tsp ancho chile pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp grated lime zest
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together cucumber, red bell pepper, avocado, lime juice, honey and cilantro. Set aside.
- Preheat broiler and set the oven rack in the upper third of the oven.. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top of the foil. Lightly coat the rack with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, stir together ancho chile pepper, cumin, lime zest, salt and pepper. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat. Space the chicken thighs evenly on the wire rack. Place the chicken under the broiler and cook until the chicken is just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- Serve the chicken with the salsa.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
A perfect quick meal! I love that you used chicken thighs too, they’re definitely my favourite part of the bird to eat.
This meal looks like a winner but I ESP love the salsa!
So juicy and lovely! Love that salsa!
This looks awesome–can’t wait to try it!
I know what I’ll be making for dinner tonight! This looks soooo good!
I need this! Pinning for sure
I’m always looking for new chicken recipe ideas. Love this-so fresh!
Great idea for chicken thighs; I used to be all white meat all the time but boneless chicken thighs have changed my chicken habit a lot. I’ve always loved dark meat but loved the ease of preparation of white meat…now we can have both!
Thanks for including my recipe too!
Looks like a great quick dinner!
If I’m lucky there will be leftovers – these ingredients sound perfect for a tortilla wrap or quesadilla. Yum!
To think something this delicious could be made on a time crunch is a huge selling point for me! I much prefer chicken thighs over breasts it looks like there’s tons of flavor in those bad boys. Your salsa recipe looks great too!
You had me at spicy and thigh.
Avocados are one of my favorite foods!
What a fantastic quick and healthy recipe. I just happen to have chicken thawing for dinner and was wondering what in the world I could make that was a little different from the usual – found it!
I think chicken thighs add so much more flavor to a dish than chicken breasts. And I’m loving all of the avocado online lately. This recipe looks like it would be especially tasty!!
Any time dinner can be done in 15 minutes, you know I’ll love it! I especially love the sound of that salsa. Delish!
Looks like the perfect any night recipe to me! Love your pictures.
What an awesome way to jazz up chicken! I must try this recipe… You just can’t go wrong when avocados and cucumbers are involved.
Dropping in to jot down the details, I am making this tonight. Very excited about it! I love the smell of ancho chili.
We had this for dinner last night and I loved it!! SO easy to make (DONE in like 15 min!) and absolutely delicious. The ancho and cumin combine to almost taste like cinnamon, that type of spicy rather than hot. And the salsa is AAAHHmazing. I love the honey in it – the perfect bit of sweet. Thanks!
I made this last night and it was delicious! Thank you. I used chicken breasts because I had them on hand and we grilled the chicken after adding the spices because it was a beautiful warm day (and you just can’t pass that up in MN!). Great recipe – thanks!
Lovely and refreshing!
Yeah, I can’t help but snack on the avocado I’m supposed to be using in a recipe…and I could eat a huge bowl of this salsa! What a marvelous dish!!!
I am a chicken thigh fanatic…love this one. And so what I get from this post is that life doesn’t actually slow down as they get older, hmmmm? More activities, less diaper-changing, this is what you are telling me?
What a great light and easy recipe for a busy weeknight. Love the salsa – sans bell peppers since I don’t like them much
– and my husband loves chicken thigh.
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