Spicy Blackened Chicken with Avocado Relish

My kitchen facelift is finished! I'm so happy and pleased with how it all came together. But, we'll talk more about that later- I've gotta get this post published so I can get Lily to swim lessons!

This dish was one of the first things I made after I got my kitchen all put back together. The pictures were taken with my iphone-- I'm a lazy lame-o, I know. I've had this recipe bouncing around my head and I'm so glad that it tasted as good as I imagined it to be. Creamy avocado with some tang mixed with the spicy blackened chicken is a really killer combo. Serve this with some corn on the cob and you've got yourself a meal! Here's the recipe:

Recipe (serves 4):

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded evenly to 1/2 in thickness

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for cooking

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (reduce this by 1/2 if you want to make it less spicy)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 large garlic clove, minced

-Preheat your grill to medium-high (or large pan, medium-high over the stove). Clean and lightly oil grill. 

-In a small bowl, combine paprika, ground pepper, salt, cayenne, oregano, thyme, minced garlic and tablespoons of oil. Rub all over chicken breasts

-Grill chicken, about 2-3 minutes per side or until juices run clear and the breasts are firm to the touch. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

-Transfer chicken to a serving tray and top with avocado relish. 

The avocado relish recipe is from my sister in law, Megan- we all lick the bowl clean when she makes it-

Avocado relish:

2 large avocados, cubed

2 roma tomatoes, washed and cubed

3/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon, red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 dashes habanero sauce

Combine all ingredients, toss gently, cover and refrigerate before serving.

Hope you're all having a great week thus far! Thanks for stopping in!

iphone images by Briana