Grilled Salsa Verde Pepper Jack (Printable)
Spice-rubbed chicken grilled to perfection, then crowned with tangy salsa verde and melted pepper jack for a bold Tex-Mex inspired meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp ground cumin
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
06 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
07 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Salsa Verde
09 - 1 cup salsa verde (store-bought or homemade)
10 - 1 tbsp lime juice
11 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
→ Cheese
12 - 4 slices pepper jack cheese (about 4 oz total)
→ Garnish
13 - 1/4 cup sliced green onions
14 - Lime wedges, for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F).
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Rub mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
03 - Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear.
04 - In the last 2 minutes of grilling, spoon 2-3 tablespoons of salsa verde over each chicken breast and top each with a slice of pepper jack cheese. Close grill lid to melt cheese.
05 - Remove chicken from the grill and let rest for 3 minutes.
06 - Drizzle with remaining salsa verde, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and green onions. Serve with lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pepper jack melts into a gooey, spicy blanket that holds all those vibrant verde flavors right against the juicy chicken
- Everything comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent all day planning something special
02 -
- I once skipped resting the chicken and all those amazing juices ended up on the platter instead of inside the meat where they belong
- Closing the grill lid while the cheese melts is crucial, it creates an oven effect that makes the cheese bubbly instead of just sad and separated
03 -
- Pound the thicker end of each chicken breast flat so everything cooks at the same speed
- Room temperature chicken grills more evenly than cold straight from the fridge