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Grilled Salsa Verde Pepper Jack Chicken

Salsa verde chicken with pepper jack cheese gets grilled to juicy, flavorful perfection. Chicken breasts are marinated in a tangy salsa verde mixture, then topped with melted pepper jack in the final minutes for bubbly, savory edges.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salsa verde marinade and topping
  • 1 cup salsa verde divided
Seasonings and oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Cheese
  • 4 slices pepper jack cheese or 1 cup shredded
Serving toppings
  • 1 Fresh cilantro for serving
  • 1 avocado slices for serving
  • 1 lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 grill

Method
 

Make the salsa verde marinade
  1. In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup salsa verde, olive oil, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt, then stir until evenly mixed and pour over the chicken breasts.
  2. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator, covered, so the flavors soak in.
Grill the chicken
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
  2. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
  3. In the last 2 minutes of grilling, top each breast with pepper jack cheese and close the grill lid to melt the cheese until bubbly.
Serve
  1. Transfer the chicken to plates and spoon any remaining fresh salsa verde over the melted cheese.
  2. Serve topped with fresh cilantro, avocado slices, and lime wedges.

Notes

For best juiciness, let the grilled chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing, and keep the salsa verde chilled while the chicken marinates. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freezer is yes for cooked chicken (freeze without fresh toppings), then reheat until hot. For a lighter option, use part-skim pepper jack and serve with extra lime and cilantro instead of extra avocado.