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Grilled California Avocado Chicken

Grilled California avocado chicken with dark, defined grill marks and a juicy chicken breast topped with ripe avocado slices, melted Monterey jack, crispy bacon, and pico de gallo. Fast backyard BBQ-style assembly with grill-lid melting for gooey cheese in the final minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 g olive oil Used to brush the chicken before seasoning and grilling.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 black pepper To taste.
Toppings
  • 2 ripe avocados Sliced for topping after grilling.
  • 8 bacon strips Cooked crispy; topped over the avocado.
  • 4 Monterey jack cheese Sliced into 4 portions to melt on the last minutes of grilling.
  • 1 cup pico de gallo Spoonfuls for topping after grilling.
  • 1 cilantro Fresh garnish for serving.
  • 1 lime Squeeze for serving.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and season
  1. Pound the boneless skinless chicken breasts to an even thickness, then brush with olive oil so the seasoning sticks evenly.
  2. Season the chicken with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until coated on both sides.
Grill and melt cheese
  1. Grill the chicken over medium-high heat for 6–7 minutes per side until cooked through and grill marks are visible.
  2. During the last 2 minutes, place a slice of Monterey jack cheese on each chicken breast and close the grill lid to melt.
Top and serve
  1. Remove the chicken from the grill and top each chicken breast with sliced ripe avocados.
  2. Add two bacon strips and a spoonful of pico de gallo to each chicken breast while the cheese is still hot.
  3. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, then serve immediately.

Notes

For best browning, keep the grill at medium-high and avoid moving the chicken once it’s on the grates until it releases easily; let it rest 2–3 minutes after grilling so juices settle. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days (add avocado and pico de gallo fresh if possible). Freezing isn’t recommended because avocado and pico de gallo lose texture. For a lighter swap, use turkey bacon instead of bacon strips and keep the same avocado-and-pico topping.