Pico de Gallo Chicken features juicy grilled chicken that’s been marinated in a smoky, sweet, and spicy chipotle citrus blend, then topped with a brilliantly fresh homemade Pico de Gallo. It’s an incredibly easy and vibrant meal your grilling routine has been missing!
Table of Contents
If you appreciate simplicity in cooking, you’ll love the fact that this dish calls for only three main components – chicken, marinade, and salsa! While store-bought alternatives exist, blending your own marinade and making the Pico de Gallo from scratch is what truly makes this meal burst with flavor. The fresh, zesty marinade penetrates the chicken deeply, and the salsa’s crisp texture and bright acidity simply can’t be replicated from a tub.
For a quick chicken dinner, marinate the chicken for just one hour – it will still be packed with flavor. For the most tender and infused results, let it soak overnight. The Pico de Gallo can be prepared hours in advance, allowing its flavors to meld beautifully and reducing the recipe time for added convenience.
Simply grill your chicken and top with your homemade Pico de Gallo, served with a simple salad, rice, or veggies.
Ingredient notes
- Chicken – Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Marinade – I prefer to use my own marinade since it gives the chicken the most flavor. You’ll need fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, lime juice and zest, extra virgin olive oil, brown sugar, garlic, chipotle in adobo sauce, dried oregano, ground cumin, and salt.
- Pico de Gallo – Nothing beats homemade Pico de Gallo to spoon on top of the juicy marinated and grilled chicken! You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below or follow my recipe for Easy Pico de Gallo here.
How to make it
- Make the Pico de Gallo: Combine the onion, pepper, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl. Let it sit while you prepare the tomatoes and cilantro. Toss the marinated onions with the tomatoes and cilantro. Set the assembled Pico de Gallo aside.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the marinade ingredients in a blender or mini food processor and process until blended. Transfer the marinade to a ziplock bag, along with the chicken. Let the chicken marinate in the mixture at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate it for longer (as long as overnight).
- Grill the Chicken and Serve: Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat and spray it generously with cooking spray. Place the marinated chicken on the hot grill and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Serve the grilled chicken with the fresh Pico de Gallo spooned on top!
Ideas for leftover grilled chicken
Marinating and grilling extra chicken while making this dish is a great way to meal prep for other delicious meals that you can enjoy in the days to follow. Here are a couple of ways that you can enjoy these marinated and grilled chicken breasts and/or thighs:
- Southwest Chicken Salad:This delicious chicken salad shares the same flavor profile of Pico de Gallo chicken. It even calls for homemade Pico de Gallo! Simply toss in your leftover grilled chicken and salsa, together with a few other salad ingredients and you have a brand new meal for lunch or dinner.
- Mexican Street Corn Tacos: Load your grilled chicken into tacos along with your favorite street corn fillings – fresh corn, Cotija cheese, mayonnaise, jalapeno, red onion, and cilantro.
- Chicken Tortilla Soup: Chop or shred your leftover grilled chicken and add it to this soupy mix for a convenient way to reduce the overall recipe time.
Tips and tricks
- Be careful while handling the serrano or jalapeno pepper! Wear gloves if you can and wash your hands as soon as you’re done handling them. The juice from the pepper can burn your skin and it’ll be painful if you get it in your eyes.
- Feel free to make the Pico de Gallo ahead of time and store it in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 1-2 days at most. The flavors will meld together and intensify!
- Dice and chop the salsa ingredients into even-looking pieces to help create uniformity and the texture that you desire. Larger pieces will create a chunkier Pico de Gallo while smaller pieces will create a more refined Pico de Gallo.
- Removing the seeds and veins from the pepper is an easy way to lessen the spice in this dish. Feel free to leave them in for an extra kick of heat.
- Plan ahead when making this Pico de Gallo Chicken as the chicken pieces need at least an hour to marinate for delicious infused flavor. You can marinate for longer, but then be sure to refrigerate the chicken.
- Don’t marinate the chicken beyond 8-12 hours. The chicken will start to turn slimy and stringy.
- The grilled chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F for it to be safe to eat.
- Letting the onions, pepper, lime, and salt marinate together before mixing the tomatoes and cilantro will tone down the onions’ sharp taste while enhancing the flavor.
Variations
Try these simple ingredient swaps as well as an alternative cooking method to add a bit of variety to this Pico de Gallo chicken recipe. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:
- Add a smoky flavor to your Pico de Gallo – Use fire-roasted tomatoes or chipotle chiles (smoked jalapenos) for a rich and smoky flavor.
- Try other types of peppers – Use a jalapeno pepper instead of a serrano pepper for a milder version of the Pico de Gallo.
- Add extra heat: Add diced jalapeno to the marinade or leave the seeds and ribs in the serrano pepper when making the Pico de Gallo.
- Vary the texture – Make a more delicate Pico de Gallo with finely diced ingredients or a chunky version by dicing larger pieces, depending on your preference.
- Alternate cooking method: Bake the marinated chicken, topped with the Pico de Gallo and freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese for 20-24 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Salsa: Instead of using Pico de Gallo, pair a different salsa with your grilled chicken. Easy Chipotle Salsa, Fresh Mango Salsa, and Jalapeno Sesame Salsa are all excellent options!
- Pico de Gallo ingredient swaps: Fresh parsley, basil, or chives can be used instead of cilantro. Feel free to also add more savory veggies to the mix, such as bell pepper and roasted corn. Alternatively, for a sweeter-tasting pico de gallo, replace the tomatoes with mango, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, or watermelon.
Serving suggestions
The simplicity of this Pico de Gallo Chicken dish allows for it to be paired with a long-list of side dish options, from light salads to hearty refried beans and more. Here are some of the dishes I love to serve with Pico de Gallo:
Storing
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Remove any of the Pico de Gallo from your grilled chicken if you intend to freeze it. The chicken will last for a month in the freezer, ready to be thawed overnight in the fridge.
- Microwave your leftovers or heat them in the oven for a couple of minutes if you aren’t in a rush.
- Leftover or excess Pico de Gallo should be stored in a separate airtight container in the fridge and will typically last for up to 3 days. That said, some of the ingredients, such as the tomatoes, will start to release juices and soften over time, making the salsa somewhat watery.
Erin’s wine pairings
Looking for wine that’ll add cooling freshness while also bold enough to stand up to the strong flavors and level of spice in this grilled chicken dish? Here are a few I can immediately recommend:
- Rosé is bold enough to stand up to the strong flavors of the grilled chicken marinade with its acidity pairing well with the vinaigrette.
- Other great options for pairing would be Pinot Gris or dry Riesling.
More salsa-inspired dishes
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Full Recipe
Pico de Gallo Chicken
Pico de Gallo Chicken features juicy grilled chicken that’s been marinated in a smoky, sweet, and spicy chipotle citrus blend, then topped with a brilliantly fresh homemade Pico de Gallo. It’s an incredibly easy and vibrant meal your grilling routine has been missing!
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Serves 4 people
Equipment
- Grill (optional)
- Grill Pan (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs (or breasts, boneless skinless)
Marinade
- 1 orange (juiced)
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 lime (zested and juiced)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic (smashed and peeled)
- 1 canned chipotle in adobo sauce (optional)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pico de Gallo
- ⅔ cup white onion (finely diced, ½ onion)
- 1 serrano pepper (or jalapeno, finely chopped, ribs and seeds removed for less heat)
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice (about 3 limes)
- ½ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 5 roma tomatoes
- ¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped, about ½ bunch)
Instructions
Pico de Gallo
- In a medium bowl, combine the chopped onion, serrano pepper, lime juice and salt. Let it marinate together while you prepare the tomatoes and cilantro.
- Toss the marinated onions with the tomatoes and cilantro.
Chicken
- In a blender or mini food processor, combine the orange juice, apple cider vinegar, lime zest and juice, oil, brown sugar, garlic, chipotle, oregano, cumin, and salt; process until blended.
- Add this mixture to a ziplock bag, along with the chicken.
- Let sit at room temperature 1 hour, or refrigerated as long as overnight.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Spray your grill generously with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade and place on the hot grill. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, until cooked through (165-degrees).
- Serve the chicken with pico de gallo spooned on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Remove any of the Pico de Gallo from your grilled chicken if you intend to freeze it. The chicken will last for a month in the freezer, ready to be thawed overnight in the fridge.
- Microwave your leftovers or heat them in the oven for a couple of minutes if you aren’t in a rush.
- Leftover or excess Pico de Gallo should be stored in a separate airtight container in the fridge and will typically last for up to 3 days. That said, some of the ingredients, such as the tomatoes, will start to release juices and soften over time, making the salsa somewhat watery.
- Be careful while handling the serrano or jalapeno pepper! Wear gloves if you can and wash your hands as soon as you’re done handling them. The juice from the pepper can burn your skin and it’ll be painful if you get it in your eyes.
- Feel free to make the Pico de Gallo ahead of time and store it in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 1-2 days at most. The flavors will meld together and intensify!
- Dice and chop the salsa ingredients into even-looking pieces to help create uniformity and the texture that you desire. Larger pieces will create a chunkier Pico de Gallo while smaller pieces will create a more refined Pico de Gallo.
- Removing the seeds and veins from the pepper is an easy way to lessen the spice in this dish. Feel free to leave them in for an extra kick of heat.
- Plan ahead when making this Pico de Gallo Chicken as the chicken pieces need at least an hour to marinate for delicious infused flavor. You can marinate for longer, but then be sure to refrigerate the chicken.
- Don’t marinate the chicken beyond 8-12 hours. The chicken will start to turn slimy and stringy.
- The grilled chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F for it to be safe to eat.
- Letting the onions, pepper, lime, and salt marinate together before mixing the tomatoes and cilantro will tone down the onions’ sharp taste while enhancing the flavor.
- Add a smoky flavor to your Pico de Gallo – Use fire-roasted tomatoes or chipotle chiles (smoked jalapenos) for a rich and smoky flavor.
- Try other types of peppers – Use a jalapeno pepper instead of a serrano pepper for a milder version of the Pico de Gallo.
- Add extra heat: Add diced jalapeno to the marinade or leave the seeds and ribs in the serrano pepper when making the Pico de Gallo.
- Vary the texture – Make a more delicate Pico de Gallo with finely diced ingredients or a chunky version by dicing larger pieces, depending on your preference.
- Alternate cooking method: Bake the marinated chicken, topped with the Pico de Gallo and freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese for 20-24 minutes at 400 degrees F.
- Salsa: Instead of using Pico de Gallo, pair a different salsa with your grilled chicken. Easy Chipotle Salsa, Fresh Mango Salsa, and Jalapeno Sesame Salsa are all excellent options!
- Pico de Gallo ingredient swaps: Fresh parsley, basil, or chives can be used instead of cilantro. Feel free to also add more savory veggies to the mix, such as bell pepper and roasted corn. Alternatively, for a sweeter-tasting pico de gallo, replace the tomatoes with mango, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, or watermelon.
Nutrition
Calories: 637kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 1057mg | Potassium: 822mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1001IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg
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