Honey Lime Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Revisited

Today I'm 24! I have the day off from school (how lucky, right?!) and I'm treating myself. Taking myself out to lunch (with friends of course) and then to the salon to get my hair worked on (very much needed)! Hopefully by the time my hair is done, Dustin will steal away from school to spend a few hours of the evening with me before he once against shuts himself in his "study" (a small, dark spare room with 5 lamps and a desk in it) to study all night. March 9th happened to be an inconvenient day for a birthday this year, because I'll be spending most of it alone. Because my husband has the biggest test of his life tomorrow morning (and took another one today) and because I'm all grown up and 24 now, I have to put his school first. It doesn't mean we won't celebrate. Just that the party might come late. But we will party, and eat cake (never worry!), even if it isn't 'till Friday when the week from dental school hell ends.

While I have all this luxurious time to myself at home, I thought I do a quick post. How about this- a revisited honey lime grilled chicken sandwich that you don't want to miss! Just in time for spring. (It is a sunny 65 degrees in Richmond today. That's the best birthday gift ever!) Ripe avocados are still abundant in the markets right now, and this is the perfect way to use them! An extra plus? This meal is light enough that you'll definitely fit into your swimsuit come summer. We made it to March; summer will be here soon!

5/5/09: I wish every meal I made could be this fresh, healthy, and delicious! Great for a summer BBQ or on an indoor grill any day of the year (as long you can get a ripe avocado, because it's essential here). Because salsa is used as the condiment...never was a chicken burger so nutritious (yet so good)! I served them on my crusty homemade whole wheat hamburger buns. Yum!

This recipe's original author (Rachel Ray-shh!) only suggested marinating the chicken for 10 minutes. If you're under a 30-min time constraint I suppose that would be unavoidable. But I'd let it sit for several hours so it actually has a chance to absorb some of the honey lime flavor and become juicy and tender.

INGREDIENTS

Honey Lime Marinade:

1 lime, juiced

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. cumin

handful cilantro, chopped

2 Tbsp. canola or extra virgin olive oil

2 (8-oz.) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness

salt and freshly ground black pepper

lettuce

tomato, sliced

red onion, sliced

avocado, sliced

your favorite prepared salsa

4 whole wheat sandwich rolls, split

DIRECTIONS

1.Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in dressing and marinate for at least 20 minutes (or several hours).

2. Preheat out door or indoor grill pan. Grill chicken until the juices run clear.

3. Let rest for several minutes before slicing chicken breasts on an angle and divide meat between the rolls. Top with lettuce, tomato, red onion and avocado. Spread salsa on roll tops as a condiment.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

(Adapted from Food Network)