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Discover the irresistible flavors of our juicy Mexican Cilantro Lime Chicken. With a tantalizing marinade of fresh cilantro, zesty lime juice, and aromatic garlic, this easy recipe is perfect for pan-frying, baking, or grilling. Try it now!
The Best Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
Get ready for some seriously tasty chicken with a marinade that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance! Cilantro Lime Chicken is hands down one of my all-time favorite Mexican recipes, and guess what? I’ve got the ultimate recipe to share with you.
Trust me, this recipe is a breeze. All you need are a few basic ingredients: fragrant cilantro, zingy lime juice, garlic, and a sprinkle of chili flakes to really make those flavors pop. With just a little prep work, you’ll have a dish that’s bursting with flavor and sure to be a hit with everyone at the table.
Now, when it comes to serving up this mouthwatering chicken, the options are endless. You could go classic with some Cilantro Lime Rice, or kick things up a notch with some Tequila Lime Shrimp. Feeling like something a bit different? Turn that chicken into a tasty taco salad. And if you want to keep it simple, just serve with sauteed asparagus or your favorite veggies to go alongside.
So, what are you waiting for? Dive into this awesome recipe and get ready to impress your taste buds!
This was DELICIOUS!!! I’m always looking for yummy recipes without added sugar and this hit the spot!! The entire family enjoyed it. I paired it with your cilantro lime rice and the garlic spinach. Yes!!
– Crystal
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are so many reasons to love this easy recipe, here are just a few reasons why you want to try it at home:
- Preparation method: My recipe calls for a two-step process for the best, juiciest and most flavorful chicken ever. First, you pan sear the chicken thighs on a hot skillet, then finish it off by baking it.
- Amazing flavor: Cilantro adds a bright herbal taste, while lime adds a tangy, citrusy kick. These two ingredients are perfect match made in Mexican food heaven!
- Versatile techniques: You can pan sear, bake, grill, broil or slow cook the chicken, depending on seasons and your preference.
- Crowd-pleaser: Vibrant colors and fresh flavors make it a standout option for any occasion, from family dinners to gatherings with friends.
Ingredients
This recipe calls for very simple every day ingredients, but yields moist and juicy chicken with bold and sharp flavors:
- Chicken. I use tender and juicy chicken thighs for my recipe, but you can certainly use chicken breasts.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
The marinade ingredients fuse zesty lime and fresh cilantro flavors into the chicken, creating a vibrant and delicious dish.
- Olive oil: The secret ingredient that keeps the chicken moist and juicy.
- Cilantro stems and leaves: Cilantro stems are added to marinades because they’re flavorful like the leaves but are usually ignored. They give the marinade a strong cilantro taste, making sure the chicken gets all the yummy cilantro flavors.
- Lime juice.
- Mined garlic.
- Red chili flakes. Add a spicy kick and depth of flavor to the chicken. They complement the tangy lime and fresh cilantro, providing a balance of heat and brightness to the marinade.
- Salt.
Please refer to the recipe card at the end of this post for detailed information about each ingredient.
Variation In Cooking Techniques
There are many ways you can prepare this zesty and mouthwatering recipe in the home kitchen:
- Grilling: Summertime calls for grilling, and this is my favorite way to cook. Simply marinate the chicken, then grill over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes per side. Flip the chicken a couple of times until it’s done. Grilling adds a smoky flavor and beautiful grill marks to the chicken. Yummy!
- Pan-Searing: Marinate the chicken, then pan-sear in a hot skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-searing creates a flavorful crust on the outside while keeping the inside juicy.
- Baking: Marinate the chicken, then bake at 375°F (190°C) until cooked through, for about 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken meat.
- Slow Cooking: If you’re busy, use a slow cooker. Just leave the chicken and its marinade in the slow cooker or crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until the chicken reaches your desired texture. This method is especially useful for busy moms or working adults.
How To Make Cilantro Lime Chicken
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Whisk all the Marinade ingredients together in a large bowl, ensuring thorough mixing. Add the chicken to the Marinade, stirring to coat evenly. Allow the chicken to marinate for 15 minutes, but for optimal flavor, marinate for 2 hours.
Step 2: Heat up a skillet and pan-fry the chicken with the skin-side down until it’s slightly browned. Then, turn it over and pan-fry the other side until it’s also slightly browned.
Step 3: Spoon the remaining marinade on top of the chicken before baking. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Transfer the chicken to a serving platter (discarding the oily dripping from the chicken). Squeeze fresh lime juice over the chicken, garnish with cilantro, and serve immediately.
Helpful Tips For Home Cooks
To make sure that you have the best results, follow the tips below:
- Use chicken thighs, which are more tender, moist and juicy. Buy bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs and debone it. Click on this post to learn how to debone chicken thighs, with video guide.
- You can use skinless and boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, if you like.
- Use freshly squeezed lime juice if you can. You will love the fresh and citrusy aroma from the lime juice.
- Use lots of cilantro stems and some cilantro leaves as there is a lot of flavors in the stems.
- Pan-fry the chicken on a skillet first, to make sure that the skin is browned and crispy before baking the chicken in the oven. This extra step turns your cilantro lime chicken from good to exquisite.
- After baking, spoon the marinade over the chicken to make it extra flavorful and moist.
So, there you have it, folks! If you’re looking for a flavor-packed, easy-to-make dish that’ll leave everyone at the table begging for more, then this is exactly what you need. With its irresistible blend of zesty lime, aromatic cilantro, and juicy chicken, my recipe is sure to become a staple in your kitchen. So go ahead, give it a try, and get ready to take your taste buds on a delicious journey they won’t soon forget!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! It is a great dish to make ahead of time. You can marinate the chicken in the fridge for several hours or even overnight before cooking it.
You can marinate the chicken for longer periods, but avoid marinating the chicken overnight because the acidity from the lime juice in the marinade may start to “cook” the surface of the chicken, resulting in a change in texture. Stick to a ideal marinating time of 2 hours for optimal results.
Yes, it’s recommended to discard the drippling before serving to avoid an oily texture in the final dish.
While fresh cilantro provides the best flavor, you can substitute dried cilantro if fresh cilantro is unavailable. However, the flavor may not be as vibrant, so consider using slightly more dried cilantro to compensate.
This baked cilantro lime chicken recipe is 631 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Serve this dish as is or with rice and other side dishes. For a wholesome Mexican meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. (700g) skin-on deboned chicken thighs
- lime wedges, for garnishing
- chopped cilantro, for garnishing
Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons cilantro stems and leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, whisk all the Marinade ingredients together until well combined. Add the chicken to the marinade, stirring to coat evenly. Allow the chicken to marinate for 15 minutes; for optimal flavor, marinate for up to 2 hours.
- Heat a skillet and pan-fry the chicken skin-side down until it is slightly browned. Then, turn it over and pan-fry the other side until it is also slightly browned.
- Spoon the remaining marinade over the chicken before baking. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, discarding the oily drippings. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the chicken, garnish with cilantro, and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Use an oven-safe skillet or pan to bake the chicken in the oven. Grilling is also an option for cooking the chicken.
- Use chicken thighs, which are more tender, moist and juicy. Buy bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs and debone it. Click on this post to learn how to debone chicken thighs, with video guide.
- Use freshly squeezed lime juice if you can. You will love the fresh and citrusy aroma from the lime juice.
- Use lots of cilantro stems and some cilantro leaves as there is a lot of flavors in the stems.
- Pan-fry the chicken on a skillet first, to make sure that the skin is browned and crispy before baking the chicken in the oven. This extra step turns your cilantro lime chicken from good to exquisite.
- After baking, spoon the marinade over the chicken to make it extra flavorful and moist.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I was directed to this recipe from a list of “25 Best Recipes to Make in an Air Fryer” but find no directions for air frying. Any ideas?
Hi Jim – that’s strange as this recipe doesn’t require air frying at all!
I made this last night for dinner, and it is for sure a keeper. We (3 adults) all loved it!
I started by making the marinade in the food chopper. I grilled the bone-in thighs on the barbeque, just to get the skin crispy and get the cooking underway. I transferred everything to a baking dish and baked them for 45 minutes.
I served it with brown rice (ooh, that yummy sauce from the chicken woke it right up!), steamed zucchini, and sliced tomato.
I will be making this again really soon, thanks so much!
I tried marinate chicken for half of hour and chicken’s flavor is really great!
It looks so delicious, I’d love to taste it.
What if using other than chicken meat? such as goat / cow / or fish. Would it be different.
I am sure it will taste good. :)
I followed a link from a list of clean eating recipes on another website and found this recipe. It is *almost* ideal for anyone following a clean eating program, though some would argue the skin should be removed if eating clean (yet that could be debated), and doing that would definitely produce a different result, so I would be reluctant to remove it. Apart from that, just swap the salt out for sea salt or Himalayan salt, and you’ve got a yummy, “clean” recipe. I shall be trying shortly! Thanks – many of your other recipes look delightful as well :)
What would you recommend for a side dish to serve with this yummy recipe?
Here are all my side dishes: https://rasamalaysia.com/tag/side-dish. All of them are good. Many love this Brown Butter Garlic Honey carrots recipe: https://rasamalaysia.com/brown-butter-garlic-honey-roasted-carrots/. :)
My mom made this chicken today and I loved it because it was so yummy and tasty! Hope she makes it again soon. Thank you mom
(My son wanted to post a comment cause he liked it so much! Also, my mom and mother in law stayed for dinner and they both asked me for the recipe. Definitely a keeper. Super easy and delicious!!!
Hi Mirel, awww thanks for the comment. I am so glad that everyone love my cilantro lime recipe. Make sure you ask them to sign up my email newsletter so they get recipes in mail.
Made this for the first time last night for dinner it’s now the hubby n kids fav!!!! Delicious ?!! Thank you for sharing!
This has become one of my children and my favorite recipes!! I change it slightly by using boneless skinless chicken breast and cubing it. I then marinade it and simply pan fry it until golden brown and cooked through. It is great in a burito, over rice and in a salad! I actually keep some in the freezer in marinade to pull out in the morning and cook when I get home from work. ?
Hi Ruth, happy to know that you you and your children love my Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe!! :)
This has become one of my children and my favorite recipes. I changed it slightly. I cut skinless chicken breast into cubes, marinate it and then cook it in a fry it in a fry pan. Delicious in a burito, over rice or in a salad!!!