This quick and easy, Mexican-inspired Cilantro Lime Chicken is bursting with fresh flavors and is the perfect weeknight meal! It requires just a simple 30-minute marinade, then a quick sear and dinner is done!
You'll Love This
- It's quick and easy! You can have a healthy, flavorful chicken dinner on the table in less than an hour with this super easy recipe. You don't need any fancy kitchen gadgets or extraordinary cooking skills. Just get your pan nice and hot and let it do all the work!
- It's very versatile! This cilantro lime chicken tastes delicious atop my favorite Southwest Salad (with creamy homemade dressing!) or drizzled with tangy Creamy Avocado Lime Sauce. But it also pairs well with brown rice and your favorite roasted veggies! It's also perfect for tacos, quesadillas, or nachos!
- This cilantro lime chicken marinade will take your boring chicken dinner from bland to BAM! It's got simple ingredients - cilantro, lime, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and olive oil - that pack a punch! Because of the powerful seasonings, the chicken only needs a quick 30-minute marinade to infuse the flavors into the chicken breast and you've got a tasty dinner your family will love!
Instructions
Combine olive oil, lime zest and juice, garlic, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
Place chicken into a shallow dish. I suggest using an 8x8 baking dish. Pour marinade over the chicken breast and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Saute chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side or until a dark golden-brown crust forms on the outside.
If the chicken is not cooked through all the way, finish cooking it in a 400-degree oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees at its thickest part.
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, slice, and enjoy with my Southwest Salad Recipe!
Tips
- Any cut of chicken will work for this recipe. I typically have breasts and tenders in the freezer so that's what we use most often. But chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless) work great for this cilantro lime chicken recipe as well!
- Because of the lime zest and juice in this recipe, I recommend marinating the chicken for only 30 minutes. The acid in the lime will actually start to break down and cook the chicken after 30 minutes which can lead to an undesirable texture.
- This cilantro lime chicken can be cooked on the grill or in a cast iron pan. If you don't have cast iron, any pan will work, but cast iron will give it that great crispy, dark golden-brown crust.
- Any leftovers you might have will taste great in Sheet Pan Chicken & Black Bean Nachos, Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas, or Black Bean Enchiladas.
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Recipe
Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe
This quick and easy, Mexican-inspired Cilantro Lime Chicken is bursting with fresh flavors and is the perfect weeknight meal! It requires just a simple 30-minute marinade, then a quick sear and dinner is done!
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top + Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- zest and juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons lime juice)
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro + more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Combine olive oil, lime zest and juice, garlic, cilantro, paprika, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and a few large pinches of salt and pepper.
- Place chicken into a shallow dish. Pour marinade over chicken breast and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts, allowing the excess marinade to drip off before adding to the pan.
- Cook chicken breast for about 4-5 minutes per side or until a dark golden-brown crust forms on the outside.
- If the chicken is not cooked through all the way, finish cooking it in a 400-degree oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees at its thickest part.
- Let rest for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy with my Southwest Salad Recipe!
Equipment
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Notes
Any cut of chicken will work for this recipe. I typically have breasts and tenders in the freezer so that's what we use most often. But chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless) work great for this cilantro lime chicken recipe as well!
Because of the lime zest and juice in this recipe, I recommend marinating the chicken for only 30 minutes. The acid in the lime will actually start to break down and cook the chicken after 30 minutes which can lead to an undesirable texture.
This cilantro lime chicken can be cooked on the grill or in a cast iron pan. If you don't have cast iron, any pan will work, but cast iron will give it that great crispy, dark golden-brown crust.
Any leftovers you might have will taste great in Sheet Pan Chicken & Black Bean Nachos or Sheet Pan Chicken Quesadillas.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 1.1 g
- Sodium: 58.4 mg
- Fat: 13.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.8 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 25.9 g
- Cholesterol: 82.7 mg
Keywords: cilantro lime chicken marinade, Mexican lime chicken
Luke
Amazing!! The chicken was juicy and was bursting with flavor!! Thank you!!!
★★★★★