Cilantro Lime Chicken

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Juicy and ultra-flavorful, this easy cilantro lime chicken recipe is fantastic on its own, with rice, or in meal bowls, salads, and tacos!

Prep: 10

Cook: 10

Total: 1

Servings: -4 servings

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Ingredients

1 ¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Zest and juice of 2 limes about 1 tablespoon zest and 1/4 cup juice, plus additional wedges for serving
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
⅓ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 tablespoon canola oil or similar neutral oil for cooking the chicken
Cilantro Lime Crema

Instructions

Place the chicken thighs in a shallow dish or ziptop bag.
In a bowl, stir together the lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, honey, cumin, salt, and pepper. Until fairly smooth. Pour over the chicken and turn to coat evenly. Refrigerate to marinade for 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Heat a large cast iron on similar sturdy skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot (a drop of water should bead up and dance on the surface), add 1 tablespoon canola oil and swirl to coat.
With tongs, remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, shaking off any excess, and lower into the skillet, smooth-side down. Let cook on the first side undisturbed for 4 minutes (don't peek!). Flip the chicken and cook on the other side until the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant read thermometer, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove to a plate, cover, and let rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle generously with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges and the crema on the side

Notes

TO STORE: Store leftover cilantro lime chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
TO REHEAT: Reheat this chicken in the microwave, in a skillet set over medium heat, in the air fryer, or in a 350ºF oven. The extra fat in chicken thighs help them stay moist when reheated. When microwaving, I like to cut the thighs into a few pieces first.
TO FREEZE: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat using one of the methods mentioned above.
GRILL IT INSTEAD: Marinade the chicken as directed, then prepare according to my recipe for Grilled Chicken Thighs.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 3)Calories: 465kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 51gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 251mgPotassium: 678mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 189IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 3mg